14 January 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Archabbot Boniface Wimmer OSB, founder of the American-Cassinese Congregation.
“Like St. Paul, Wimmer was a missionary who preached the Gospel over a wide geographic area. He was a community builder who traveled extensively and established Christian communities everywhere he went. He was a man of strong faith whose zeal and single-minded devotion to duty strengthened the Church of Christ. He was a prolific letter writer who through his persuasive correspondence inspired those to whom he wrote to remain faithful in the face of adversity.
“Today, Saint Vincent Archabbey in Pennsylvania, founded by Wimmer in 1846, is the largest Benedictine monastery in the world. American Benedictines who trace their roots directly to Wimmer pray and work in more than 20 American states, as well as in Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the Bahamas, Colombia, Brazil, China, and Japan” (BonifaceWimmer.org).
Abbot Primate Dr. Notker Wolf OSB delivered “Passion for Christ,” the keynote address for the inauguration of the Wimmer Bicentennial. Vespers at Saint Vincent Archabbey Basilica, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, 7 p.m., opened the year-long memorial.
Originally posted at http://www.osb.org/new/current.html.
