The 1857 Society is named for the year when the pioneer Benedictines arrived in Newark from St. Vincent's Abbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. These three men, Father Valentine Felder, OSB, Frater Eberhard Gahr, OSB and Brother Luke Zeume, OSB, were sent by Abbot Boniface Wimmer, OSB, the first Benedictine abbot in the United States, to found Saint Mary's Priory, what would eventually become Saint Mary's Abbey in 1884.
Lifetime membership in The 1857 Society is offered to those who invest in the future of Saint Mary's Abbey by:
With a gift of $10,000 or more, you can name a specific endowment fund for the purpose or memorial designation of your choice.
Each June, members of The 1857 Society are invited to Saint Mary's Abbey to attend Vespers and enjoy dinner and a program. Daily, the monks remember the Society's members in prayer, particularly on July 16, the Feast of the Dedication of the Abbey Church.
To find out more about making a planned gift, contact Abbot Elias Lorenzo at (973) 538-3231 or at [email protected].