Year in Pictures 2020: Saint Meinrad
Archabbot Kurt Stasiak, OSB, and Br. Simon Herrmann, OSB, play catch on the lawn in front of the Archabbey Church during evening recreation in May.
My job at Saint Meinrad revolves around a predictable schedule. I can plan to photograph the same events at the same time every year. All of the usual events were canceled this year and the break was refreshing. When the deacon and priesthood ordinations rolled around in August, I was really excited to pick my camera up again. It was nice to photograph such joyful occasions.
I felt very disconnected to Saint Meinrad in 2020. Our office has been operating on a revolving schedule. I spend two days in the office and three days working at home. I have relied heavily on my student photographers to document life in the seminary. Every time I had to photograph someone, I was worried I would be the one to spread the virus through the monastic or seminary community.
In March, the monks began livestreaming Mass and Vespers. I’m not Catholic, but I would tune into Mass just to see the familiar faces. It was really comforting to know that as our world was falling apart, the monks were still gathering to pray five times a day. In hard times, it is so easy for me to give in to worry and spiral down the rabbit hole of negativity. The example of the monks brought me some peace and helped me lean on my own Christian faith.
Click here to view Saint Meinrad’s full Year in Pictures 2020 gallery. That gallery would not have been possible without my student photographers, Dcn. Corey Bruns and Dcn. Omar Galvan.
On January 9, 2020, seminarians in the first year of theology studies visited with monks in the monastery infirmary.
The monastic community pray in front of Our Lady of Einsiedeln after Vespers and Br. Michael Reyes’ first profession on January 20, 2020.
Alumni attend a marriage prep and ministry session during the Institute for Priests and Presbyterates Associate Pastor program on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020.
Br. Simon Herrmann, OSB of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, and Callixte Senani of the Diocese of Gikongoro in Rwanda were ordained deacons by Archbishop Charles Thompson of Indianapolis on Saturday, August 15, 2020.
Br. Simon Herrmann, OSB of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, and Callixte Senani of the Diocese of Gikongoro in Rwanda were ordained deacons by Archbishop Charles Thompson of Indianapolis on Saturday, August 15, 2020.
Br. Simon Herrmann, OSB of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, and Callixte Senani of the Diocese of Gikongoro in Rwanda were ordained deacons by Archbishop Charles Thompson of Indianapolis on Saturday, August 15, 2020.
Br. Simon Herrmann, OSB of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, and Callixte Senani of the Diocese of Gikongoro in Rwanda were ordained deacons by Archbishop Charles Thompson of Indianapolis on Saturday, August 15, 2020.
Fr. Lorenzo Penalosa, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest on Sunday, August 30, 2020, by the Most Rev. Charles C. Thompson, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. The ordination was held in Saint Meinrad’s Archabbey Church, St. Meinrad, IN.
Fr. Lorenzo Penalosa, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest on Sunday, August 30, 2020, by the Most Rev. Charles C. Thompson, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. The ordination was held in Saint Meinrad’s Archabbey Church, St. Meinrad, IN.
Fr. Lorenzo Penalosa, OSB, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest on Sunday, August 30, 2020, by the Most Rev. Charles C. Thompson, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. The ordination was held in Saint Meinrad’s Archabbey Church, St. Meinrad, IN.
Forty-eight men studying for the priesthood at Saint Meinrad declared candidacy for Holy Orders in the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel on Nov. 5, 2020.
