A Word from the Archabbot

Dear Friend of Saint Meinrad,

While we as Benedictine monks here at Saint Meinrad certainly appreciate the beauty of our natural physical surroundings, we believe that our lives have a spiritual side as well. We celebrate this belief in the spiritual through the many symbols that are part of monastic life.

One of those powerful symbols that expresses our belief about eternal life is the plain casket in which we bury our brother monks. For as long as any of us now living at Saint Meinrad can remember, one of the monks has made the casket here in our own shop. Its long history has made it a familiar symbol with our community.

The plain yet noble casket was the inspiration for the Abbey Caskets we show and talk about on this website. We are pleased that you wish to find out more about this work of Saint Meinrad Archabbey. It is a work that thrives on the nobility of human handiwork, and at the same time declares in its plain style our ultimate poverty before God as Christians.

Sincerely in Christ,

Archabbot Justin DuVall, OSB