When Fr. Wolfgang Schlumph first came to Subiaco in 1878, he and the two monks with him brought from St. Meinrad the foundation cross (pictured above), which currently hangs behind the Abbot’s chair in the monastic refectory (our dining room). The cross, a legacy handed down from generation to generation, through two major fires, persists as a sign of the tradition we hold so close to our hearts. That tradition continues to draw people to Subiaco. In this campaign, we hope to build on the stability of the legacy we’ve inherited. In doing so, we can help ensure that the generations who follow have the opportunity to benefit from the tradition Fr. Wolfgang began in Arkansas.

The day after his arrival, more than fifty settlers came to him and assembled at the rough hut that served as the new foundation. He read the gospel of the day, recounting the Transfiguration in which Peter said, “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, we will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” Fr. Wolfgang drew his sermon from that text, saying that they must all work together to build three tents if they were to arrive at the tent of God in heaven. They would work together to build a home for each family, a home for Jesus Christ in the form of a church, and home in the heart of each person through the abiding and stable presence of God. His vision of unity radically departed from the paradigm of a monastery for monks which would occasionally allow others to participate in their mission.

Fr. Wolfgang set Subiaco apart in that he stated from the beginning that we would pray, work, and journey onward together. All of Subiaco is for everyone, just as Christ is for everyone. With Fr. Wolfgang’s revolutionary dream of unity, let us all move onward together!