Saturday, October 3, 1998

Historic monastery will get an update

By CAROL WERSICH

Scripps Howard News Service

FERDINAND, Ind. -- If the Benedictine Sisters were starting over, they would have a much smaller and far simpler monastery.

They may take pride in the huge and beautiful Monastery Immaculate Conception, which overlooks this German Catholic community, but this "Castle on the Hill" can be a chore and an expense to maintain.

The sisters are committed to preserving the historical treasure and its integrity and spiritual meaning.

But their religious community and outside supporters face exorbitant costs for facility improvements to bring the 486,000-square-foot monastery and several other buildings on the 190-acre campus up to date for the 21st century.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, the Romanesque monastery was built through various additions from 1883 through 1979.

The focal point is the 400-seat, 16,170-square-foot chapel with a domed ceiling extending to 87 feet. Construction on the chapel was started before World War I and was completed in 1924 by craftsmen from Germany and the local area.

A sisters residence, an infirmary, parlors and other meeting rooms, kitchen and dining facilities and elaborate halls also grace the monastery.

Today it would cost $45 million to replace the monastery and related buildings, says Sister Barbara Lynn Schmitz, the religious community9s treasurer and business manager.

"The chapel alone is valued at $13 million," she said. She doubts the monastery9s extra-fine stonework, hand-carved woodwork and stained glass could be duplicated, and she wonders if modern craftsmen capable of the work could be found.

Sister Schmitz is coordinator of the extensive facility team which is about to begin to assess the needs. She expects the study to take until January 2000 and cost $100,000.

A fund-raising campaign then will get under way to finance the expected multimillion-dollar project Although corporate support will be important, Sister Schmitz expects most of the donations will be generated by families whose lives have been enriched by the monastery over the years. The monastery will appeal to former residents and alumni members and visitors across the country.

(Carol Wersich is a reporter for the Evansville Courier.)