The history of Marmion Abbey is closely tied to the history of what is now known as Marmion Academy. Since the arrival of the first monks in Aurora, Illinois, the Benedictines have been associated with education of young men and parish work.

In 1933, when the local bishop, the Most Reverend Edward Hoban, was looking for a religious community to staff the Fox Valley Catholic High School for Boys on Lake Street in Aurora, he turned to the Benedictines of St. Meinrad Abbey.

Abbot Ignatius Esser and the monks of St. Meinrad Abbey decided on April 20, 1933 to accept Bishop Hoban’s offer to take over the local boys school. At that time the school’s name was changed to "Marmion" in honor of the late Abbot Columba Marmion, O.S.B., of Maredsous Abbey, Belgium.

When St. Meinrad Abbey had accepted the Aurora foundation, it was with the hope that in time it would develop into a new abbey. On August 1, 1943, the first step in that direction was made. The Marmion monastic community was formally made a dependent priory of St. Meinrad. For the first time in Aurora the full monastic regimen was being followed. At its inception, Marmion Priory onsisted of 13 priest-monks and 2 brother-monks.

The next turning point for Marmion started in January of 1947. On the recommendation of Abbot Ignatius and community, the Holy See approved both the elevation of Marmion to the status of independent abbey and the naming of the first abbot (Father Gerald Benkert) for Marmion Abbey on March 21, 1947. In 1947 there were 32 charter members of the new abbey living in three different buildings in downtown Aurora.

Abbot Gerald soon found a suitable place to build a permanent abbey on Butterfield Road northeast of Aurora. It consisted of two adjacent farms which, with later purchases, would bring the size of the site to 350 acres. The monks moved into the new abbey on August 21, 1952. Work was begun to move the resident division of Marmion Military Academy to the Butterfield Road property. The resident campus facilities were opened in September 1959 with 260 residents. There were 480 day students who remained behind at the Lake Street campus.

By 1960 Marmion Abbey had grown to about 60 monks. In the same year, Pope John XXIII asked the American religious communities of men to send 10% of the membership to Latin America. Abbot Gerald responded by sending one of the monks, Fr. Matthias Zinkan, to Guatemala. This eventually led to the formation of Marmion’s dependent Priory of San Jose in Guatemala.

December 1969 brought the election of Abbot Mark Hogan as second abbot of Marmion Abbey. His major responsibility was to lead the monastic community in addressing the financially failing day school program at the Lake Street campus. The decision was made to close the Lake Street campus and move the day program to the Butterfield Road campus for the 1971-72 school year. That same year Abbot Mark announced his resignation.

Abbot David Cyr was elected the third abbot of Marmion Abbey on November 26, 1971. His was the task of building upon the work begun by the previous two abbots. Abbot David’s role was to solidify this "reunification" of the Marmion community and help set it on an even course in the wake of Vatican II.

In the early years, part of the abbey property had been set aside as a Christmas tree farm. In 1970, the first full "crop" of trees was ready for sale. Under the able direction of Fr. Bede Stocker, the cultivation of evergreens for Christmas trees and for landscaping purposes continues to be an important source of income for the abbey to this day.

Cultivation of souls has also been an important work of the abbey. Since the earliest days of Benedictine presence in Aurora the priest-monks of Marmion have been involved in sacramental assistance to parishes of the surrounding areas. Today this important work continues along with spiritual direction of both clergy and laity alike.

In December 1991, Abbot Vincent Bataille was elected the fourth abbot of Marmion Abbey. By the 1990’s the remaining charter members of the abbey were approaching their golden years and the abbey building needed to be able to better accommodate the aging and infirm. In 1994, the infirmary wing was added to the abbey building. And in 1998 a total renovation of the original abbey building was begun. This renovation created more monks’ rooms to accommodate the growing number of junior monks and also provided a needed modernization of the physical plant. And, at long last, construction was begun on an abbey church in 1997. For over 50 years the monks had worshipped in a chapel which could only hold a few dozen visitors. All school Masses had to be held in the school gym. On August 1, 1998, the Marmion Abbey Church of St. Augustine of Canterbury was formally dedicated to the glory of God. The new abbey church is a fitting testament to the faith and hard work of all those who have been a part of the history of Marmion Abbey. We look forward to a future full of hope and promise built on the foundation of the past and formed by the efforts and graces of the present.