Spanish School | St. Benedict Retreat Center | Support the Mission
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.” (Mt. 28,19).
This is the mission that Jesus Christ entrusted to his disciples and to his Church. In 1959 Pope John XXIII gave a special impetus to the missionary activity of the Church in Latin America. Because of the great needs of the Church in Latin America, Pope John urgently requested that priests and religious be sent to areas where there was only one priest to minister to 15 or 20 thousand Catholics. One of the serious needs was and continues to be the formation of a native clergy.
In 1965 Marmion Abbey responded to the request of Pope John by establishing a priory and minor seminary in Guatemala. The intent was threefold:
From 1965 until 1991, San Jose Priory and Seminary was located in the city and Diocese of Solola. In 1991, the community and school moved to it's present site in the city and Diocese of Quetzaltenango.
At the end of 2019, after fifty-four years of educating young men, the Minor Seminary was closed due to financial constraints. Using the Seminary buildings, the Benedictine monks opened the Saint Benedict Retreat Center in 2020. The retreat center now serves as a place for spiritual retreats and conferences for youth and adults alike.
In view of these great needs and the poverty of the people served, we cordially invite you to share in the mission work of the Benedictine community of San José. Support the Mission
In Deceased Members are listed with a cross (+). Founding Members of San Jose Priory are asterisked (*) and bolded.
Name: Years served as a Missionary
Abbot Vincent Bataille: 1989 – 1991 + Abbot Gerald Benkert: 1970 – 2002 Fr. Abbot John Brahill: 1992 – 2009 + Fr. Francis Daleiden: 1968 – 1970 and 1983 – 1986 + Fr. Patrick Greene*: 1965 – 1994 + Fr. Leo Grommes: 1973 – 1982 + Fr. Mark Hogan*: 1965 – 1969 and 1972 – 1986 + Fr. Conrad Lamb*: 1965 – 1969 + Br. Timothy McGinn: 1992 + Fr. David Palmatier: 1966 – 1975 and 1984 - 1992 + Fr. Carlos Quintana: 1978 – 1998 Fr. Joel Rippinger: 1987 – 1989 + Fr. Matthias Zinkan*: 1960 – 1962 and 1964 – 2007