Mary Fabyan Windeatt

St. Meinrad Coloring Book Mary Fabyan Windeatt

Way back in the 800's, Father Meinrad lived as a hermit deep in the woods on Mt. Etzel in what is now Switzerland. Two young ravens became his constant companions. People heard about the holy hermit and came to ask for prayers and pray before his miraculous statue of Our Lady. Often they left money and gifts in return for favors received. But Father Meinrad quickly gave everything away. By and by, two men decided to go rob Meinrad of the riches which they felt he must have. But when Father Meinrad told the would-be robbers he had no gold or silver, they did not believe him; and taking up their clubs, they cruelly beat him to death. Amazingly, the murderers were then pursued to justice all the way to Zurich by Father Meinrad's pet ravens, who swooped down on them, clawed them and tore at them with their beaks. After some years, Father Meinrad's name was added to the list of saints. People who prayed before his relics received many favors. Eventually his hermitage became the famous Abbey and Church of Our Lady of Einsiedeln. Then, a thousand years after St. Meinrad's death, some monks from Einsiedeln came to the New World to begin a new abbey; it was named St. Meinrad's. It began as a log cabin near Vincennes, Indiana, but as years went by, it became one of the largest religious houses in the United States. St. Meinrad is the patron of this Abbey; may he watch over it, guide it, and send it many graces and blessings.