Indiana archabbey receives two bequests worth a total of $27 million

Published: 2004-04-08

ST. MEINRAD, Ind. (CNS) -- During 2004, the Benedictine monks of St. Meinrad Archabbey are celebrating the blessings of the past and looking forward to the future as they mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of their monastic community. Now they have something else to celebrate -- receiving two bequests totaling nearly $27 million. The gifts, each in excess of $13 million, were given by the estates of Virginia Basso and Bernice Davey, both of Indianapolis. Basso died July 30, 2003, at age 91. Davey died Jan. 6 of this year at age 90. "These generous gifts are a tremendous vote of confidence in St. Meinrad and our work for the church," said Archabbot Lambert Reilly. In addition to aiding the work of priestly formation at St. Meinrad School of Theology, the bequests will also be used in the archabbey's comprehensive capital campaign.

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