Our Lady of Dallas Abbey

The Abbey of Our Lady of Dallas is a Cistercian monastery located in Irving, Texas, founded in 1955. It originated from the displacement of Cistercian monks following the Communist takeover in Hungary, specifically from the Zirc Abbey which was disbanded in 1950. These refugee monks found refuge in the United States and were invited by Bishop Thomas K. Gorman of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas to assist in the establishment of the University of Dallas.

History and Significance

The monastery received formal establishment by the Holy See on February 19, 1955, initially as a dependency of Zirc Abbey. Its core mission has always been intertwined with education, drawing upon the Cistercian order's historical role as centers of learning. Nine monks served on the faculty when the University of Dallas opened in September 1956. The community soon built its own monastery on the university campus, dedicated in 1958.

In 1961, the abbey gained independence from its Hungarian ties, electing its first prior, Anselm Nagy. The monastic community established Cistercian Preparatory School the following year, modeled after Hungarian Cistercian schools. The community rapidly grew and was elevated to the status of an abbey, with Nagy becoming its first abbot in 1964. The monastic complex expanded particularly in the 1970s with the arrival of American-born candidates. The abbey church, a significant structure, was completed in 1992, designed by Gary Cunningham. Today, the monks continue their dual commitment to education at both Cistercian Preparatory School and the University of Dallas, as well as providing pastoral services in local parishes.