Fr. Ambrose Oschwald was born in Mudelfingen, Baden, to Mathias and Maria Oschwald. He felt the inner call to the spirtual life in 1818. He was a faith healer. In 1854 he left Germany with 113 of his followers. They were setting out to start a new settlement in the United States. When they first got to "The New World" most of the followers stayed in New York, while a small group went on ahead to start the settlement. The started the new settlement called St. Nazianz. Everything in the community was held in collective hands. They arrived in St. Nazianz September 1st, 1854. But January of the following year they had built a church (St. Gregory), four log houses, a kitchen, barn , blacksmith shop, and a smoke house. The community continued to grow, and by 1873 they had a new church, a seminary, a convent, an orphanage, and many homes.
Fr. Ambrose died February 27th, 1873. He was originally entombed beneath the St. Ambrose Church on the grounds of the Monastery. He rested quietly there until October 4th 1926, when he was moved to his current resting spot, a mausoleum, directly below the Loretto Chapel.
Fr. Ambrose died February 27th, 1873. He was originally entombed beneath the St. Ambrose Church on the grounds of the Monastery. He rested quietly there until October 4th 1926, when he was moved to his current resting spot, a mausoleum, directly below the Loretto Chapel.
Fr. Ambrose Oschwald was born in Mudelfingen, Baden, to Mathias and Maria Oschwald. He felt the inner call to the spirtual life in 1818. He was a faith healer. In 1854 he left Germany with 113 of his followers. They were setting out to start a new settlement in the United States. When they first got to "The New World" most of the followers stayed in New York, while a small group went on ahead to start the settlement. The started the new settlement called St. Nazianz. Everything in the community was held in collective hands. They arrived in St. Nazianz September 1st, 1854. But January of the following year they had built a church (St. Gregory), four log houses, a kitchen, barn , blacksmith shop, and a smoke house. The community continued to grow, and by 1873 they had a new church, a seminary, a convent, an orphanage, and many homes.
Fr. Ambrose died February 27th, 1873. He was originally entombed beneath the St. Ambrose Church on the grounds of the Monastery. He rested quietly there until October 4th 1926, when he was moved to his current resting spot, a mausoleum, directly below the Loretto Chapel.
Fr. Ambrose died February 27th, 1873. He was originally entombed beneath the St. Ambrose Church on the grounds of the Monastery. He rested quietly there until October 4th 1926, when he was moved to his current resting spot, a mausoleum, directly below the Loretto Chapel.
