+27(0)31 700 4288
info@mariannhillmonastery.org.za
1 Abbot Francis RdMariannhill, Durban, 3610
Abbot Francis Pfanner
Founder of the Mariannhill Monastery
Abbot Francis was born in the Austrian village of Langen, Vorarlberg, in 1825. At his baptism he was given the name Wendelin. After completing High School he studied philosophy and theology in Innsbruck, Brixen (now Bressanone, Italy) and Padua. On 28 July 1850 he was ordained priest in the Cathedral of Brixen. After working several years as a pastor in Haselstauden/Dornbirn he became chaplain to sisters in Agram, (now Zagreb) Croatia. During this time the desire to enter a contemplative monastery grew in him. In 1862 he made a pilgrimage to Rome and a year later to the Holy Land.
On 9 October 1863 he entered novitiate in the Trappist Monastery of Maria Wald in the Eifel (Germany) and was given the name Francis. He made his first profession on 24 November 1864.
Mariannhill Monastery History
In 1882 on the 26 December, Trappist missionary Fr Franziskus Pfanner established Mariannhill Monastery in the outskirts of the city of Durban, in South Africa. Moved by the ideal of promoting the integration of the native Zulu people in the white society of the Transkei region, Fr. Pfanner also promoted local development opening schools, health clinics, craft workshops, printing presses and farms providing work for hundreds of monks, lay missionaries, women religious and natives.
Mariannhill Monastery Documentary
20 May
MARIATHAL MISSION SCHOOL 2024 MATRICULANTS VISIT MARIANNHILL MONASTERY
It was a blessing to host 120 matriculants from Mariathal Mission School in Ixopo, South Africa from Friday 17th...
15 May
Obituary of Fr. Joseph Steger CMM
Father Josef Steger, commonly known as uMaqhude eqana, was born on February 18, 1939, in Forchheim. He attended elementary...
14 May
Fr. Joseph Leonhard Steger CMM Returns to the Lord
“Fr. Joseph Steger CMM was a man who loved peace during his lifetime,” said the Archbishop of Durban,...
17 August
Feast of Joachim and Anne (26th July 2021 )
Mariannhill Monastery Feast of Joachim & Anne and Jubilee Celebrations of Fr. Josef Steger CMM (60 years profession) and...
17 August
24th of May 2021
This year’s celebration of the 24 th of May Feast day of Abbot Francis’ Memorial was held on the...
17 August
2nd of February 2021
The First Professions and Final Vows On the Principal Feast of the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill we...
17 August
1 February 2021
The Reception of Postulants into the Novitiate & the Renewal of Vows On this day 14 Novices were received...
17 August
Frt Ntandoyenkosi Ngwenya CMM (Died)
On the 18 th of January 2021 we lost Fr. Ntandoyenkosi Ngwenya CMM at St Mary’s Hospital. He was...
17 August
Fr Sibusiso Donatus Ndwalane CMM (Died)
On the 16 of December 2020 the Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill lost Fr Donatus Ndwalane CMM at...
17 August
The Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill ordains two priests and three deacons
The Congregation of the Missionaries of Mariannhill ordains two priests and three deacons. On this day the Congregation of...
16 August
Rev Deacon Sphelele Blessing Phewa CMM (Died)
On the 1 st of January 2021 we lost Rev Deacon Sphelele Blessing Phewa CMM at Ethekwini Hospital. He...
10 February
Farewell to Bro. Konrad Diethei CMM
Farewell to Bro. Konrad Diethei CMM who has worked in Mariannhill Province and Monastery since 1981. You have been...
7 February
Mariannhill Monastery Feast of the Presentation Celebration
Mariannhill Monastery Feast of the Presentation Celebration Our 2020 celebrations were marked of by the reception of our 10...
2 February
The Presentation of The Lord
[pdf-embedder url=”http://mariannhillmonastery.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/the-presentation-of-the-lord.pdf”]
30 January
Mini World Youth Day 2020 in Pretoria: 09-13 December
As we talk about Mini World Youth Day good memories of Durban come back. Once more the Catholic Church...
30 January
Faith is thicker than Blood
Homily on the feast of St Thomas Aquinas. Mk 31-35 Faith is thicker than Blood One of the reasons...
30 January
Who are you Lord? What do you want me to do? Homily by Wilfrid Cardinal Napier OFM
Scripture Reading 1 : 2 Sam 5: 1-7; 10 David is identified as the one chosen, called & anointed...
30 January
SACBC Pastoral Plan Launch; Challenge to live our faith in action continues, by Bishop Kevin Dowling before procession
REFLECTIONS ON THE 2 PASTORAL PLANS Our Catholic Church, the People of God, is a living faith community, called to bring...
“Today is the feast of the ‘Finding of the Cross.’ I also have found a particle of the cross. I will embrace and kiss it and allow myself to be drawn up by it to the Father in heaven. I do not pity myself at all, but only my children, brothers and sisters, who will be troubled without my being there to help them. But I can pray for them, and do so daily; I can even do so when the right to say Holy Mass is taken from me. All for God!” Letter to Brother Nivard, 3 May 1893Abbot Francis Pfanner
“I am doing this after long and careful consideration; my thinking is completely rational…I do not seek to become rich, I do not want any high office. I do not want to become famous in this world. I would rather be poor and live totally unknown in a remote monastery somewhere, hopefully for the rest of my life, if they have need of me…”Abbot Francis Pfanner