Learn more about Munjor by following the links below:

St. Francis Monastery

Address: 884 Main St.
Munjor, KS 67601
Telephone Number: 785.625.5314

Website: www.volgagerman.net/Munjor.htm

About this Exploration:

The first priests to serve Munjor came from Herzog or Hays and it was not until a suitable residence was built that Munjor finally had its own permanent priest. In April, 1901, the church committee requested to have a priest with a permanent residency in Munjor, and the Capuchin Father agreed, once a monastery was built that could house a number of friars. On May 26, 1901, they shared the plans with the parish members, and the very next day the men began to haul stone to build a residence for priests. The building was completed June 1, 1902, and on August 9, Fr. Chilian and his assistant, Fr. Theodosius, moved into their new home.

When you walk around and look at this impressive two-story building, you will notice the limestone rock is the same as that used for the church, schoolhouse and convent. Over the 50 years the monastery was in use, it was the home for many Capuchin theological students, friars or Capuchin brothers who may have been ill and needed a peaceful and quite place to rebuild their health. The beautiful vegetable gardens and fruit trees tended by the Capuchin friars provided a relaxing and restful place. The last priest to live in the home was Father Kenan Crowley in 1965. When the arrangements for the school changed in 1967 and the nuns were no longer affiliated with the parish, they moved out of the convent and that building became available for use as the parish rectory and residence for priests.

One interesting fact about the monastery is that it also was used as a brewery by the Capuchin friars. The art of brewing their own homemade beer was a custom the friars had brought with them from their native Bavaria. They converted an old icehouse into a brewery cellar and in January 1904 they obtained the necessary equipment and ingredients to start making their own beer. When prohibition came to Kansas in 1917, brewing at the monastery came to an end.