History

In August 1999 St. Severin's priory in Buchloe was designated an abbey by the Abbot-General of the Order of Port Royal. Beginning in 1992 a small group of men and women had been meeting regularly to pray, share the Eucharist, and encourage one another in the spiritual life. Over time this small nucleus developed into a religious community. This group was shepherded by two priests from the order of Port Royal, Dom Klaus Schlapps and Dom Michael Maier. These two priests were responsible for the sacramental life of the community. In the year 1998 several members of this community took religious vows. The following year the community decided to commit to a lifestyle more in keeping with the Benedictine rule and began searching for a building which would be suitable for use as a monastery.

In 1999 the prior of St. Severin's, Dom Klaus Schlapps, was elected abbot by the general convent of the order. Shortly after, a suitable building was found for the small community. It was located in the city of Kaufbeuren and was available for occupancy in the Fall of 1999. In summer of 2002 the whole monastery changed to Pforzen-Leinau, and in spring of 2010 into a building in the Eichwald of Kaufbeuren between Oberbeuren and Friesenried. Today 4 professed monks belong to the monastery of the abbey. One of the monk lives as a "Solitary" outside the cloister. In addition there is a secular professed nun who belong to the abbey. In Ebenweiler near Ravensburg there is the filiatur St. Andreas/ Brunnenhof where two secular professed monks live.

St. Severin's abbey is the only monastery of the order. All other members of the order are secular professed monks, nuns or regular oblates.