The chronicler is not aware when the first printing press was installed at our former location on West 10th Street in Schuyler. However, he remembers vividly when the press was moved in August 1979 from the basement to the monastery on Mission Hill north of town.
In 1990 a Heidelberg One Color Offset Press was installed. Millions of fundraising letters and brochures, etc. in support of our work, including the unique birthday and Christmas cards were printed on this press until May 2014 when the last press operator entered eternal life.
For almost 80 years the art of printing at the Mission House was handles by Press Operators Br. Alphonse Kraklauer, OSB, Br. Paul Vogt, OSB, Mr. Ralph Pfeiffer, Br. Alexander Haemel, OSB, and Mr. Greg O’Connell.
On Friday, January 26th the press was removed from the Mission House premises after standing idle for almost four years to find a new home wherever this will be. Changing technology and the age of digital printing was a decisive factor to outsource all our printing needs.
With gratitude we acknowledge the dedicated service of all our press operators over the years.
Written by Bro. Tobias Dammert, OSB
