The history of St. Paul Hermitage mirrors that of Our Lady of Grace Monastery - however, it is because of St. Paul Hermitage that the Sisters of St. Benedict first came to Beech Grove.
In the mid 1950’s Most Reverend Paul Schulte, Archbishop of Indianapolis, had a dream to open a Catholic retirement home for lay people. The Sisters of St. Benedict in Ferdinand, Indiana were growing larger in membership and in the process of deciding whether or not to open a new community in Beech Grove. It came to pass that Archbishop Schulte’s dream was a perfect fit for the sisters, and so it was decided that a religious community would begin in Beech Grove and that they would own and operate a retirement home for lay people.
The Archdiocese gave the new community 30 plus acres of land on the edge of Beech Grove and soon the groundbreaking took place for both a new monastery for the sisters and the retirement home. The sisters decided to name the new facility, St. Paul Hermitage in honor of Archbishop Paul Schulte.
In the beginning the retirement home dealt with those people desiring residential living. In the ensuing years, it was evident that more extensive comprehensive care must be provided for those at St. Paul Hermitage. Therefore, a comprehensive care unit was established in order to care for the residents healthcare needs.
In time, sisters wanted to offer several different living opportunities and so a $4.5 million renovation campaign kicked-off in 1992. Through the generosity of many people, the sisters were able to build a comprehensive healthcare wing [the Ruth Lilly Health Care Center,] apartments for independent living, and accommodations for residential living. These renovations have enriched the lives of the residents in so many ways.
Today, St. Paul Hermitage continues to serve the elderly in the Indianapolis area and beyond. The sisters have found that their residents happily call St. Paul Hermitage “home” - which is truly a blessing. The service provided for over 50 years is indicative of the commitment the sisters have held in preserving the dignity of the elderly.
Archbishop Schulte had a dream....the Sisters of St. Benedict helped to make it come true!
[For more information on the Sisters of St. Benedict of Our Lady of Grace Monastery, click here.]
