Foundations in History
Cistercians draw inspiration and wisdom from several traditions. Most ancient is the Catholic Christian Tradition expressed in the Old and New Testaments and in the living doctrine of the Church. This Tradition, the only one spelled with a capital T, is the foundation for Cistercian.
We also draw on the tradition of Western monasticism, a way of life that found its classic formulation some 1500 years ago in the Rule of St. Benedict. The monastery’s primary function, St. Benedict wrote, is to become “a school for the Lord’s service,” in which the monk listens for the Word of God to let the Word shape him and his relationships.
The Cistercian tradition itself dates back 900 years to the foundation of the monastery of Cîteaux (Cistercium in Latin) in France. The first Cistercians sought to follow St. Benedict’s Rule more “authentically” by living a life of simplicity, by “being poor with the poor Christ,” by balancing prayer and work, and by recovering in their day the fervor of the earliest Christian community which gathered around the apostles.
In the 18th century, Cistercians faced the upheavals of modern times – the French Revolution, the Enlightenment, Josephinism, and the secularization of society. The Cistercians of the Abbey of Zirc in Hungary responded by forging a new tradition. They combined the education of youth in secondary schools with their monastic life.
Almost two hundred years later, monks from the Abbey of Zirc found their way of life threatened again. The post-war Communist regime in Hungary suppressed the abbey’s five schools and drove many of the monks into exile. This group of monks led more by Providence than any well-planned strategy, eventually brought their monastic life tradition to Texas.
The Cistercians in Texas
The first Cistercians came to Texas to help found the University of Dallas. Nine were invited to join the original faculty of the University in 1956. In the same year, an unexpected uprising against Communist oppression in Hungary opened the border for another group of Cistercians to escape and join the community already forming in Texas.
While teaching at the University of Dallas, the Cistercians never lost sight of their tradition in secondary education. For this reason, they responded enthusiastically when a group of parents under the leadership of Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Haggerty and Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Smith approached them to start a school for talented boys.
From the First Day of School to the First Graduation
Cistercian Preparatory School began in 1962 in a rented residence on the campus of Ursuline Academy in North Dallas. That year, fifty boys in grades 4 and 5 began the long, arduous journey toward Cistercian’s first graduation. Fr. Damian Szödényi, the school’s first headmaster (1962- 69), instilled enthusiasm into a group of pioneering parents and students ready for the new enterprise.
In 1964 and 1966, the first school buildings were constructed on Abbey grounds. Having added a new grade each year, Cistercian graduated its first seniors in 1970. Fr. Denis Farkasfalvy, the second headmaster (1969-74 and 1975-81), fleshed out a stable curriculum, established electives and extracurriculars, expanded the facilities, and began increasing enrollment.
Further Growth and Expansion
In the late ’70s, it became clear that a solid sports program, diverse extracurriculars, and financial stability called for increased enrollment. This became possible by creating new classrooms and adding a separate science building, constructed under Fr. Bernard Marton, the third headmaster (1981-96). In 1992, the School and Abbey built Cistercian’s magnificent church to accommodate the needs of the increased student body and the Abbey. Fr. Peter Verhalen, the first alumnus to serve as headmaster (1996-2012), oversaw the full expansion of the enrollment to 350 students and built out the campus to include a library and art building (1998), renovated track and athletic fields (2000), a music room and theater (2002), and the addition of a new gymnasium (2003).
Starting the Next 50 Years
With a successful 50th Anniversary Capital Campaign, Cistercian acquired undeveloped land to its east, expanding to its current 82 acres and providing a much-appreciated buffer from any neighboring development. Furthermore, the Upper School (2008) and Middle School (2009) buildings were completely renovated to update heavily used classrooms, increase energy efficiency, and introduce modern technology. In 2012, Fr. Peter was elected Abbot, and Fr. Paul McCormick succeeded him as Headmaster. Realizing the final fruits of the campaign, Fr. Paul oversaw the construction of a new entrance, chapel, and courtyard (2014). This project has provided much-needed additional office and seminar space, united the campus geographically, and includes a beautiful sanctuary for prayer and quiet reflection in the heart of the School. The future of Cistercian as a School and Abbey has been guaranteed for the next generation by the influx of 13 young men who entered the monastery beginning in the year 2003 and are already teaching, coaching, and mentoring in the School as they live out their vocations of prayer and priestly ministry. Fifteen monks are currently teaching in the school.
