William Meninger

William Meninger, O.C.S.O. is an American Trappist monk, who is a noted spiritual teacher and the developer of Centering Prayer, a method of prayer which has become widespread throughout the world.

Meninger was born, raised and educated in the Boston area in Massachusetts. His mother Katherine was born and raised in County Kerry, Ireland, and his father John was a Quaker from Pennsylvania.

After studying at St. John's Seminary in Boston, Meninger was ordained a priest in 1958 for the Diocese of Yakima in the State of Washington, where he worked on an Indian reservation and with Mexican migrant workers for six years. In 1963 he entered the Trappists at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts, where he served in the guesthouse for 15 years, as well as teaching scripture, liturgy and patristics to the younger member of the abbey. He served as subprior, prior and dean of the junior professed monks, not yet in final vows.

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