SHAWNEE – Five years after Hobby Lobby and the Green family bought the former campus of Saint Gregory’s University and gifted it to Oklahoma Baptist University, the monks of Saint Gregory’s Abbey have entered into an historic land swap with OBU that will return the campus and its buildings to the abbey.
In an agreement announced June 7 in Shawnee, Rt. Rev. Lawrence Stasyszen, O.S.B., and OBU President Heath Thomas discussed the land swap and their cooperative efforts during the past two years to reach the agreement.
“This truly is a very historic day certainly for Oklahoma Baptist University and for Saint Gregory’s Abbey, but the significance of this day will reach far beyond our mutually complimentary institutions that are founded for the betterment of humanity through the proclamation of the Gospel and the building up of the Kingdom of God … through service to culture, service to education, service to the spiritual needs of people beyond our campuses and certainly also the material needs to assist people,” Abbot Lawrence said.
President Heath said since taking over the SGU campus, they had forged a closer partnership with the abbey and sought to deepen ties for the mutual benefit of both institutions.
“Today we celebrate an historic moment in the life of Saint Gregory’s Abbey and the life of Oklahoma Baptist University. For over one century our institutions have been linked together in common Kingdom purpose, guided by the providence of God,” he said. “We were blessed with the extraordinary gift of the Green family who gave us the former Saint Gregory’s University campus several years ago, which then became the Green Campus of Oklahoma Baptist University.”
The agreement will return the Saint Gregory’s University campus and its buildings – about 74 acres – to the abbey, and in exchange the abbey will give OBU two parcels of nearby land that total about 134 acres.
OBU didn’t announce how the university plans to use the new property, but for the time being it will allow the monks to continue using the land for grazing cattle. The abbey also will allow OBU to continue to use the field house and aerobics center for activities.
With the agreement finalized, Abbot Lawrence said the monks can move forward with plans to use the facilities.
“We were somewhat limited in our efforts to finalize our plans while negotiations with OBU were still underway. We needed to respect their process. Now we are able to work with possible partnerships and consult with engineers and contractors regarding any needed repairs or improvements for the facilities,” he said.
“Our immediate plan is to work with volunteers to clean-up the campus so that it can be a safe and peaceful setting for our many visitors and guests. We plan to utilize one of the dormitories, Mark Braun Hall, as a retreat house to expand our ministries of hospitality and faith formation. We are in dialogue with a number of local not-for-profits and schools to utilize the other dormitories as well as our theater and former student union, to address needs of the broader public in ways that are consistent with the mission of the abbey and the Church.”
The first cleanup day was held June 22 with Knights of Columbus members and friends of the abbey clearing 25 trailer loads of branches and dead trees from in front of Benedictine Hall. Additional clean-up days are being scheduled for interior building cleaning, and volunteers are needed.
Saint Gregory’s University, a four-year private Catholic college, closed in 2017 after years of financial difficulties, filing for bankruptcy. Hobby Lobby bought the property in December 2018 for $8 million and donated it to OBU.
For more information on the abbey and its history, visit monksok.org.
Diane Clay is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.
Photo: (Above) Rt. Rev. Lawrence Stasyszen, O.S.B., and OBU President Heath Thomas at a June 7 press conference. Photos Theresa Bragg.
Volunteers needed Individuals and groups are encouraged to help cleanup the former St. Gregory’s University campus. Contact (405) 878-5296.