Fr. Meinrad was born April 3, 1937, in Mt. Angel, OR. His father, an immigrant from Switzerland, had gone first to St. Gertrude's in Cottonwood, but then went to Mount Angel Abbey where he worked at their printing press. Fr. Meinard was professed a monk at that abbey on September 8, 1958, and ordained a priest on May 7, 1964. After his ordination, he served as a priest at Sacred Heart Parish in Portland until 1969. Then he managed the abbey press where his father had worked. He was sent to Ascension Priory on March 9, 1982. Through all these years he was helped in parishes on weekends, and for many years was active in ministry to divorced people. He was chaplain at Monastery of St. Gertrude from 1999 to 2007. He writes that "he lives the monastic way of life for one reason only - to seek Christ."