US Catholic university hopes to ‘form future saints’ at new Waterford campus

An American Catholic university has said it hopes to “form future saints” at its new campus in County Waterford.

The Florida-based Ave Maria University has announced plans to open a new campus at Mount Melleray in August of this year.

The monastery was home to the Cistercian Order for nearly 200 years, but closed in January 2025 after the last remaining monks were relocated elsewhere.

In August, the Cistercians confirmed they were in discussions with a “like-minded community” over the future of the site.

It has since been confirmed that talks with Ave Maria University are at an “advanced stage”.

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The university’s Chief Strategy Officer, Daniel Schreck, recently appeared on the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) in the United States.

Speaking to the network, Mr Schreck explained why the university has chosen the County Waterford location.

“Why it was chosen is, I think frankly, it was just providential. We were looking to establish a signature study abroad programme in Ireland.

“Through relationships that we had with the bishop in Waterford and one of our professors, it just came together.

“As it turned out Mount Melleray was being vacated after 200 years by the Cistercian Order, so that opened the opportunity for us in January of last year to begin to have conversations with the Cistercians.

He went on to outline what the campus will aim to provide to students who study there.

“The main thing is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Obviously, there’s a lot of cultural similitude between Ireland and the United States.

“What we’re trying to do at Ave Maria University is form future saints and future saints in a very practical way.

“Young men and women who are highly intelligent, hardworking and just have that kind of cultural background.”

Mr Schreck highlighted how a high number of the university’s students have an Irish background.

He expressed hope that the university would be able to “give back” to the local community, describing it as a joint venture with the Cistercians and the Irish people.

Mr Schreck added that the university has no plans for other campuses outside the United States, with Mount Melleray set to become its “signature study abroad” programme.

He concluded by saying that the American students would not be coming to Ireland to be tourists, but to become part of the “cultural patrimony of Ireland”.