St. Paul's Abbey

St. Paul's Abbey is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery in Newton, New Jersey that was founded in 1924 by Father Michael Heinlein. The abbey was originally established as a mission following World War I. German monks sought refuge from postwar persecution and invested in agricultural pursuits such as beekeeping, cow-raising and fruit growing on the roughly 20 acres immediately surrounding the monastery. The property has been vacant since 2002. In 2008 plans and a partnership to revitalize the abbey into affordable housing units was made between St. Paul’s and the Township of Newton. The building was cleared out and prepared for renovation. However, budget cuts and other factors halted plans to move the property forward. The Abbey has been vacant and open to vandalism and affected by a lack of maintenance and weatherization. Preservation New Jersey supports and advocates for the adaptive reuse of the Abbey that will allow for the site’s continued preservation.