1955

February 19: The Holy See officially erects in the Diocese of Dallas-Ft. Worth a religious house founded by Hungarian monks belonging to the abbey of Zirc in Hungary. The temporary residence is a rented house on Swiss Avenue in Dallas.

1956

September 27: The University of Dallas opens its doors with nine Cistercians on its faculty.

1958

February 9: Bishop Gorman dedicates the first wing of the monastery building.

1961

March 21: The monastery becomes an independent (“sui iuris”) monastery with Fr. Anselm Nagy as its prior.

1962

September 8: Cistercian Preparatory School opens its doors with 50 students in rented facilities on Walnut Hill Lane in Dallas. Fr. Damian Szödényi serves as first headmaster.

1964

January 4: Abbot General Sighard Kleiner, with Bishop Gorman in attendance, blesses and installs Fr. Anselm Nagy as first abbot of the Abbey of Our Lady of Dallas.

1964

April 5: The first building of Cistercian Preparatory School is dedicated.

1988

April 14: Abbot General Polycarp Zakar blesses and installs Fr. Denis Farkasfalvy as second abbot of the Abbey of Our Lady of Dallas. Fr. Pat Koch, president of Dallas Jesuit Preparatory School, preaches in lieu of Bishop Tschoepe.

1992

May 10: The Abbey Church of Our Lady of Dallas is consecrated by Bishop Charles Grahmann.

2012

April 12: Abbot General Mauro-Giuseppe Lepori blesses and installs Fr. Peter Verhalen as third abbot of the Abbey of Our Lady of Dallas. Bishop Kevin Farrell presides and preaches at the mass of benediction.