On November 16, 1886, Fr. Hilary Pfraengle was elected the second abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey following the short and difficult tenure of Abbot James Zilliox. Initially reluctant, Pfraengle was persuaded by Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, who praised the monastic discipline at Newark and emphasized the abbey’s need for strong leadership. Following his confirmation, Abbot Hilary received his abbatial blessing at St. Vincent on February 17, 1887, and took quiet possession of his new post days later.
Election photo of Abbot HilaryBorn in 1843 in Butler, Pennsylvania, Pfraengle had studied in Rome at Wimmer’s house of studies, earning a doctorate from La Sapienza. He returned to St. Vincent as a professor and seminary rector, gaining a reputation for discipline, humor, and pastoral zeal. At St. Mary’s, he sought to revitalize the community through education and mission. Though short on personnel, he was committed to expanding Benedictine reach. He relinquished smaller missions, renovated St. Mary’s Church (consecrated in 1890), and accepted Bishop Dennis Bradley’s invitation to establish a Benedictine presence in Manchester, New Hampshire.

Stretched thin, the Newark Chapter nonetheless agreed in 1887 to establish a parish and eventually a college in Manchester. Fr. Sylvester Joerg was sent to found St. Raphael’s Parish in 1888. A 100-acre farm was purchased in 1890, and by 1893, after an initial fire destroyed the nearly-complete building, St. Anselm College opened with 24 students and 10 faculty members from Newark. Despite serious financial challenges and Abbot Hilary’s extended absences to oversee the college, the institution grew steadily. Tensions emerged as New England vocations became more distanced from Newark’s community, yet Abbot Hilary insisted on preserving the mission.
The College at Saint AnselmIn Newark, space constraints plagued the monastery and school, which were hemmed in by urban development. In 1903, the monks purchased a neighboring tannery property, expanding the grounds and converting a building into a laundry. In 1907, the golden jubilee of St. Mary’s Church was celebrated with grandeur, involving prominent abbots, bishops, and a sequence of solemn liturgies honoring benefactors, monks, sisters, and parishioners.

During Abbot Hilary’s tenure, both the student body and the monastic community grew significantly. St. Benedict’s enrollment reached 200 by 1909 and would eventually triple. A new school building was approved and began construction on the expanded property.
On December 21, 1909, after years of declining health, Abbot Hilary died suddenly following Mass and afternoon conversation with confreres. Despite his ailments, he remained devoted to his duties. His funeral, delayed to December 27 to accommodate Christmas and visiting abbots, was attended under snowy conditions by Abbot Peter Engel of St. John’s and Bishop O’Connor of Newark. He was buried in the abbey’s cemetery.
Abbot Hilary’s legacy was defined by his commitment to education, monastic discipline, and Benedictine expansion. His determination sustained both the Newark Abbey and its mission in Manchester. Through vision, perseverance, and a blend of scholarship and spiritual leadership, he steered St. Mary’s Abbey into the 20th century with renewed vitality.