History

Benedictine was founded in 1911, under the name Benedictine College, by the monks of Belmont Abbey, North Carolina. The monks drew inspiration for their educational mission from European and American Benedictine institutions of higher learning. They adopted the successful and prestigious military academy model for Benedictine in order to promote a disciplined approach to studies and virtue, which meshed well with the monastic lifestyle. 

Benedictine has served as the “brother school” to Saint Gertrude High School, intertwining many ceremonies, traditions, and programs between the two single-gender Catholic high schools. For 90 years, the two schools operated just 400 feet apart in the Museum District of Richmond. However, in 2013, to support its growth and its future, Benedictine relocated to a 50-acre campus, part of the pristine Mary Mother of the Church Abbey (home of the Benedictine monks) along the James River in Goochland County.

With a view toward their history and a desire to strengthen Catholic education, Benedictine and Saint Gertrude unified under a single new corporation, the Benedictine Schools of Richmond, in January 2020. And, in the summer of 2020, Saint Gertrude joined its brother school on the Benedictine Abbey campus, where the schools were once again in close proximity. Together, the schools now share a peaceful, modern, and sprawling campus including the campus’s new, world-class athletic facilities and Saint Gertrude High School's academic building. 

Over the course of its 100+ year history, Benedictine’s mission has never faltered and is evident in its thriving student body and strong bonds of brotherhood. Standing the test of time, Benedictine has continued to put students on the path to become successful men, strong in faith and confident in leadership.