New Melleray Abbey
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The New Melleray Abbey is located near Dubuque, Iowa. The Monks there are members of the Order of the Cistercian Strict Observance (Trappists). The abbey is located about 15 miles southwest of Dubuque. The Abbey is located in the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The current Abbot is Rev. Breenden Freeman.
Currently the Abbey is home to about 36 monks. The Abbey is well known for high-quality wooden caskets and urns. They use the caskets for deceased monks, as well as selling them to individuals. Many of the monks also work in farming as much of their food comes from the fields surrounding the Abbey.
The Monks have a daily routine that involves spending a large part of their day in prayer, work, and contemplation. The Monks begin their day at 3:15 AM, and end their days at 8:00 PM.
History
The Abbey was founded on July 16, 1849 when the first six monks arrived at the present site of the abbey. This was after the Trappists were invited to settle in the area at the invitation of Bishop Matthias Loras. When the first six brothers finished a temporary building, 16 more monks came to live at New Melleray.
After the close of the civil war, the present stone structure was built. The plans were drawn up by John Mullany, a prominment Dubuque architect who had designed several Dubuque area churches. The monastery was built in a 13th Century Gothic architecture style.
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Since the founding of the monastery in 1849, the monks served the religious needs of the surrounding areas. When the pioneers living in the area felt the need to build their own parish church, the monks provided pastors to the parish for over 100 years, and relatives of one monk provided funds to the parish. In 1889, the present parish church was dedicated, and named Holy Family.
The Abbey has been remodeled several times. One of the most notable projects was the completion of the Abbey's chapel. Because of financial concerns, the Abbey's chapel was not completed as originally envisioned by the architect. It had originally been on the second floor of the east wing, then was moved in 1920 to the second floor of the north wing. In the 1970s, the abbey was able to convert the entire north wing of the Abbey into a permanent chapel. The chapel features a very simple and very elegant design. Red oak is used in the choir stalls, doors, euchastric chapel, and other furnishings. The altar was made of granite that had been quarried in Minnesota, and it weighs five tons. The Traveler's Chapel at Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota is based on the chapel at New Melleray.
Recently, the Abbey has embarked on a project to rebuild the infirmary for the elderly and sick monks. This has become even more important as the average age of the monks is now above 70. The Abbey did build an infirmary in the 1950s, but it has since become outdated. The new infirmary is being built to better take care of monks.
External links
- New Melleray Abbey Web Site (http://www.newmelleray.org)
- The Abbey's Site for Caskets they Offer for Sale (http://www.trappistcaskets.com)