Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey
Encyclopedia
Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey is a monastery
in a rural area of the U.S. state
of Oregon
. The monk
s are members of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, commonly called the Trappists
. It is located in Yamhill County
north of Lafayette
about 30 miles (48.3 km) southwest of Portland.
Currently the Abbey is home to about 28 monks. The monks live communally in the abbey. Their day is balanced by prayer, work, reading, and contemplation.
The Abbey is located on 1300 acres (526.1 ha) of forestland in low hills of the western Willamette Valley
. The forest adds to the spiritual setting for the community, acts as a buffer to neighbors, and allows for cloistered retreat. It is also the basis for a sustainable forestry enterprise that provides income to the monks. Other income-generating enterprises include a book bindery, a wine warehouse for local wineries, and a fruitcake
bakery.
as a foundation established by the Trappist community at Valley Falls, Rhode Island which later became St. Joseph's Abbey
in Spencer, Massachusetts
. In March 1955, the monks, not finding farming sufficiently productive in northern New Mexico, sold the property to Benedictine
monks and moved the abbey to its present site in Oregon.
The title Our Lady of Guadalupe
commemorating the Virgin Mary's apparitions at Tepeyac
, near Mexico City
in 1531, was originally chosen because of the Mexican influence in the southwestern U.S., and was gladly brought along to the Northwest.
The Abbey serves as a spiritual sanctuary for guests. The monks operate a non-denominational retreat facility for both men and women who stay in small cottages and make use of a library and a meditation hall.
A new 10000 ft2 church was built in 2007, combining traditional Cistercian architecture
with Pacific Northwest
design elements.
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
in a rural area of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. The monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s are members of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, commonly called the Trappists
Trappists
The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...
. It is located in Yamhill County
Yamhill County, Oregon
-National protected areas:*Siuslaw National Forest *Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 84,992 people, 28,732 households, and 21,376 families residing in the county. The population density was 119 people per square mile . There were 30,270...
north of Lafayette
Lafayette, Oregon
Lafayette is a city in Yamhill County, Oregon, United States on the Yamhill River and Oregon Route 99W. It was founded in 1846 and incorporated in 1878...
about 30 miles (48.3 km) southwest of Portland.
Currently the Abbey is home to about 28 monks. The monks live communally in the abbey. Their day is balanced by prayer, work, reading, and contemplation.
The Abbey is located on 1300 acres (526.1 ha) of forestland in low hills of the western Willamette Valley
Willamette Valley
The Willamette Valley is the most populated region in the state of Oregon of the United States. Located in the state's northwest, the region is surrounded by tall mountain ranges to the east, west and south and the valley's floor is broad, flat and fertile because of Ice Age conditions...
. The forest adds to the spiritual setting for the community, acts as a buffer to neighbors, and allows for cloistered retreat. It is also the basis for a sustainable forestry enterprise that provides income to the monks. Other income-generating enterprises include a book bindery, a wine warehouse for local wineries, and a fruitcake
Fruitcake
Fruitcake is a cake made with chopped candied fruit and/or dried fruit, nuts, and spices, and soaked in spirits. A cake that simply has fruit in it as an ingredient can also be colloquially called a fruitcake. In the United Kingdom, certain rich versions may be iced and decorated...
bakery.
History
The Abbey began in April 1948 in Pecos, New MexicoPecos, New Mexico
Pecos is a village in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,441 at the 2000 census, growing much faster than in other parts of San Miguel County, partly because Pecos is within commuting distance of Santa Fe. The village is built along the Pecos River which flows from...
as a foundation established by the Trappist community at Valley Falls, Rhode Island which later became St. Joseph's Abbey
St. Joseph's Abbey
- External links :* .*...
in Spencer, Massachusetts
Spencer, Massachusetts
Spencer is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,688 at the 2010 census.For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Spencer, please see the article Spencer , Massachusetts....
. In March 1955, the monks, not finding farming sufficiently productive in northern New Mexico, sold the property to Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks and moved the abbey to its present site in Oregon.
The title Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe
Our Lady of Guadalupe , also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.According to tradition, on December 9, 1531 Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, had a vision of a young woman while he was on a hill in the Tepeyac desert, near Mexico City. The lady...
commemorating the Virgin Mary's apparitions at Tepeyac
Tepeyac
Tepeyac or the Hill of Tepeyac, historically known by the names "Tepeyacac" and "Tepeaquilla", is located inside Gustavo A. Madero, the northernmost delegación or borough of the Mexican Federal District. It is the site where Saint Juan Diego met the Virgin of Guadalupe in December of 1531, and...
, near Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
in 1531, was originally chosen because of the Mexican influence in the southwestern U.S., and was gladly brought along to the Northwest.
The Abbey serves as a spiritual sanctuary for guests. The monks operate a non-denominational retreat facility for both men and women who stay in small cottages and make use of a library and a meditation hall.
A new 10000 ft2 church was built in 2007, combining traditional Cistercian architecture
Cistercian architecture
Cistercian architecture is a style of architecture associated with the churches, monasteries and abbeys of the Roman Catholic Cistercian Order. It was headed by Abbot Bernard of Clairvaux , who believed that churches should avoid superfluous ornamentation so as not to distract from the religious life...
with Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
design elements.