Great Benedictine Monasteries?

[Benedictus]

I am not directly familar with it, but one that has gotten favorable attention here at CAF is: the Monastery of Our Lady of the Annuciation of Clear Creek which is located in Hulbert, Oklahoma.

I visited there several years ago. I was considering a vocation to the monastic life at the time. While I decided that being a monk wasn’t for me, if I ever change my mind, the first place I’d look would be Clear Creek.

 

[PrinceCaspian]

I visited there several years ago. I was considering a vocation to the monastic life at the time. While I decided that being a monk wasn’t for me, if I ever change my mind, the first place I’d look would be Clear Creek.

Any reason in particular?

 

[Lepanto]

benedictinemonks.com/

This is a great group of guys. They are about 15 strong, so if you’re looking for a smaller community you should check them out.

 

[AdvanceAlways]

Wow! The Archabbey of Saint Meinrad was quite impressive! What an excellent seeming group!

 

[guanophore]

Anyone know any really great Benedictine Monasteries in the USA?

By great I mean really really really Catholic. i.e. orthodox.

Thanks

pecosmonastery.org/

This simple monastery is nestled in the Pecos Mountains of Northern New Mexico. they would be delighted if you were to visit.

 

[MTsem]

Mt. Angel Abbey is a pretty good one. No funny business goes on there, but the seminary it is associated with isn’t quite as solid.

But, that said, as a diocesan seminarian, the monks sure can suck the zeal out of things sometimes. Sometimes they can be way too academic.

 

[YADA]

I know several seminarians [at Mt. Angel Abby] and recently ordained priests here n Oregon. The quality of these fine men is excelent. Abbot Nathan is a very taalented Abbot.

Link here: mtangel.edu/

Voations seem to be rising. They have had to turn away seminarians and are busy building classrooms and dormitories…a good sign…

 

[Formosus]

farnboroughabbey.org/index.php

I know you said that you wanted only USA ones. BUT here is one in England that looks solid .

 

[johnnydigit]

Here are two in California:

princeofpeaceabbey.org/

valyermo.com/

yep they are great. as far as “orthodox” well… that would be more subjective and take more digging i suppose. are they offensively “liberal” where you might read something about it somewhere? doubtful. do they use latin and incense at every mass? nah. do they leave abuses unchecked? nah.

St. Michael’s Abbey (Norbertines) in comparison, i would say is VERY solid, and VERY orthodox. also have many young guys as their admittance cutoff is at 28.

i have learned that there are distinct differences between abbeys though. some may be more cloistered than others, while some are more active in the parishes, some follow the Rule more closely, etc.

 

[Enoch]

You could to the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, MO,

or their neighboring brother monastery

Conception Abbey in Conception, MO.

Both are very prayerful and very Catholic.

I’ll second Conception Abbey. I went on a retreat there a couple months ago and was wonderful.
conceptionabbey.org/

There is also a Trappist Monastery in Iowa.
newmelleray.org/

 

[Elzee]

Wow. It looks great.
saintmeinrad.edu/slideshows/slideshow.aspx?ss=voc_m

Looks great, but my parish priest likes this place which makes me wonder about its orthodoxy to some extent - perhaps it’s a mixture.

 

[puzzleannie]

Benedictine Monastery of the Good Shepherd, Rio Grande City TX. I will be going their tomorrow for our general oblate meeting. Expect to see retreat center, Monte Cassino, has been finished. Monastery was completed last year, and Blessed Sacrament chapel, built by volunteers opened last summer.

 

[chotock]

You could to the Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in Clyde, MO,

or their neighboring brother monastery

Conception Abbey in Conception, MO.

Both are very prayerful and very Catholic.

The sister’s should change their name, they no longer adore Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, preferring to adore His presence in hearts of all people they encounter. Not to mention that they have scoffed the habit, preferring a pseudo modified dress.
I will say they have done a wonderful job of maintaining their incredible convent, their chapel is one of the most beautiful spaces I have ever witnessed, and their collection of relics (displayed like trinkets in a museum) is unrivaled.

Conception Abbey is my second home, I try to get there as often as I can, and that is not often enough. I am a little disappointed in some of the renovation results, but they are minor and easily looked over. The Basilica will truly lift your eyes to heaven, and the Liturgy is top notch.

As for a newer and smaller group of good old time CATHOLIC nuns check out the Benedictine Sisters of Our Lady Queen of the Apostles, these are the kind of ladies we need in our world today.

Living in Kansas City can be a blessing if you take the time to look for them.

God Bless Bishop Finn

 

[NewUlm1976_2000]

All I can say about the Benedictines is keep your distance from Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota. Because there has been a good deal of abuse-related controversy surrounding that place ( link ). As well as a fair amount of heterodoxy ( link ).

While you have a few bad apples in every group, I would still consider St. John’s Abby in Collegeville to be a place to consider (as I have personal experience with the campus/area). What some consider “heterodoxy” I see as working to apply the real world to the teachings of both the prep school and college students on campus (shared school with St. Benedict in St Joseph, MN). The Benedictine spirit produces a great many young people who go out and use it to change the world in many great ways.