On 25th March 2023, on the feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, the community rejoiced as Laura Cullen received the white habit of the Cistercian novice at Glencairn Abbey. Originally from Co. Meath, Sr. Laura was based in Dublin when she began her vocation journey. She studied Arts, then Philosophy and Literature in UCD […]
Monks and nuns responsible for guiding new members through the initial formation process in the monastic communities of the Region of the Isles of the Cistercian family gathered at Mellifont Abbey, Co. Louth, Ireland from 28th February until 4th March 2023 for the purposes of further training, collaboration and support. In attendance were Fr Rufus […]
With great joy, we attended the Mass for Consecrated Life in the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Waterford on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord, February 2nd. It was a privilege to meet with the Religious of the Diocese and catch a glimpse into the prayer and activity of various communities present […]
On this first day of the year the Church celebrates the Solemnity of Mary, the Mother of God. In this extract from the writings of Hans Urs Von Balthasar we contemplate Mary’s and our transformation through faith in the Word of God: At the point where all roads meet which lead from the Old Testament […]
This year’s in-person gathering of juniors in the Region of the Isles had originally been scheduled to take place at Mellifont Abbey in 2020 only to be postponed due to the pandemic to the ‘safe’ end of this year, autumn 2022. Yet unfortunately some in Mellifont Abbey got the Covid virus just days before we […]
A short video about the different elements of the Cistercian charism as lived at Glencairn Abbey, following Christ through the Gospel as interpreted by the Rule of St Benedict and the Constitutions of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. Audio: Psalm 44 (45) sung by the community of St. Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn, […]
Are you discerning your vocation and would like to know more about Glencairn Abbey and our way of life as Cistercians? We invite you to visit Glencairn for a Monastic Experience Weekend on 28th to 30th October, 2022 to experience the balance and rhythm of monastic prayer and work, community, silence and lectio divina for […]
Living near the ruins of the 12th century Dore Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in Herefordshire founded in 1147, it was here, as she sat in the silence of the ruined cloisters that the historian and spiritual writer Esther De Waal first experienced the spirit of the Cistercian Order. It was from the inspiration of this […]
When celebrating the dedication of a church, as we do today, the liturgy teaches us that the church building is an expression of a worshipping community, and that this worship must be in spirit and truth. In other words, the focus shifts from the external structure of the church to the shared inner life […]
“I will praise God’s name with a song”. Psalm 68 (69) From Monday to Friday of this week, 1st to 5th August, ’22, we were treated to a singing and music workshop with musician, composer, and liturgist Margaret Daly Denton. Since much of our Divine Office was originally composed by Margaret, it is a special […]
We were happy to take advantage of both a sunny summer’s evening recently and the presence of a professional photographer who was staying with us, to organise a community photo under our great oak tree overlooking the Abbey Church here at Glencairn. There are twenty-seven of us in community, with an additional two sisters joining […]
The Pastoral Sharing meeting of the superiors of the OCSO Region of the Isles together with our new Abbot General Dom Bernardus Peeters has just concluded at Brownshill Monastery, Slough, England. The Cistercian Region of the Isles consists of the Cistercian houses of monks and nuns in Ireland, the U.K. and Norway. Mother Marie, Abbess […]
