Our_Lady_of_Guadalupe_Trappist_Abbey_entrance

Our Lady of Guadalupe Trappist Abbey is a Trappist

monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...

located in

Yamhill County, Oregon Yamhill County is one of the Oregon counties, 36 counties in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 107,722. The county seat is McMinnville, Oregon, McMinnville. Yamhill County was named af ...

in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

, north of Lafayette and about southwest of

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

. The abbey began in April 1948 in

Pecos, New Mexico Pecos is a village in San Miguel County, New Mexico, United States. The population was 1,392 at the 2010 census, shrinking slower than other parts of San Miguel County, partly because Pecos is within commuting distance of Santa Fe. The village i ...

as a foundation established by the Trappist community at Valley Falls, Rhode Island which later became

St. Joseph's Abbey St. Joseph's Abbey is a Trappist monastery in Spencer, Massachusetts. It is known as a center of prayer and monastic work. Jams and beer produced by the monks are particularly popular. The monastery is also known as one of the origins of the cent ...

Spencer, Massachusetts Spencer is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 11,992 at the 2020 census. For geographic and demographic information on the census-designated place Spencer, please see the article Spencer (CDP), Massach ...

. The foundation in Pecos was dedicated to

Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady of Guadalupe ( es, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe), also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe ( es, Virgen de Guadalupe), is a Catholic title of Mary, mother of Jesus associated with a series of five Marian apparitions, which are believed t ...

, owing to the Mexican influence in the southwestern U.S. In March 1955, the monks, not finding farming sufficiently productive in northern New Mexico, sold the property to

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

monks and moved the abbey to its present site in Oregon. The abbey is located on of forestland in low hills of the western

Willamette Valley The Willamette Valley ( ) is a long valley in Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The Willamette River flows the entire length of the valley and is surrounded by mountains on three sides: the Cascade Range to the east, ...

. 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 Sustainable forest management (SFM) is the management of forests according to the principles of sustainable development. Sustainable forest management has to keep the balance between three main pillars: ecological, economic and socio-cultural. ...

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 (or fruit cake or fruit bread) is a cake made with candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices, and optionally soaked in spirits. In the United Kingdom, certain rich versions may be iced and decorated. Fruitcakes are typically served ...

bakery. 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 church was built in 2007, combining traditional Cistercian architecture with

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

design elements. 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.

External links

* {{Authority control Buildings and structures in Yamhill County, Oregon Trappist monasteries in the United States Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon Tourist attractions in Yamhill County, Oregon Religious buildings and structures in Oregon 1955 establishments in Oregon Churches in Yamhill County, Oregon