Varensell Abbey (german: Abtei Varensell) is a monastic community of

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 ...

nuns, located near

Rietberg Rietberg () is a town in the district of Gütersloh in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located approximately 10 km south of Gütersloh and 25 km north-west of Paderborn in the region Ostwestfalen-Lippe. The town is lo ...

in the district of

Gütersloh Gütersloh () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, in the area of Westphalia and the administrative region of Detmold. Gütersloh is the administrative centre for a district of the same name and has a population of 100,194 peo ...

North Rhine-Westphalia North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a States of Germany, state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more tha ...

, Germany. The monastery was founded in 1902 by the

Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration The Benedictine Sisters of Perpetual Adoration are a congregation of sisters that follow the Rule of St. Benedict and have a Eucharistic charism. They are located at their monastery in Clyde, Missouri. History The original monastery was founded ...

within the

Benedictine Confederation The Benedictine Confederation of the Order of Saint Benedict ( la, Confœderatio Benedictina Ordinis Sancti Benedicti) is the international governing body of the Order of Saint Benedict. Origin The Benedictine Confederation is a union of monasti ...

. Later, however, the community developed a way of life more in keeping with that of the

Beuronese Congregation The Beuronese Congregation, or Beuron Congregation, is a union of mostly German or German-speaking religious houses of both monks and nuns within the Benedictine Confederation. The congregation stands under the protection of Saint Martin of Tours. ...

, which it joined in 1982. Varensell was given the status of abbey in 1948.Varensell Abbey Website
/ref> Besides the traditional duties of hospitality, the nuns are occupied in theological work and various handicrafts.Klosterlandschaft OWL: Varensell
/ref>

References

External links

Freiraumplanung Wolf - Kloster Varensell - architect's portfolio
20th-century Christian monasteries 1902 establishments in Germany Monasteries in North Rhine-Westphalia Christian organizations established in 1902 Benedictine nunneries in Germany Buildings and structures in Gütersloh (district) {{Christian-monastery-stub