I’m a bit misty-eyed to think that the Cistercian Abbey at Mount Melleray in Co Waterford will be closing its doors on January 26th this year. I’ve only visited a couple of times, but my wife and I felt we wanted to go one more time before the gates close.
Honestly, it’s such a tranquil place – it always felt like stepping into another world. Today, there was a steady stream of visitors coming and going. We followed a small crowd from the car park to where the café used to be. Sadly, it’s now shuttered, though the gift shop was open, and a few curious folks were browsing around.
After that, we wandered over to the church. Inside, everything felt still and contemplative, with just one monk keeping watch. He was lovely to chat with, so soft-spoken and patient. He admitted he’d be sorry to leave. You could hear the wistfulness in his voice. It really is a sad time for the monks there.
There are significant changes taking place among three of the Cistercian monasteries in Ireland at this time. These changes are being made to help us to live the monastic life better, and to give a better formation and monastic life to those who are entering. At present we have 3 novices with others expressing interest in joining us.
On 3 November the monks of Mt Melleray Abbey, Mt St Joseph Abbey (Roscrea) and Mellifont Abbey voted to form a union. The monks of these three communities are coming together to form a new community that will be called the Abbey of Our Lady of Silence.
On 26 January 2025, the feast of the Cistercian Founders (Ss Robert, Alberic & Stephen), the monks of this new community will move to Roscrea, on an interim basis, for at least a year, to begin the life of the new community. During this time the definitive location of the community of Our Lady of Silence will be decided.
It is being stressed that the location of the new community at Roscrea is an interim arrangement until the permanent location is decided.
The monks of Mt Melleray would like to thank the local community, guests and visitors for their interest, support and concern especially at this time of transition. Let us continue to remember each other in our prayers.
We give here the full statement concerning the above changes:
STATEMENT FROM THE CISTERCIAN ABBEY OF OUR LADY OF SILENCE
21 November 2024
Historical Note: The Cistercians were first established in Ireland in 1142, initially at Mellifont Abbey by St Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh. By the time of the Reformation and the Dissolution of the Monasteries there were forty-three houses of monks and three of nuns. We now have a presence at six locations on the island of Ireland, namely Mount Melleray (Co Waterford), Mellifont (Co Louth), Mount St Joseph, (Roscrea, Co Tipperary), Bolton Abbey (Co Kildare) Portglenone Abbey (Co Antrim), and the Sisters at St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn (Co Waterford). We will be continuing our presence in Ireland into the future, but to achieve this regretfully we must consolidate in accordance with the restrictions of our present resources.
After much reflection and soul searching we as an Order have had to make some very difficult decisions with the aim of ensuring a future for Cistercian life in Ireland. We have been confronted with these difficult decisions as we address the reality of falling numbers and ageing communities; issues which other similar communities are also addressing at this time.
We have decided that with effect from 26th January 2025, three of our communities, namely, Mount Melleray, Mellifont and Mount St Joseph, which since 3rd November, the Feast of St Malachy, have already merged as one new single community will be based, for an interim period, at Roscrea. This new community has been given the name of ‘The Abbey of Our Lady of Silence’, and its residency at Roscrea, we emphasise, is an interim measure. Our Abbeys at Moone (Co Kildare) and at Portglenone (Co Antrim) will not be affected by this decision and will continue as autonomous communities.
Our new community of Our Lady of Silence, currently consists of twenty-six members, three of whom are novices, – and already interest has been expressed from others wishing to join us. We are optimistic that this now has the potential to become a vibrant community wherever we finally decide that it will be located.
We will now take time to consider how this new community will develop and where it will ultimately reside on a permanent basis. In the context of our decision we must rationalise our use of the three properties formerly associated with the three pre-existing communities, in line with our present day needs and resources. No final decisions have been taken at this stage regarding any of the properties which may be vacated in the near future, however as decisions are made further announcements will be forthcoming. Cistercian College, Roscrea continues to go from strength to strength and will not be impacted in any way, by decisions in the future.
This is a difficult time for all the members of our new Community as we strive to meet the challenge of our present day realities. It is especially difficult for those who have spent their entire lives in a specific monastery and must now adjust to these changed circumstances. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank our staff, some of whom who have been with us and supported us for decades, and the many other loyal volunteers and friends who will be affected by these developments.
None of the previous three abbeys would have survived over the centuries without the support and friendship of those in the locality, but also many others associated with them in different ways. We recognise and acknowledge the often profound attachment all these have towards our monasteries and we deeply regret that we will not be able to maintain our presence at all three locations, as we embark on this new beginning. Our gratitude and prayers will continue to be with those who have shared our journey in so many rich and varied ways here in Ireland over the years.
Note: the community members of Our Lady of Silence will, in the main, continue at their present locations until the 26th January 2025. Thereafter they will vacate Mount Melleray and Mellifont until final decisions have been made in regard to the long term location of the new community.
Dom Rufus Pound ocso
Superior ad nutum
Abbey of Our Lady of Silence
