OMS #8

Happy St. Patrick's Day and a perfect time to look at monasticism in Ireland. Two great monastic men, Columba and Columbanus, were early monks (5-6c.) in Ireland who also were missionaries, and who traveled to the European continent, Iona, etc. to spread Christianity and monastic life. In the mid-12th century an Irish cleric traveling to Rome stopped at Citeaux and ended up leaving some men there to be trained as monks. The first Cistercian monks were sent to Ireland in 1142 and the number of Cistercian monasteries multiplied quickly.

If you browse on any of the pages below, be sure to go to their history page--fascinating!

Today there are only a handful of Benedictine and Cistercian monasteries in Ireland. Kylemore and Glenstal castles were built in the mid-19th centuries and bought or given to Benedictines later on. The photos of the places are breathtaking. Roscrea in Tipperary is one of the first Cistercian places.

So, if you take one of those popular "pilgrimages" to Ireland that we Americans so often do...stop over at one of these places and enjoy the Benedictine world from their point of view.

Sisters:
Kylemore, Co. Galway
Tyburn Convent, Co. Cork
Cistercians, N. Ireland

Monks:
Glenstal, Co. Limerick
Mt. St. Joseph, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary
Rostrevor, N. Ireland

If you haven't seen it yet, here is a 5-minute slide show of the Ohio Wesleyan girls' visit last week. Fun!

Just in time....for the Canisius students arrive this Sunday for their spring break week of ministry!