Entries by granitewordpress

Seminar in Scotland for monks and nuns, October 2011

What does it mean to be human? What is the goal of earthly existence? What brings us ultimate happiness? It is in our very nature to yearn for God, to be in relationship with God. This year’s seminar from 16-29 October given by Fr Michael Casey ocso in Nunraw Abbey, Scotland searched these and other […]

Monastic Experience Weekend 25-27 November, 2011

We will be hosting our next Monastic Experience Weekend on 25-27 November, 2011 for those who would like to have the opportunity to be with us for a few days and learn something about the Cistercian vocation. Is God calling you to monastic life? Then perhaps this may be the weekend for you. We welcome […]

Blog of ocso general chapter 2011

Of interest to those following our website will be the excellent blog of this year’s mixed general chapter, taking place currently in Assisi in Italy. The blog, which includes reflections, daily homily extracts from the different regions of the order, and photos of those participating, offers a valuable insight into Cistercian life as lived today […]

Welcome home to Sr Josephine!

We were delighted to welcome Sister Josephine back home to Glencairn this week after her three year sojourn at our daughter house, St Justina’s monastery, in Nigeria. Sister Josephine went to Nigeria for the first time as a newly solemnly professed sister in 1990 to support the community in the early days of its foundation. […]

Golden Jubilee of Sr John Baptist Fitzgerald’s monastic profession

On Saturday 6th August we had another joyful Jubilee celebration, the third of this year 2011, as Sr John Baptist Fitzgerald ocso marked fifty years of fidelity to Cistercian life as a monastic nun, gathering with the community, together with her family and friends for a special Jubilee liturgy and meal afterwards. Sr John B […]

Religion and Ethics tv news feature on St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn

An investigation by U.S. television producer Phil O’Connor into the decline of the Irish Church brought him, together with the Religion and Ethics team and camera crew to Ireland in late May of this year where they made a further television feature on contemporary monastic life as lived here at St Mary’s Abbey. This news […]

Listening To God’s Call?

Many people ask the question: “How do I know that I have a vocation?”, “How do I know where God is leading me?” The answer is not a factual kind of knowledge. The young people that have entered the monastery today as yesterday are responding rather to a deeper kind of knowledge that is born […]

Junior Course at Mount Melleray Abbey, Ireland 2011

This year’s meeting for junior monks and nuns of our region of the Cistercian Order takes place in Mount Melleray Abbey, County Waterford, Ireland from 30 May until 7 June, 2011. With participants from Mount St Bernard Abbey in Leicester, England, Caldey Abbey, Wales, Portglanone Abbey, Northern Ireland, Mellifont Abbey in Louth, Ireland and Glencairn […]

Sr Lelia Kehoe’s Diamond Jubilee

On 1st May, 2011 Sr Lelia Kehoe ocso looked back at 60 years of monastic life as a Cistercian nun at Glencairn as she celebrated the Diamond Jubilee of her profession of monastic vows. Many of her family were able to join us the following day for the celebration of the Jubilee, together with many […]

Sacred Triduum

Our Easter Ceremonies for 2011 at Glencairn are as follows: Holy Thursday Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper: 6pm Good Friday Celebration of the Lord’s Passion: 3:15pm Easter Vigil On Easter Sunday morning: 3:30am Easter Sunday Mass: 11:00am Wishing you a joyful and holy Easter in the Risen Lord!

Foundation Day, 2011

On 10th March 2011 we celebrated the 79th anniversary of St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn. Our foundation was made by the Cistercian Nuns of Holy Cross Abbey, from Stapehill in Dorset, England in 1932. Abbot Stanislaus Hickey (photograph: 2nd from left, back row) of Mount Melleray Abbey, Capoquin, Co Waterford, whose community had been integral to […]

Sister Gerard Filgate’s Diamond Jubilee

2011 is a special year here in Glencairn, as we have the joy of celebrating two “Diamond” anniversaries; two of our senior sisters will have been professed to the monastic life for no less than 60 years. On the 22 February the friends and relatives of our Sister Gerard Filgate gathered with the community to […]