Listen to our album: In Praise of Mary

Cistercian monks and nuns have a special dedication to Our Lady and place themselves in her patronage and care. Every community of the Order is dedicated to her and she is our model of the contemplative way of life. With her we ponder the mysteries of Christ in our hearts, embracing the silence the monastery provides as a means of listening for God within.

In Praise of Mary, an album recorded by the community in our Abbey church in January 2007, marked the seventy-fifth anniversary of Cistercian life in Glencairn. Our singing of the Divine Office seven times a day in choir, including a night office, has been sustained over the generations by women who have dedicated their lives to the continuous praise of God and intercession for the needs of the world, striving to worship “with one heart, joining constantly in prayer.” (Acts 1:14) The hymns and chants in this collection are taken from our daily praise in the liturgy of the hours and of the eucharist. The album was produced by Noirin Ni Riain.

Icon by Sr Paula Kiersey OCSO