POINTING TO THE ABBY. SINCE WE HAD NOT BEEN THERE IN YEARS,
WE DECIDED TO STOP IN..... AND THERE IT WAS, THE BEAUTIFUL STONE BUILDING (TOP) SURROUNDED BY A BIG PAVED PARKING LOT AND
TREE-FILLED PARK. JUST A COUPLE CARS THERE, BUT A COUPLE MORE
CAME LATER. WE SIMPLY WALKED UP AND WENT IN....AND FIRST VISTED THE CHAPEL (ABOVE) AND THEN OVER TO THE THE NICE GIFT SHOP (ABOVE) WHERE WE BOUGHT A BAG OF THEIR FAMOUS HOMEMADE DARK CHOCOLATE CARAMELS AND SOME HONEY AND JAM. ON SALE ALSO
(BUT WE DIDN'T BUY ONE) THEIR FAMOUS, PLAIN TRAPPIST CASKETS, MADE
ACROSS THE ROAD IN THEIR SHOP. THERE ARE SEVERAL PRICE RANGES.
THEN WE VISITED WITH FATHER DAVE (ABOVE) WHO IS ONE OF 32 MONKS
LIVING THERE. HE HAS BEEN A RESIDENT SINCE 1962. FOR MANY YEARS,
THEY WORKED THE FARM THEMSELVES (AND DID OTHER THINGS
FOR DAY TO DAY LIFE) BUT NOW THE LAND IS RENTED OUT. FATHER DAVE
WAS IN CHARGE OF THE GIFT SHOP SUNDAY. IF ABLE, THEY ALL TAKE TURNS DOING VARIOUS JOBS. THEY ALSO HOST AN OCCASSIONAL RETREAT AND THERE ARE SMALL BEDROOMS FOR THE PARTICIPANTS TO STAY IN. NEW MELLERAY IS A CISTERCIAN (TRAPPIST) MONASTERY, RURAL PEOSTA, IN THE ROLLING FARMLAND SOUTH OF DUBUQUE. YOU WILL ENJOY A VISIT SOMETIME AND YOU WILL BE WELCOME. CLICK-ON THE PHOTOS TO ENLARGE THEM.
DENNIS VOY
