Featured News

A Word From The Cistercian Fathers For Advent

In the Lord's advent, which we are celebrating, if I fix my gaze on the person of the One who is coming, I fail to grasp the wondrousness of his majesty. If I fix my attention on those to whom he comes, I am overwhelmed by the magnitude of his condescension. Surely the angels are astonished by the … Continue Reading...

Welcome to Holy Cross Abbey

The Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Cross was born out of fire. When the monastery of Our Lady of the Valley in Valley Falls, Rhode Island, tragically and spectacularly burned to the ground on the night of March 21, 1950, the monks of the abbey were left without a home.

While the abbot of Our Lady of the Valley, Dom Edmund Futterer, labored to re-establish his displaced community at a new site at Spencer, Massachusetts, plans developed for a new foundation. Land was found in the ... Read More

A Note From The Abbot

We have begun the Season of Advent. In fact, we have just begun the new Liturgical Year, Year A in the cycle of Sunday Mass Readings, returning to the Gospel of St. Matthew. Although I will miss the Gospel readings from St. Luke, each of the Gospels have their richness and their particular perspective on the Lord Jesus and his ministry. Each Gospel describes essential … Continue Reading...

News from the Abbey

First Sunday of Advent, 1 December, 2014

This Sunday begins the new liturgical Year and we begin the Sunday Readings of Year A and the Weekday Mass Readings of Year … [Read More...]

Fr. Robert’s Homily for Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day is a long honored tradition in our American History. The first national celebration of an annual day of … [Read More...]

A Recycling of Sorts

Bakery Manager  Ernie Polanskas is once again putting out the call for styrofoam "peanuts". Styrofoam is one of the worst … [Read More...]

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Take Part

You may join us here at the Abbey by a sojourn in our Retreat House for a silent retreat, as a visitor to our Gift Shop or as a family member visiting a member of the community. You can assist at Mass … Find Out More...

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Visit Us

  Whatever your faith or search may be, whether you want to pause for a moment in our church or join us for one of the monastic services or the mass, to visit our Monastery Gift Shop where our own … Find Out More...

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Monastery Products

Monastery products are treats for family and friends, holidays or anytime! A fruitcake from the Trappist monks for those who appreciate quality products, made from an old fashioned recipe, using … Find Out More...

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Cool Spring Natural Cemetery

The Shenandoah River flows lazily along of the base of Virginia’s Great Blue Ridge here at Cool Spring Natural Cemetery nestled in Virginia’s northern Shenandoah Valley. Eagles and herons fly above … [Read More...]

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Retreat House

"Let all guests who arrive be received like Christ, for He is going to say, 'I came as a guest, and you received Me'" (Matthew 25:35) Saint Benedict's Rule for Monasteries, Chapter 53 Rooms in our … [Read More...]

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