Pray With Us

For 1500 years monks have prayed the Liturgy of the Hours. Join us in continuing this monastic tradition.

Take Part

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

To our friends: Although Saint Benedict cautions the abbot to understand what a difficult and demanding burden he has undertaken, it’s important for me not to forget that the office of abbot is also a unique privilege because it enables me to serve Christ and his church in this unique capacity. As we approach the 66th anniversary of the founding of Holy Cross Abbey … Continue Reading...

News from the Abbey

A “Conflict of Interests”

I can't say that there was an overwhelming response to the post about revising the website, but of the few comments made, … [Read More...]

Abbot Joseph’s Homily for the Twenty-sixth Sunday, Year C

Readings: Amos 6:1, 4-7; 1 Timothy 6:11-16; Luke 16:19-31 I remember years ago reading a commentary on today's gospel in … [Read More...]

Availability at the Retreat House

As Autumn enters the Valley, the Retreat House is filling up to overflowing. However, there are still spaces available deeper … [Read More...]

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...

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...

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 Welcome to … Find Out More...

Cool Spring Natural Cemetery

Sacred Ground - Cool Spring Natural Cemetery is maintained and managed by the Cistercian Monks of Holy Cross Abbey where, for over sixty years, monks have lived on land made sacred by their lives of … [Read More...]

History

The Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Cross may have been founded in 1950 but our roots run deep. It is not an exaggeration to boast a kinship to the New Monastery, as it was first called, the Abbey of … [Read More...]

(click to find out more)