Mount Baldy, seen from the monks' cemetery

SAINT ANDREW'S ABBEY


 A BENEDICTINE MONASTERY
 of the
CONGREGATION
 of the ANNUNCIATION

 

31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA 93563
(661) 944-2178; fax 944-1076; e-mail: monks@valyermo.com  [Mapquest Map]

NIHIL AMORI CHRISTI PRAEPONERE + Prefer nothing to the love of Christ

PLEASE NOTE: The principal Homepage for Saint Andrew's Abbey is now located at saintandrewsabbey.com .  Please visit our new homepage for the most up-to-date information on Retreat Offerings, The Art Shop (now on-line!) Vocations and Formation, Development, Ceramics, and the Fall Festival. On this page we will continue to offer information on monastic history, spirituality, and stories of the monks of Valyermo.

SAINT ANDREW’S ABBEY, Valyermo, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery: that is, a Christian community of men who have committed themselves to the search for God in corporate prayer, work, and obedience. The basis for monastic life at Valyermo is the Rule of St. Benedict, a formula for life in community which has been followed by monks and nuns for over fifteen-hundred years. 

CONTINUING ON this page you will find, below, a brief introduction to the life and work of the Abbey. Or you may link here to the following pages:

News!! ELECTION of ABBOT DAMIEN (June 21, 2010)

News!! VALYERMO CHRONICLE (Abbey Newsletter): see the Special  First Jubilee Edition and Second Jubilee Edition

TALES of the MONKS and their MONASTERY (Biographies & historical articles)

MONASTIC MISCELLANY (Articles, Homilies, Poetry, and Art by the Monks of Valyermo)

MONASTIC VOCATIONS AND THE PROCESS OF FORMATION

INFORMATION ON RETREATS AND WORKSHOPS AT THE ABBEY

LINK TO OUR CERAMICS WEBSITE: www.StAndrewsAbbeyCeramics.com

THE OBLATE PROGRAM AND LOCAL OBLATE GROUPS

ST. ANDREW'S ABBEY OBLATE CONSTITUTIONS

MONASTIC SPIRITUALITY SELF-STUDY (Ancient Texts and Downloadable Lectures)

THE BENEDICTINE FAMILY TREE (THE CONGREGATION OF THE ANNUNCIATION)

THE YOUTH RETREAT CENTER

AN INTRODUCTION TO THE PRACTICE OF LECTIO DIVINA

THE VALYERMO FALL FESTIVAL

MAP AND  DIRECTIONS TO THE  ABBEY   [or: Mapquest Map ] 

THE MONASTIC COMMUNITY at Valyermo was founded in China in 1929 by the Abbey of Sint Andries Zevenkerken in Brugge, Belgium. The monks prayed, taught, and worked in China until they were expelled by the communists in 1952. In 1955 the community relocated at Valyermo in the foothills of the San Gabriel mountains. Since that time the monks have sought to live out St. Benedict's precept to "prefer nothing to the love of Christ" in the High Desert of Southern California. 

HORARIUM

The Monastery Chapel

 


 THE PRINCIPAL WORK
OF EVERY BENEDICTINE MONK IS PRAYER.
 

 Chapel, St. Andrew's Abbey

THE MONKS of St. Andrew's Abbey gather for prayer in the monastery chapel five times a day, where guests are always welcome. Additional time during the morning and evening is spent in lectio divina, a slow contemplative reading of the Scriptures which enables the Bible, the Word of God, to serve as a means for entering into the presence of God.

THE HORARIUM or daily schedule at Valyermo is a modern adaptation of the cycle of prayer and work prescribed by St. Benedict in his Rule. Periods of common and private prayer, manual labor, and study are intertwined, so that the entire day can take on the character of Divine Praise. The daily schedule is as follows: 

THE MONKS also engage in a variety of ministries through which the special character of monastic prayer is shared with men and women living in society. First is the ministry of retreats: guests of both sexes are welcome to spend time in the Retreat House, sharing in the prayer-life of the monks as fully as they wish. Such retreats may be made privately or in groups; accommodations for large groups are available at the Youth Center. The resources of the Monastery Library, a 30,000-volume research library emphasizing patristics and Christian mysticism, can be made available to retreatants with genuine research needs. A second ministry is that of teaching: conferences and workshops on various subject are held at the monastery throughout the year, especially during the summer. Some of the monks also teach part-time at universities and seminaries. Additional ministries include assisting in local parishes and chaplaincies. 

IN ADDITION to the monastic community at Valyermo there also exist Oblates of St. Andrew's Abbey - members of the monastic "extended family". Oblates are men and women living in the world who seek to live out in their families and work something of the spirit of the Rule of St. Benedict. They spend a year as oblate novices under the guidance of one of the monks of Valyermo or an oblate sponsor; then after a year of study and reflection they make their final oblation, an act of self-offering to God which is analogous to monastic profession. They are united to the monastic community in prayer and service, and they frequently visit and make retreats at the Abbey. Several monks serve as Oblate Directors in different geographical regions of Southern California, and offer monthly conferences on monastic spirituality to oblates in those regions.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION concerning Benedictine spirituality, the work and life of the Abbey, the process of monastic formation (how you join up!), and the Oblate program may be found on the following pages: 

Tales Of The Monks And Their Monastery (Biographical sketches and historical articles)
 Monastic Vocations and the Process of Formation
Information on Retreats and Workshops at the Abbey
Abbey Newsletters (including special Jubilee Editions)

Abbey Development (New Buildings and Future Plans)
Ceramics Website: www.StAndrewsAbbeyCeramics.com
The Oblate Program and local Oblate Groups
St. Andrew's Abbey Oblate Constitutions
Monastic Spirituality Self-Study
The St. Andrew's Abbey Youth Retreat Center
An Introduction to the practice of Lectio Divina
Monastic Miscellany (Articles, Poetry, and Art by the Monks of Valyermo)
The Valyermo Fall Festival
 Map And  Directions To The Abbey   [or: Mapquest Map] 

THOSE INTERESTED in retreats or workshops at the Abbey should write or fax the Guestmaster (the address and phone number are given at the top of this page), phone the Guest Office at (661) 944-2178, or e-mail the Guest Office at retreats@valyermo.com . Men who are interested in learning more about monastic life at Valyermo should contact the Director of Vocations. Information concerning the oblate program may be obtained from Fr. Aelred Niespolo, O.S.B., Director of Oblates.

For comments or more information concerning this Homepage please contact Fr. Luke Dysinger, O.S.B. (monks@valyermo.com) This page was last updated on 2/13/09 at 10:00 a.m. ....x....  ’ “”.