Mount Saint Mary's Abbey

Mount Saint Mary's Abbey is a Trappist nunnery situated on spacious grounds with gardens, walking paths, and monastic buildings designed for religious life. The property includes prayer areas, workspaces for the community's crafts, and living quarters arranged across the landscape.

The abbey was founded in 1949 when four young women, including nuns from Ireland and Canada, arrived to establish it. This marked the first arrival of Cistercian nuns in the United States.

The nuns structure their daily life around prayer and manual labor in the Cistercian tradition. This rhythm shapes how the grounds are used and cared for, visible in the quiet work spaces and the handmade goods sold to visitors.

The grounds are open to visitors who wish to attend daily services and walk through the quiet garden and prayer areas. The abbey shop sells handcrafted goods that visitors can browse and purchase at their own pace.

The abbey has operated its own candy and preserve production since its early years, making sweets, jams, and jellies. This work supports the community financially while keeping traditional craft skills alive within the monastic setting.