Portsmouth Abbey, Benedictine monastery in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, United States
Portsmouth Abbey is a Benedictine monastery situated on extensive grounds near Narragansett Bay, featuring a stone chapel, cultivated gardens, and forested areas. The campus also includes farmland and buildings that serve both the monastic community and an educational institution.
The monastery was founded in 1917 by monks from England who brought Benedictine tradition to New England. It became established as a center for Catholic education in the region and has remained connected to this mission.
The monks follow the Benedictine rhythm of prayer and work that shapes the pace of life throughout the property. Visitors experience this lived monastic tradition through encounters with the community going about their daily routines.
Visitors can explore the chapel and may attend services or scheduled tours depending on the day. The grounds are open during daylight hours and offer plenty of space to walk through gardens and natural areas.
The monastery operates a preparatory boarding school that accepts students from around the region, weaving monastic life with secondary education in a single community. This combination of residential student life alongside monastic practice is unusual for modern abbeys in North America.
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