Monastery of Santa Maria Rawaseneng, Trappist monastery in Temanggung, Indonesia
The Monastery of Santa Maria Rawaseneng sits on a hillside surrounded by coffee plantations and dairy farms in the mountainous region of Central Java. The grounds are organized around agricultural fields that the monks maintain and use to support their community's daily life.
The monastery was founded in 1953 as a branch of a Dutch monastery, bringing monastic traditions to Indonesia. This founding connected European religious practices with the local landscape of Java.
The monastery reflects its European monastic roots through the daily rhythm of prayer and communal living that visitors can observe while walking the grounds. The quiet discipline of monastic life shapes how the community uses the space and interacts with the land around them.
The monastery has a small shop where visitors can buy products made by the monks, including coffee, cheese, and baked goods. It is best to visit during quieter times of day to avoid disturbing the monks' daily routines.
The monastery grows its own coffee on surrounding plantations and operates financially independent without needing external donations. This self-sustaining approach through farming is uncommon and reflects a practical model of monastic living.
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