St. Joseph's Abbey, Trappist monastery in Spencer, Massachusetts.
St. Joseph's Abbey is a Trappist monastery set on a hilltop in Spencer, Massachusetts, surrounded by maple trees, pine forests, and open pastures. On the property there is a retreat house with private rooms, each with its own bathroom, available to guests who come for scheduled retreats.
The monastery was founded in 1950 after a fire destroyed the community's previous home in Rhode Island, prompting the monks to move to former farmland in Massachusetts. That move shaped the character of the place from the very beginning.
The monks follow a daily rhythm of prayer and manual work that shapes everything about life here, from the early morning hours to the evening. Visitors walking the grounds can sense this pace without needing to participate directly in any activity.
Guests can join organized retreats that typically run Monday through Friday or Friday through Sunday. The grounds are easy to walk and include outdoor areas that can be visited outside of retreat hours.
The monks started making mint jelly in the 1950s as a way to support the community, and that small effort grew into a production operation that fills hundreds of thousands of jars each year. Most people who buy the products in stores across the country have no idea they come from a monastery in rural Massachusetts.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
