Munkeby
Dear Friends,
We have wonderful news to share with you! As most of you know, we arrived in Norway about 10 years ago, and have been overwhelmed by the goodness and kindness of the Norwegian people. By now, Norway is "home" to us.
Within the past two years, the community of Citeaux in France, motherhouse to all our Cistercian monasteries around the world, has also felt called to begin a Cistercian presence in Norway. Within the next year, they will send four of their monks (ages 31 to 81 ) to begin a monastery, only one hour away from us. Just as we are located near the ruins of the old Tautra monastery (dating from the Middle Ages), the Citeaux monks will be near the ruins of another old Cistercian monastery: Munkeby. To learn more about their way of life, and their dreams, see their web site: http://www.munkeby.net. They will support themselves making Citeaux-type cheese from cow’s milk purchased from neighbors. Of course, their main work is the Work of God: singing God’s praises and living a life of prayer. Right now, they are busy building the first section of their future monastery. Certainly they would appreciate any financial contributions. One dollar, one pound silver, one Norwegian crown is not too little. We find that often our monasteries are built on the "pennies of the poor. " And of course, the most important gift you can give them is your prayer and support.
It is with grateful hearts that we welcome these brother monks at Munkeby. Eventually, as their monastery grows, they will have some rooms available for those who seek God or who desire help on their inner journey.
Yours Sincerely in Christ,
M. Rosemary and the nuns of Tautra Mariakloster
See a video on Munkeby which includes Tautra Mariakloster at the end http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDaO8992ubo