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Who Are We?

The monks of Our Lady of Bethlehem Abbey belong to the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, which has its origins in the monastic tradition of evangelical life that found expression in the Rule for Monasteries of St Benedict of Nursia.  When the Order was founded in 1098, at Cîteaux, near Dijon in France, the founders gave this tradition particular form, and the monasteries of the Strict Observance have always strongly defended certain of its principals.

Our Order is a monastic institute wholly ordered to contemplation.  The monks dedicate themselves to the worship of God in a hidden life within the monastery, leading a way of life which is characterised by silence and solitude, assiduous prayer, and joyful penitence.

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Join Us in Prayer via the Abbey Livestream

Follow the link below to reach the Abbey’s livestream where you can join the monastic community in prayer with live video streaming from the monastic church.

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Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (OCSO)

You can find out more about our order, the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (sometimes called Trappists) by visiting the Order’s website.

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Proposed Columbarium Wall at Portglenone

The Cistercian Community in Portglenone announce an exciting and important new venture. Let us know what you think.

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Blog

The contents of these reflections offer teachings on fundamental aspects of Cistercian monastic life and try to provide a means for you to make these teachings part of your life.  The articles present pathways which allow for further reflection on your part – ultimately, with each reflection, the invitation is made to seek God deeply in your own life. Perhaps this will happen by a more attentive praying of Sacred Scripture; or by the practice of spiritual tools; or by a considered living into greater silence, or solitude, or stillness; or through some of the many other tools which monastic contemplative life has developed over the centuries.

Latest blog post…

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  Prayer as a School of Hope
  We share with you a timely and insightful letter on prayer and hope from the Abbot General of our Order, Dom Bernardus Peeters ocso…

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Vocations

To recognise a vocation is to welcome a specific way of life which is a fundamental expression of who I am and how I am called to live.  In Christian terms we rejoice to know that God has a plan for each of us – the living out of our vocation is the discovery of that plan, personal to each of us and offered to each of us by the God who has created us.  In a way, when we accept our vocation and begin to live it out we make sense of who we are and see how God has called us to work in his kingdom now, and for its fulfillment, in eternity.

To discover that I am called to be a Cistercian monastic is to discover a deep calling to live Gospel discipleship in a special school of love.

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Prayer Requests and Intercession

One of the characteristics of a Cistercian’s life is to live constantly with one’s face turned toward the Father in prayer.  In this we try to imitate Christ closely, whose entire life was a prayer of sacrifice in obedience to the will of the Father.  In the practice of this awareness of God present to us we become intercessors, carrying the prayers and needs of others to the Father, through Christ, and with Mary’s help.  We are grateful for this aspect of our life – to be able to pray for those who ask it of us.

We invite you to send us your prayer requests, which we remember in the midst of our community prayer and in our prayer alone. We place your intentions in God’s Mother’s hands, since she never ceases to accompany us as we approach her Son.

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