St. Gregory's Abbey

St. Gregory's Abbey is an American monastic community of men adhering to the Rule of St. Benedict, situated within the Episcopal Church. The abbey is located near Three Rivers in St. Joseph County, Michigan.

History and Development

The origins of St. Gregory's Abbey trace back to 1935 when Rolland F. Severance and the Rev. Trevor Bacon joined a group of Episcopalians in England for training with the Anglican Benedictines of Nashdom Abbey. Severance, a professor at Nashotah House, and Bacon, with financial support for their studies, returned to the United States. They became life-professed monks, taking the names Dom Paul and Dom Francis, respectively.

In 1939, they established St. Gregory's House in Valparaiso, Indiana. Initially, the monks supported themselves by ministering to three mission churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Indiana. The community also published a newsletter titled "Benedicite."

Following advice from the Abbot of Nashdom Abbey in 1946, the monks moved to a farm near Three Rivers, Michigan, to concentrate more fully on monastic life. Under the leadership of Dom Paul Severance, the community grew significantly. The cornerstone for the first priory building, the chapel, was laid on October 20, 1950.

For three decades, St. Gregory's Abbey operated as a dependency of Nashdom Abbey. In 1969, it achieved independence, electing its prior, Benedict Reid, as the first abbot. Andrew Marr succeeded him as abbot in 1989.

Monastic Life and Practices

The Abbey Church serves as the focal point of the monastery's life. The monks engage in communal prayer seven times daily, participating in the liturgy of the hours and the Eucharist. The Benedictine rhythm of work, study, and prayer forms the core of their daily existence, with prayer holding paramount importance. The conventual Eucharist is celebrated daily.

Historically, the monastery observed the Tridentine Mass in Latin. Currently, Mass is celebrated using the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, with the celebrant facing the congregation. The monks are responsible for all monastery housework, including extensive outdoor tasks such as landscaping, gardening, and grounds maintenance.

Monastic activities also encompass teaching, responding to correspondence, preparing sermons and retreats, and undertaking special ministries. Community members occasionally provide ministry in parish churches and other religious houses, and retreats are conducted at the abbey. St. Gregory's Abbey offers two guesthouses and a cottage for visitors, accommodating stays from two days to one week. The balance between external activities and preserving the Benedictine way of life is carefully managed.