Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey
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The Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey is located near Dubuque, Iowa. The Sisters there are members of the Order of the Cistercian Strict Observance (Trappists). The abbey is located about 10 miles south of Dubuque. The Abbey is located in the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The current Abbess is Sr. Nettie Louise Gamble. Currently the Abbey is home to about 30 Sisters, who, as is required by the Rule of St Benedict, spend their days in a balance between choral and private prayer, lectio divina (meditative reading of Scripture and other spiritual books), and manual labor. The Abbey supports itself primarily with candy making, but also farms the land it owns on the bluffs of the Mississippi River. The Sisters have a daily routine that involves spending a large part of their day in prayer, work, and contemplation. Each day begins with the Office of Vigils at 3:45 a.m.. Compline, the last prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, is at 7:15 p.m. The Abbey is well known for fine candy, Trappistene Creamy Caramels. From September through December the Sisters make over a ton of caramels each week and ship them world-wide.
[edit] History
The Abbey was founded in 1964 when the first thirteen Sisters traveled from Mt St. Mary’s Abbey in Wrentham, Massachusetts to the present site of the abbey. The Sisters began candy making soon after, but also attempted to support the Abbey through farming, growing Christmas trees, and raising livestock. Although candy is now their main support, they still raise some cattle and the farm is certified organic. Much of their land has been returned to forest. In 1999, the Sisters of the Abbey decided to begin a monastery, Tautra Abbey, in Tautra, Norway, and five sisters of Mississippi Abbey and two Norwegian sisters from other monasteries arrived there. In March, 2006, Tautra Mariakloster became an autonomous priory.
