Abbey of the Genesee
Encyclopedia
The Abbey of the Genesee is a community of more than two dozen contemplative monk
s located near Piffard in the town of York, New York
. They are a member of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, commonly known as the Trappists
. They were founded from the Abbey of Gethsemani
in Bardstown, Kentucky
in 1951.
called Monk's Bread and which is available commercially in Rochester, New York
and other nearby markets in western New York
. The sale of the bread helps support the abbey and its inhabitants. The bread was first prepared solely for the monks by one of the order, but a demand for loaves from outsiders gradually led to the commercial operation.
The bread is baked several times each week in the early hours of the morning. For that reason the monks go to bed around seven at night in order to rise about two in the morning. For reasons of security and hygiene, it is not possible to observe the baking process except through slides and photographs.
Several varieties of bread are baked, including white
, whole wheat, multi-grain, and raisin
, along with a number of other products such as, jams and fruitcakes.
was allowed to live with the community of monks as a temporary member for seven months. This is rather unusual, because while the Trappists
do accept retreatants for some days, it is usually not possible to become a "temporary monk
", as Nouwen did. The permission was granted particularly due to Nouwen's close friendship with abbot John Eudes.
After his retreat, Nouwen's diary was published in 1976 under the title "The Genesee Diary - Report from a Trappist Monastery". This book is now deemed one of the fundamental works about Trappist spirituality and contemplative life in general. It is also widely recommended to be read by prospective monks during their vocational discernment.
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
s located near Piffard in the town of York, New York
York, New York
York is a town in western Livingston County, New York, United States. The population was 3,219 at the 2000 census.The Abbey of the Genesee in the town's hamlet of Piffard is locally famous due to the production of Monk's Bread.- History :...
. They are a member of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, commonly known as the Trappists
Trappists
The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...
. They were founded from the Abbey of Gethsemani
Abbey of Gethsemani
The Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani is a Trappist monastery near Bardstown, Kentucky in Nelson County—situated on more than 2,000 acres of farmland, and considered to be the "mother house" of all Trappist and Trappistine monasteries in the United States of America...
in Bardstown, Kentucky
Bardstown, Kentucky
As of the census of 2010, there were 11,700 people, 4,712 households, and 2,949 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 5,113 housing units at an average density of...
in 1951.
Monk's Bread
The monks' work largely consists of baking a brand of breadBread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
called Monk's Bread and which is available commercially in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and other nearby markets in western New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The sale of the bread helps support the abbey and its inhabitants. The bread was first prepared solely for the monks by one of the order, but a demand for loaves from outsiders gradually led to the commercial operation.
The bread is baked several times each week in the early hours of the morning. For that reason the monks go to bed around seven at night in order to rise about two in the morning. For reasons of security and hygiene, it is not possible to observe the baking process except through slides and photographs.
Several varieties of bread are baked, including white
White bread
White bread is made from wheat flour from which the bran and the germ have been removed through a process known as milling. Milling gives white flour a longer shelf life by removing the bran which contains oil, allowing products made with it, like white bread, the ability to survive storage and...
, whole wheat, multi-grain, and raisin
Raisin
Raisins are dried grapes. They are produced in many regions of the world. Raisins may be eaten raw or used in cooking, baking and brewing...
, along with a number of other products such as, jams and fruitcakes.
Visitors
The Abbey is open from 2:00 a.m. until 7:00 pm. Casual visitors are able to enter only a restricted part of the abbey. The abbey is open to serious individual guests and small groups who wish to make a retreat and avail themselves to the counseling of the monks. A small fee is charged to cover expenses.Literature
In 1974, the Dutch priest and writer Henri NouwenHenri Nouwen
Henri Jozef Machiel Nouwen , was a Dutch-born Catholic priest and writer who authored 40 books about spirituality.- Writing :...
was allowed to live with the community of monks as a temporary member for seven months. This is rather unusual, because while the Trappists
Trappists
The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance , or Trappists, is a Roman Catholic religious order of cloistered contemplative monks who follow the Rule of St. Benedict...
do accept retreatants for some days, it is usually not possible to become a "temporary monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
", as Nouwen did. The permission was granted particularly due to Nouwen's close friendship with abbot John Eudes.
After his retreat, Nouwen's diary was published in 1976 under the title "The Genesee Diary - Report from a Trappist Monastery". This book is now deemed one of the fundamental works about Trappist spirituality and contemplative life in general. It is also widely recommended to be read by prospective monks during their vocational discernment.