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Welcome to
A Monastery Photo Album
I hope you will enjoy these photographs of monastic life. They reflect a period of my life when I was a monk at the Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Spring Bank, Wisconsin.
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The Holy Founders of Citeaux Sts. Robert, Alberic and Stephen The Holy Cistercian Order was founded in 1098 in a remote wilderness of France called Citeaux. The new monastery was founded to restore the purity of the Rule of St. Benedict. The Holy Founders of the Order are commemorated annually on their Feastday, January 26. |
Monasterium B. M. V. ad Fontem
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Spring Bank Abbey Oconomowoc, Wisconsin Founded in 1928, Spring Bank was the first monastery of the Ancient Observance to be established in the United States and the first monastery of the Order in America to be elevated to the status of an Abbey. I entered Spring Bank on August 20, 1975, the Feast of St. Bernard of Clairvaux. |
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The Abbey Church of Spring Bank A blend of Byzantine and Romanesque styles, the Abbey Church was beautiful in its simplicity. |
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Profession Ceremony In the chapterhouse Fr. Abbot poses the question, "what do you ask?" In response I replied, "the mercy of God and the Order." |
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Reading of the Vows "I Bro. Bruno, promise as a lay-brother ... obedience, stability and conversion of life, according to the Rule of St. Benedict, Abbot, before God and His saints, whose relics are here, in this place which is called Our Lady of Spring Bank, of the Cistercian Order, erected in honor of Mary Ever-Virgin ..." |
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The Kiss of Peace After reading my vows I exchange the kiss of peace with Fr. Abbot Dom. Joseph. |
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Around the Monastery This picture was taken in the summer of 1978. I am standing next to the fish pond in the garden fronting the church. |
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In the Church Kneeling before the tabernacle. |
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At the Grille Taken from the lay chapel, I'm standing behind the grille in the choir. |
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In the Fields This picture was taken in front of the cornfield. The monastery can be seen in the background. |
