Abbey of Our Lady of New Clairvaux

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Abbey of Our Lady of New Clairvaux

The brothers of the Abbey of New Clairvaux are a community of Trappist monks living a life of contemplative prayer and work.

This abbey belongs to the worldwide Catholic Order of monks called the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance.

09/14/2026

Monastic Experience Weekend
October 16-18 I Vina, CA

Are you a single Catholic man, aged 18-36, seeking a deeper connection with God? The monks of Our Lady of New Clairvaux Abbey invite you to immerse yourself in the ancient yet living tradition of monastic life and prayer for a life-transforming monastic experience weekend.
Participants will be able to:
· Join the monks in the historic Abbey Church for Holy Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours
· Receive insightful conferences on ‘How to Pray’ from contemplative monks
· Experience a monastic work session
· Enjoy the peace and beauty of the Abbey grounds.
· Share a meal with the monks, and more!
The retreat is free to attend. Link in bio to apply today.

09/08/2026

Have you ever thought about taking a retreat at the Abbey of New Clairvaux?

09/01/2026

Join us in praying for Br. Peter Gao, 40, on his birthday!

08/24/2026

Visitors to the Abbey might notice a change at the church entrance. A new metal door has replaced the original claro walnut masterpiece crafted by David Clark. The wooden door, weakened by the extreme Vina temperatures, has been placed in a safer environment—in the cloister at the entrance of our new senior wing chapel. The new metal door was fabricated by talented craftsman Robert Tuss of Oregon who aimed to replicate the intricate design of the original door. The monks are grateful to now have two beautiful doors that mark the thresholds of two very special places at the Abbey.

08/20/2026

Today we celebrate the feast of our abbey’s patron saint: Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153). Bernard was a Cistercian monk and mystic, founder and abbot of the abbey of Clairvaux (France), and one of the most influential churchmen of his time. Some cool Bernard quotes: "Ingratitude is the soul's enemy... Ingratitude is a burning wind that dries up the source of love, the dew of mercy, the streams of grace.” "Learn first to love yourself, and then you can love me.” “There are four degrees of love: 1) Love of self for self's sake. 2) Love of God for self's sake. 3) Love of God for God's own sake. 4) Love of self for God's sake.”

08/19/2026

Our first group of summer interns recently completed their program at the abbey. Three young men from different home states--California, Nebraska, and Virginia--lived, worked, prayed, and studied with the monks of New Clairvaux. This mutually enriching experience will remain a highlight for the monks of New Clairvaux; we look forward to the next class of interns in 2027. Please contact Br. Christopher for more information about applying to become a future intern or for joining our upcoming Monastic Experience Weekend in October: [email protected]

08/17/2026

Today is Brother William's 81st birthday. Brother William Chng was born in the city
of Singapore in 1945. One of seven children, the family continues to be close knit and loving.
After completing college he worked as a sales manager for Revlon Cosmetics. Prior
to entering the monastery he volunteered with two Catholic missionary groups, the
Redemptorists and Maryknoll. He also worked with Jesuit refugee services in
Thailand.
Having been at three Cistercian monasteries - one in Australia, one in Hong Kong, and one in Taiwan - he entered Vina in September of 2011, after obtaining the
necessary visa to enter the U.S. On September 8, 2019 Brother William made his solemn profession of lifetime vows as a Cistercian monk of New Clairvaux Abbey.
Brother William enjoys reading works by authors like Michael Casey, James
Patterson, and P.G. Wadehouse, as well as Isaac the Syrian, a 7th century bishop and
theologian.
As manager of the Bookstore, Brother William is well placed to
help others on their journey, with this prayer from Colossians 1 :9; "We ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will with all the wisdom and understanding that the
Spirit gives."

08/15/2026

The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the official Patronal Feast of the Cistercian Order. Celebrated on August 15, the solemnity marks Mary being taken body and soul into heaven. This photo is taken of a window in our cloister that was crafted in Munich, Germany in the early 1890s and originally installed at our mother house, The Abbey of Gethsemani, in 1893.

08/12/2026

Today we harvested our Marsanne w**e grape. It's a French grape that is often featured in our white table w**e. On harvest days, the monks adjust the prayer schedule to allow for a 7 AM picking time. The grapes are coolest and best for crushing at this time. Our next harvest day is Friday. We'll be bringing in the last block of our delectable Spanish red grape, Tempranillo.

07/31/2026

FACEBOOK FRIDAY- Dear Friends, Br. Christopher comment on intercession at the Abbey: We get a lot of prayer requests. It seems people figure those who leave the world to love God and serve Him have God's ear. I can assure that the prayer requests are seen by the monks and taken seriously.
What do people ask prayers for? Many things. Basically, the gamut on human experience: marital problems, health issues, spiritual needs, financial difficulties, family matters, to name just a few. It is an honor and privilege that people share and allow us to intercede for their heartfelt needs.
I am always especially glad to see people requesting prayers for others, which is quite common: children praying for their parents and visa-versa; wives praying for their husbands, doctors and nurses praying for their patients (they do; you don't see it but we do); people praying for strangers whom they don't know but notice are in difficulty. It is beautiful to see.
Hey! If you have something you would like the monks to pray for, we are happy to help. You can always reach us through our prayer request form on the Abbey's website. You all are our brothers and sisters, for goodness sake!

Much Peace and Many Blessings in Our Lord and Lady,

Your brothers of New Clairvaux

Address

Vina, CA
96092

Telephone

(530)8399936

Website

https://linktr.ee/monksofnewclairvaux

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