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abbey@bluecloud.org  Abbey's Logo + Visit our sister monastery in Watertown, South Dakota: Mother of God Monastery |
Blue Cloud Abbey, a Benedictine Monastery, was founded in 1950 by St. Meinrad Archabbey in Indiana. The peaceful and beautiful rural surroundings of NE South Dakota are conducive to our monastic life of prayer, work and study. The first monks moved to Marvin, SD in the early 1950's and lived in a small farm house on newly acquired land. Over the years, the monks themselves constructed what is our present day monastery. Blue Cloud was originally established to be a home for the monks who had been working with Native American People in the Dakotas. The first missionary monks came to the Dakotas in the 1870's. They opened missions and schools on four Reservations. In recent years Blue Cloud Abbey turned over the missions and schools to the Tribes for their administration. The Blue Cloud Abbey's mission is to follow more closely The Rule of St. Benedict to PRAY, WORK & STUDY. Our day centers around prayer (the Eucharist, Divine Office and private prayer), spiritual reading and work. The monks are involved in many different types of work. We conduct a Retreat Center, a mission in Coban Guatemala, parish ministry, summer camp, and farming. Individual monks express their talents in music, carpentry, tailoring, photography, cooking, computing and many other areas. Although Benedictine abbeys are governed independently by an abbot, each community is allowed to develop its own character. Most monasteries are united in a federation which provides guidelines for the observance of Benedictine life. Blue Cloud Abbey belongs to the Swiss-American Congregation. We can trace our origins to Einsiedeln in Switzerland. Einsiedeln Abbey, founded in the 10th century, is the motherhouse of St. Meinrad Archabbey. Every Benedictine community is ultimately rooted at Monte Cassino in Italy where St. Benedict wrote his Rule for Monks in the 6th century. The Rule of St. Benedict is based on the gospel teachings and is noted for its simplicity and moderation. The monks of Blue Cloud Abbey make vows to live according to The Rule of St. Benedict. |
