St. Andrew's Abbey

St. Andrew's Abbey is a Benedictine monastery of men located in Valyermo, California. In 1929, St. Andrew's Abbey in Bruges, Belgium founded St. Andrew's Priory in China. Until 1953, the monks of St. Andrew's Priory conducted missionary work among the Chinese.

In 1953, the Communists expelled all foreign priests as well as all religious brothers and sisters. Forced to leave China behind, the monks were able to purchase the Hidden Springs Ranch in 1955. St. Andrew's Priory thus began its ministry in Valyermo, California, which is located in the high desert of Southern California within the boundaries of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. It is not far from the communities of Palmdale, Lancaster, California and Wrightwood, California.

St. Andrew's Abbey is well known as a retreat centre in California. The abbey is located in a very isolated area which is conducive to silence. While the abbey does not care for any parishes, the abbey welcomes numerous guests each year either as retreatants or as casual visitors. Additionally, the abbey is also known for the ceramics [http://www.standrewsabbeyceramics.com/] that it produces. A number of the monks also teach at the seminary for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles [http://www.stjohnsem.edu/] and in colleges and universities in the Los Angeles area.

= Growth and Change =In 1992, St. Andrew's Priory became St. Andrew's Abbey. Father Francis Benedict, OSB was elected first abbot of St. Andrew's Abbey and received the abbatial blessing on August 2, 1992. Fr. Francis Benedict, who served as Abbott for sixteen years during which he served with unflagging devotion as superior of the monastery. The new Welcome Center and Youth Center Chapel are the most recent and visible reminders of Fr. Francis’ deep commitment to the community. The abbatial term of office of Francis Benedict has ended, and he is now the Abbott Emeritus [http://www.valyermo.com/00a_start.htm] .

At the invitation of Abbot Ansgar Schmidt, O.S.B., the Abbot President of the Benedictine Congregation of the Annunciation, of which St. Andrew’s Abbey is part, the monastic community at Valyermo is now beginning an intensive period of study and reflection that will lead to a renewal of its monastic life and a common vision of its future. During this period of study and renewal the superior of the monastery will not be an abbot, but rather a “Prior Administrator”, who will have all the rights and authority of an abbot. Fr. Damien Toilolo O.S.B. has agreed to serve as Prior Administrator; and during his term of office he will shepherd the community through this process of renewal and reflection culminating in an abbatial election probably in the year 2010 [http://www.valyermo.com/00a_start.htm] .

External links

* [http://www.valyermo.com St. Andrew's Abbey website]
* [http://www.standrewsabbeyceramics.com/ St. Andrew's Abbey Ceramics website]