Monks vacating Mount Melleray this week after almost 200 years
Consecration of Mount Melleray Church in 1952. Photo: Waterford County Museum
This coming Sunday, Mount Melleray’s monks will officially vacate the historic abbey for the foreseeable future.
The monks will be based in Roscrea for an interim period, forming a new community by the name of ‘The Abbey of Our Lady of Silence’.
Superior ad nutum at Abbey of Our Lady of Silence, Dom Rufus Pound ocso, said that the decision came after “much reflection and soul searching as an order".
“We have been confronted with these difficult decisions as we address the reality of falling numbers and ageing communities; issues which other similar communities are also addressing at this time.
“We will be continuing our presence in Ireland into the future, but to achieve this, regretfully, we must consolidate in accordance with the restrictions of our present resources.”
“We have decided that with effect from 26th January 2025, three of our communities, namely, Mount Melleray, Mellifont and Mount St Joseph, which since 3rd November, the Feast of St Malachy, have already merged as one new single community, will be based, for an interim period, at Roscrea.”
Mass this week will take place from Monday to Friday at 7:45am, while Mass on Saturday will begin at 11 am.
There will be no mass on Sunday.
