File - Sacred Stones

Dr. Burke Honored
Renowned Artist, Local Art Gallery Lend Support
On Friday evening January 28th, Avenue 9 Gallery
in Chico was the site of the first event of our Golden
Jubilee year. World-renowned artist Thomas Arvid,
acclaimed for his paintings of fine wines, made a
one-night appearance for the Abbey’s benefit while
on a book signing tour. Avenue 9 Gallery owner,
Arvid’s longtime friend Dr. Maria Phillips, wrote
the introduction to his new book, Thomas Arvid:
Redefining the Modern Still Life.
Baskets of items from the monastery,
Arvid, and Avenue 9 Gallery were auctioned by
Dr. Scott McNall, provost at Chico State University.
All proceeds from the auction and sale of Arvid’s
book were donated to the Sacred Stones building
project. For more photos and information about this
wonderful event, visit www.avenue9gallery.com.
In December, sixty guests joined Father Thomas in honoring
Dr. Margaret Burke at a luncheon reception held at the Sequoias
in Portola Valley. Dr. Burke, a member of the Sacred Stones
Legati and a renowned scholar in medieval architecture, has
been an invaluable part of the re-construction effort.
A brush with fame: Dr. Dolores Mitchell, Father Bernard,
Dr. Maria Phillips, Father Paul Mark, and Brother Raphael were
among the many guests who enjoyed the evening with Thomas
Arvid at Avenue 9 Gallery. Dolores and Maria are co-owners
of the gallery.
Save The
Date!
Abbot Thomas X. Davis, OCSO
Abbey of New Clairvaux
P.O. Box 80
Vina, CA 96092
On Saturday, August 6, we’ll celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Abbey of
New Clairvaux with an Open House from 1-4 p.m. Please mark your calendar, and plan on joining
us for a tour of the monastery and refreshments. All guests are welcome to pray Vespers with the
community following the Open House.
Nonprofit
Organization
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Vina, CA
Permit No. 1
Gesta Monastica
N E W S
F R O M
T H E
A B B E Y
O F
N E W
C L A I R VA U X
Volume 5, Issue 1 Winter 2005
In this issue of Gesta Monastica:
– A look at the first fifty years of the
Abbey of New Clairvaux
– Milestones in our history
– The Chapter House takes shape!
– New naming opportunities
The Chapter House is finally taking shape – literally! The exterior shell is almost complete and the three Eastern windows have been
framed with the original sashes. It is an amazing experience to see the building come to life after so many years.
Sacred Stones First Funding
Goal Achieved!
Thanks to you, the Chapter House shell phase will be completed this winter.
It’s been a long journey home for the Sacred Stones! Because of your
generosity, we have reached our first major fundraising goal – $3 million – which
enabled the Abbey to transport the stones to Vina, assemble an expert project team,
complete highly complex preparatory work and, finally, to begin the outer phase of the
Chapter House project. At this point, the first of the Sacred Stones have taken their
place within the re-constructed building. What a tremendous accomplishment! We are
delighted to share a photo of our current progress, along with news and reflections from
our architect and stonemason.
We Are Beginning
The Abbey of New Clairvaux
50th Anniversary Jubilee
1955-2005
In July, our community will celebrate
our Jubilee! As we begin this monumental year, we are pleased to share
some of our history with you.
We do windows…
By Patrick Cole, Architect
I
n the beginning was the intention.
Architecture, like all activity, expresses directly or
inadvertently the intention of the maker. In our
modern age when expediency is the most common
architectural metaphor being expressed, we have
embarked on a project which is actually a continuum of work set in motion during the Carolingian
Renaissance… Stones laid for the Lord… durability
and beauty to honor the Divine.
As we commenced the designs, Abbot Thomas
wrote a statement of intention which basically indicated his desire to use space, form and light to express
the reminders of divine presence exhibited through
integrity, harmony and beauty. What a majestic
program to give any architect.
After this, the long process of refining the design
began. Our plan incorporates 30,000 square feet of
building - including a new church, cloister arcade,
chapel and archive library - but the centerpiece of
the new monastery will be the 1,500 square foot
ancient Chapter House.
Most of the building’s structure is now
visible. Work on the foundation, roof and outer
shell is nearly finished. Three windows featuring the
Sacred Stones have been installed by a new team of
European trained masons and facestones are in the
process of being applied to the exterior. It has taken
a small army of experts nearly six years to arrive at
this point of beginning. What a magnificent milestone this is!
It has been the Abbot’s position throughout
this period that if it is the right thing to do, it must
be done right. There is something very majestic
about the work in place so far. Indeed, visitors are
awestruck.
A Providential Opportunity
I remember seeing the ancient stones for the
first time as a jumbled pile of rubble in the old
brandy barns in 1998. I had two projects in France
and Spain at that time, and decided to make a
personal quest to learn more about Cistercian
architecture by touring ruins in Europe, including a
special trip to Ovila.
Upon arriving at Ovila, then a private ranch,
I was told I needed permission from the owner to
visit. I was given a Madrid number and headed
to the nearest public phone, three miles away at a
petrol station.
story continues on page 7
And doors, and columns, too! See the
article on page two which announces
new naming opportunities. Reservations are filling fast – don’t miss out
on this once-in-a-lifetime chance to
make a lasting contribution to the
Abbey.
Contact the Abbey Online!
Our Websites:
www.newclairvaux.org
For Sacred Stones:
www.sacredstones.org
New Opportunities
For Lasting Recognition
A Word from Abbot Thomas:
Nearly fifty years ago, 26 monks traveled by
train from Kentucky, along with the Abbot of
Gethsemani, to found a new monastery here in
California. They arrived at our Vina property on
July 2, 1955. As we prepare to celebrate the milestone of fifty years at the Abbey of New Clairvaux,
it’s a good time to reflect upon on our past and look
ahead to the future.
Later in 1955 I was among eight monks who
came to supplement the first group. On September
15, before driving up to Vina, I first saw the Sacred
Stones in Golden Gate Park.
Life in the first years at Vina was quite
different than that in Gethsemani – a large group
of over 200 monks, well-established for over 100
years. We moved into the frame ranch buildings and
during the first couple of years gradually converted
them into a semblance of a monastery.
Our community settled into the monastic life
style of daily chanting the Opus Dei (the Divine
Office in choir), manual labor (dairy herd of
some 200 cows and prune orchards), and lectio
divina (the monastic way of spiritual growth.) The
monastery was made an Abbey in 1959, and the first
abbot initiated the building of the present wooden
church and replaced the dairy business with English
walnut orchards.
The community grew in numbers. In 1960,
Vina accepted a refugee community of Trappist
monks in Hong Kong from communist China,
Our Lady of Joy Abbey, as a daughter house. This
relationship with Asia has had a strong positive
influence on us.
When the second abbot was elected in 1968, the
cultural changes in the country were beginning to
be felt. Vina had received special indult from Rome
to be the very first community of monks to chant
the Opus Dei in English in February 1967, before
the vernacular had been introduced elsewhere.
From our beginning, the Abbey has had a
welcoming ministry – offering visitors of all faiths
a place for meditation and prayer – according to the
Rule of St. Benedict. The faith and caring of these
guests from all over the world have enriched our
community.
In the late fall of 1970, I became superior,
and eventually elected abbot. On Thanksgiving
weekend of that year, a fire completely destroyed the
greater part of our monastery. Only the church and
novitiate complex was spared. This began the long
process of rebuilding the Abbey that continues even
today in the Sacred Stones project.
By the time you receive the newsletter, we will
have completed construction of the foundation,
roof, and outer shell of the Chapter House; three
lovely windows featuring 800-year-old stones will
have been installed; and the facestones will have
been applied to the building’s outer shell. Without
the help of generous friends like you, this tremendous achievement would never have been possible.
Once we raise an additional $3 million, we’ll
undertake construction of the Chapter House
interior, atrium, entryway, walkways and parking
area. With your wonderful support, this next phase
will complete the Chapter House, making it ready
and open for use!
During this Jubilee Year of 2005, we are
truly building on our past as we build for the future.
I’m grateful to include you among the many caring
friends who will celebrate with us this year and help
make our plans for the future a reality.
Gesta Monastica, the newsletter of The Abbey of New Clairvaux,
is published twice yearly. For address correction, to obtain additional copies, or more
information on articles, please contact Sandy Goulart at (530) 839-2243.
Publisher - Abbot Thomas X. Davis, OCSO
Editor - Sandy Goulart
Design & Production - Alan Rellaford
A
s we complete the first building phase and gear up for the second, it’s a great time to think about
how you can get involved in this once-in-a-lifetime project in a lasting way. We are pleased to
announce that windows of the Chapter House entrance – in the Donor’s Gate area, San Jose
Chapel, Archival Library, and the Atrium – are available for sponsorship at gift levels from $10,000 to
$100,000. In addition, the two beautiful Oculus windows of the Chapter House, including the two
columns and arches, may each be sponsored for gifts of $100,000. Names will be listed prominently on
the Donor’s Gate – the entrance to the Cloister and Chapter House – rather than below each window.
The Chapter House complex also features many other opportunities to recognize your family or other
loved ones as a permanent tribute or memorial. You may consider naming the pillars of support, the
buildings, the entrance plaza, and others. Thanking you, our generous donors, is a special part of the
Sacred Stones campaign. For further information about these naming opportunities and more, please
contact Sandy Goulart at [email protected] or 530-839-2243.
East Elevation
Chapter House
Archival Library
D
E
D
A
F
West Elevation
F
F
Entrance
Chapter House
Future Church
Archival Library
Atrium
A
A
A
A
A
A
D
A
E
D
North Elevation
Chapter House
Atrium
Chapel
G
C B C
South Elevation
Donors Area
Archival Library
Atrium
Chapter House
Entrance
C B
D
C
D
D
D
G
D
Interior Elevations
Chapter House
Atrium
H
Style
Quantity
G
K
G
Dimensions
Donations
Description
4' x 10'6"
4' x 16'
4' x 12'
$10,000
$20,000
$15,000
Window and Stone Sash
Window and Stone Sash
Window and Stone Sash / One Reserved
Chapel/Entrance
A
B
C
12*
2
4
Archival Library
D
E
9
2
4' x 17'
4' x 19'
$25,000
$30,000
Window and Stone Sash
Window and Stone Sash
Chapter House
Oculus Windows
F
H
3
2
6' x 17'
5' Diameter
$10,000
$100,000
All Reserved
Window, Tympanum, and Column
Atrium
Oculus Windows
G
K
2
5
10' x 18'
3'6" x 5'6"
$50,000
$10,000
Triple Lancet
Horizontal, elliptical oculus
Note: The windows in the Chapter House complex will be in the Cistercian tradition of clear or alabaster glass.
* Four interior windows not shown
A plan view of the project is shown on page 7 of this issue of Gesta Monastica.
The Next Step –
Completing the Chapter House!
Entrance
As we celebrate the completion of our first building
phase, we look ahead with anticipation to the next
step – finishing the Chapter House! At the conclusion of this next phase, the building will be open
and ready for use.
Specifically, this phase will consist of completing
the building’s interior, as well as the atrium, parking
area, walkways, and entryway. The atrium is a critically important component of this phase because it
will provide necessary protection from the weather
for the priceless 800-year-old Sacred Stones. The
parking area, walkways, and entryway are essential
for the monks and the public, as the project sits on
our former walnut orchard that is difficult to transgress. In addition to general convenience and safety
for all of our guests and visitors, the walkways and
entryway will enable the building to be fully ADA
accessible. We’ll begin this phase once we’re raised
the needed funds – an additional $3 million.
During our Jubilee Year, we’ll focus on reaching
this fundraising goal, which will allow us to realize
this triumphant milestone. Because of you, we’ve
come so far. Your continued generous support can
help us fulfill our dream of re-opening the ancient
Chapter House of Sancta Maria de Ovila.
Chapel
Donor’s Area
Cloister
Archival Library
Portal
Atrium
W
S
Chapter House
N
E
A Word from the Stonemason
A
Eastern
Windows
We Are Beginning
continued from front page
By Frank Helmholz, Master mason and Stone sculptor
s I think about where we are today, several
vivid images come back to me. Foremost,
seeing the plans and renderings of the
Chapter House for the first time, meeting Father
Thomas with Patrick Cole, touching the old stones
and connecting across time and space to the history
of hundreds of years of monastic life, architecture
and culture.
And then, strong in my memory is placing the
first stone, a sill in one of the lancet windows of the
Chapter House, and having the same sense of awe
as working on an old cathedral, a church or castle
back in the old world - France or Germany. Many
came to visit the site that day, monks, and guests.
It was very encouraging to see how exciting it is for
everyone. It then became even clearer what a privilege it is to be part of this Chapter House project in
whatever way it may be.
Since that monumental event, we continued
placing stones, some historic from Spain and others
new replacements, all the way to the beginning of
the arch, called the Springer line. After checking all
the measurements one more time, came the moment
of placing the large arch pieces, each weighing about
3,500 lbs. It was quite a sight when we hoisted them
up high over the masonry to be gently lowered into
the final position.
When all the stones of the lancet windows were
installed, the block masons returned to complete
the core of the walls and buttresses. Now the final
shape is apparent, bringing with it the joy of seeing
these old forms of wall, buttress and windows.
While the block masons worked on the building, we cut the facing stones starting with lower
courses. We have four different course heights and
several different lengths in each course to create the
appearance of old style random ashlar masonry.
We also cut and fabricated the plinth pieces
with a 45 degree bevel, since it was decided in the
summer to add plinth at the base of the building in
keeping with old designs. This part is called a water
table.
We then proceeded to prepare the lower part of
the outer surface for the installation of the facing
stones. Great care has been taken to use the most
modern knowledge about the interactions of limestone, lime mortar and Portland cement. To prevent
corrosion damage on the anchoring system we use
only stainless steel dowels, pins and wire to attach
the stone to the core masonry.
We made good progress on the facing stone
installation. Upon completion of this phase, we
will see three sides of the Chapter House covered
in stone. And we cannot help but be impatient to
continue building the magnificent portals, columns,
capitals and vaults of the interior.
To protect the limestone from aggressive cement, the stonemasons
first apply a waterproofing membrane and then, to assure a proper
bond between concrete block wall and stone masonry, they add a
layer of set mortar with a notched trowel.
Hearing my difficulty communicating in Spanish,
the proprietress of the petrol station stepped to the
phone and championed permission for a personal
tour of the ruins of the Abbey. I only learned later
what a providential opportunity that was when the
Abbot of the nearby monastery of Huerta told me
he’d been trying to procure a tour of the ruins for the
monks to no avail!
Back home, I showed Abbot Thomas my photos, and he asked for my ideas for the Sacred Stones.
I was well prepared to respond with a conceptual
plan that captured the essence of the Cistercian tradition.
From my point of view, it is the spiritual ingredients of determination, devotion and faith which
has enabled mankind to do the impossible. I know
- we are doing it at the Abbey of New Clairvaux.
S I LV E R A N D G O L D E N J U B I L E E S
AT N E W C L A I RVA U X
As we prepare to celebrate our own jubilee
as a community, we are delighted to recognize and honor those for whom this year
marks individual jubilee anniversaries.
DOM BERNARD JOHNSON
Our abbot emeritus, Father Bernard celebrated 50
years of priesthood in October 2004.
Father Bernard was born in St. Louis, Missouri
in 1925. After serving in the navy during WWII he
arrived at Holy Spirit Monastery, Conyers, Georgia
in 1946 – in uniform – requesting to enter the choir
novitiate. In 1957 he was sent to Vina to teach
theology. Soon after returning to Conyers he was
sent to Rome where he
obtained a degree in
Canon Law. Once again
God called Father Bernard
back to Vina in 1967 to
assist the community and
a year later when the community held its second
abbatial election he was
elected abbot. He served
the community for nearly two years in those early
days of church and religious renewal.
In 1970 he resigned his abbatial service and
began working for the Order at the international
level at our generalate in Rome. Father Bernard’s
twenty fruitful years as a permanent councilor and
as Procurator General of the Order speak well of
his pastoral abilities. In 1990 as he prepared to
retire to Vina, the monks of the Abbey of the Holy
Spirit in Conyers elected him as their abbot and
so he entered into abbatial service for a second
time. In 2000 when at the age of 75 he offered his
resignation as abbot of Conyers he chose to return
to Vina.
Here Father Bernard shows no sign of
retiring. He cooks once a week, assists at the
guesthouse as porter and chaplain, and serves
not one, but two of our monasteries of sisters
in Arizona and Iowa as part-time chaplain, and
continues to serve the international Order by
sitting on a commission that provides economic
assistance to our Cistercian monasteries around
the world. Father Bernard’s generous, affable
manner endears him to monks and guests alike.
FATHER L AWRENCE GL ASER
Father Lawrence celebrates 50 years of solemn
profession in 2005.
Father Lawrence Allen hails from Cincinnati,
Ohio and entered the choir novitiate of the Abbey
of Gethsemani, in 1950. In 1953 he was sent
to Gethsemani’s fledgling foundation of Mepkin
Abbey in South Carolina founded four years
previously. There he completed his formation, made
his solemn profession, and was ordained a priest. In
1968 he left Mepkin Abbey and went to San Diego,
California. Early in 1970 he arrived in Vina and
changed his stability to our community in 1971.
Father Lawrence has served the community well as tailor for most of the years he has
been here, sewing habits, repairing worn clothes,
and making just about any thing else asked of
him – such is his ingenuity and artistic talent.
In the past he has worked part-time in our laundry
and helped in the kitchen by taking a weekly turn
as cook.
Although arthritis and a hip transplant have slowed
him down, his talents with a needle and thread continue to be very much appreciated by the brothers.
B ROT H E R C A S I M I R F U S I K
Brother Casimir celebrates 50 years of solemn
profession in 2005. He was the first lay brother to
make solemn profession here at Vina – doing so on
August 15, 1955.
Brother Casimir was born in Detroit, Michigan
in 1928 and entered the lay brother novitiate of the
Abbey of Gethsemani, in 1950. Sent on the Vina
foundation, he was part
of the first contingent of
26 monks that arrived
here on July 2, 1955.
A
dedicated
lay brother, Brother
Casimir has never been
afraid of hard work and
has labored diligently
on many of the most
labor-intensive jobs in the monastery:
construction, irrigation, pruning, farming, orchard
maintenance, mowing, and kitchen cleaning. An
expert brick and block layer prior to entering the
monastery, his skills have come in handy for most of
the monastery’s building projects over the years.
Despite open-heart surgery in 2000, Brother
Casimir continues to contribute generously to the
community as his health permits – in the kitchen,
on the lawns, and mowing for our Sisters of
Redwoods Monastery every summer.
Dedicated to the lay brothers’ spirituality, he is
faithful to the Paters and Aves of the lay brothers’
office and at times will be seen on his knees in the
orchards faithfully praying the office.
B ROT H E R PI E R R E L A P O I N T E
Brother Pierre celebrates 50 years of simple
profession in 2005.
Brother Pierre was born in Detroit, Michigan
in 1931 and entered the lay brother novitiate of
the Abbey of Gethsemani in 1952. Just weeks
after his first profession of vows he found himself on the train headed
for California. He was
part of the first group of
founders who arrived in
Vina on July 2, 1955 to
begin the foundation.
A monk of many
talents, Brother Pierre
has proven his versatility over the years by the
many work assignments and departments he has
been asked to head: bakery, kitchen, tailor shop,
orchards, garage mechanic, cantor assistant. These
are just a few of his past duties, and he fulfilled each
with a willingness and eagerness to learn on the
job.
After recovering from open-heart surgery
earlier this year Brother continues to be found either
in the garage or the orchards which he continues to
manage with a lot of hands-on expertise, whether
that be irrigating, pruning, or harvesting.
B ROT H E R J O S E PH G I L B E RT K N A P P
Brother Joe Gilbert celebrates 50 years of simple
profession in 2005.
Brother Joe was born in Kansas City, Kansas
in 1925 but soon moved with his family across the
river to the Missouri side which makes him a true
native of the “Show Me State.”
Brother volunteered
for the navy at the age
of 18 when our country was in the midst of
World War II. After
being discharged from
the service he took
advantage of the GI Bill
and studied accounting.
In 1952 he entered the
lay brother novitiate of
the Abbey of Gethsemani. He made his first profession with Brother Pierre and arrived with him and
26 others in Vina on July 2, 1955.
From the very first days Brother Joe’s fine
business talent and education made him very
useful in our accounting office – an assignment that
has lasted for fifty years. Today he continues
to help in the accounting office as needed, does
secretarial work, goes for the mail daily, and helps in the
kitchen and various other areas.
B ROT H E R G E R A R D A R S E N AU LT
Brother Gerard celebrates 25 years of solemn
profession in 2005.
Born in a French-Canadian family of Rumford,
Maine in 1929, Brother Gerard served in the army
during the Korean Conflict. Soon after his discharge
from the army he entered the Capuchin Franciscan
Order and was eventually assigned to the kitchen
where he cooked for nearly eight years. Leaving
the Capuchins he
worked for some years
in the restaurant business and in 1974 entered
the monastery here
at Vina. Soon after he
entered, his talents
for cooking and kitchen organization were
recognized and Brother
Gerard has been in the
kitchen almost his entire
time at the monastery.
Along with the kitchen he currently oversees our bakery and for several years operated our
cannery. Brother Gerard’s readiness to serve and
willingness to put in extra hours in the kitchen on
feast days and for other celebrations to make those
days special for the brothers is certainly appreciated.
While Brother Gerard excels in the culinary
arts we remember that he served the community
as assistant prune orchardist for one year, novice
director for two years, and for the last four years
acted as junior director.
OUR BEGINNING, OUR HISTORY
By Father Paul Mark Schwan
I
n the early 1950’s the Abbey of Gethsemani in
Kentucky was bursting at the seams, mainly
due to a huge influx of young men fresh out
of the armed forces. While Gethsemani had
established four foundations since 1944, more and
more postulants continued to arrive.
Anxious to found a fifth monastery, Dom
James Fox, Abbot, visited California in search of
a suitable site. Eventually, he purchased some 590
acres of Leland Stanford’s old Vina Ranch from
Mr. Bernard Flynn.
On July 2, 1955, the Feast of the Visitation of
the Blessed Virgin Mary, Dom James arrived with
a group of twenty-six monks from Gethsemani to
found the monastery of New Clairvaux. The name
was chosen to honor Saint Bernard, the founding
abbot of the Abbey of Clairvaux, France, on the
occasion of the eighth centenary of his death in
1153.
Father Anselm Steinke was named the first
Superior and continued to serve in that capacity
until 1959 when the monastery was elevated to
the rank of Abbey. Since then, three abbots have
succeeded Father Steinke – Dom Eusebius Wagner
(1959-1968); Dom Bernard Johnson (1968-1970);
and the current abbot, Dom Thomas Davis (1970present).
In the monastery’s early days, the main source
of income was dairy farming, supplemented by
a few orchards. The dairy herd was sold in 1963
and expansion of the prune and walnut orchards
began. In 2000, the community added a vineyard
in the hopes of beginning a wine industry. The first
commercial crush of these grapes took place in
2003 and the marketing of the wines will commence in 2005.
Many artifacts and buildings on the
property existed before the monastery. These
reveal the property’s long history – arrowheads and
grinding stones left by the first Native American
inhabitants; historical trees likely in existence in
1843 when Peter Lassen first obtained the Mexican
land grant of Rancho Bosquejo; the home and
winery of Henry Gerke built in the 1850’s; and the
winery and brandy barns built by Leland Stanford
in 1885, along with other buildings that housed
Stanford’s employees and their families. Hundreds
of Chinese laborers helped transform Stanford’s
ranch, eventually encompassing 55,000 acres, from
a howling wilderness into a burgeoning model farm
with the world’s largest vineyard.
The rambling multi-storied ranch house
that served as home for the foreman of Stanford’s
Great Vina Ranch (erroneously dubbed
the Stanford mansion, and which served
as the monks’ living quarters) was completely
destroyed by fire on November 28, 1970.
As a result, the community conducted an
extensive building program which included a dining room/kitchen complex, library, Chapter Room
and private rooms for the monks. All were designed
by Brother Bob Usher who also conceived and
participated in the construction of the park, the
front main gate and gate leading to the monastic
enclosure.
On July 2, 1955, the Feast
of the Visitation of
the Blessed Virgin Mary,
Dom James arrived with
a group of twenty-six
monks from Gethsemani
to found the monastery
of New Clairvaux.
Hospitality has always been a characteristic
of our life based on the Rule of Saint Benedict
who reminds his monks to welcome all guests as
Christ. It is therefore not surprising that in the
early 1980’s, attention was turned to the facilities
that house our guests. The result was yet another
ambitious building program that included the
construction of a guest chapel, Welcoming Center,
library and two guesthouses that allow us to accommodate the three thousand guests who come to the
monastery for private retreat and prayer each year.
The two major projects now before us are the
new Abbey church and the reconstruction of the
ancient Ovila Chapter House. Built in 1960, the
present church was intended to meet our needs for
less than ten years. While it has served us well, it
is long overdue for replacement by a permanent
church appropriate for our prayer life and for God’s
glory.
The Chapter House was originally built
in Spain between 1190 and 1220. It was
purchased, dismantled and brought to San
Francisco by William Randolph Hearst in 1931.
Originally planned as the centerpiece of a new
building project that was to surpass that of San
Simeon, the stones remained scattered about
Golden Gate Park until the Fine Arts Museums of
San Francisco awarded them to the Abbey in 1994.
While over the years many stones were subject to
abuse and used for park construction projects, we
managed to secure most of the stones and had them
transported to the monastery.
As important as all the building and renovations are to the monastery, they comprise its structure, not its heart. The heart of the monastery is
the community of monks, our prayer life, and our
guests who join us in prayer each day. Presently
there are twenty-five monks in residence here at the
Abbey. Twenty-two monks, including two simple
professed, three novices, and four postulants, are
permanent members of the community. The other
three will be returning to their respective monasteries upon completion of studies or special projects.
Each year an average of eighty-five men request
information and of those usually two will discern
that God is truly inviting them to realize the
Gospel as Trappist-Cistercian monks.
There have been many changes and much
growth over the past fifty years. As we begin the new
millennium, we do so with thanksgiving for all
the blessings God has bestowed upon our community in the past and look to the future with great
confidence that God will continue to bless the
community and all our friends who come each year
to pray with us. Deo gratias!
The Crest of The Abbey of New Clairvaux
MILESTONES IN OUR HISTORY
1955
1959
1960
1963
1968
1970
26 monks arrive on July 2
to officially begin the
foundation of the new
“Clairvaux” monastery.
New Clairvaux is raised to
the rank of Abbey and the
first abbot, Dom Eusebius
Wagner, is elected.
Construction of the
temporary monastery church
begins. (At the time, the
church was expected to be
used for less than ten years
but now has been in use for
44!)
The prize-winning
Holstein dairy herd is
sold and the monks begin
to concentrate on prune and
walnut orchards for self-support.
Dom Bernard Johnson is
elected second abbot of
New Clairvaux.
THE FIRE! Fire destroys the
old Stanford Mansion – the
nucleus of the
monastery. Only the church
and novitiate building remain.
New Clairvaux accepts the
paternity of the monastery of
refugee monks in Hong Kong,
Our Lady of Joy.
Dom Thomas X. Davis is
appointed temporary superior
for two years.
FIFT Y
YEARS
AT
1972
1976
1978
1984
1994
1996
Dom Thomas X. Davis is
elected third abbot of New
Clairvaux for a six-year
term. At this same time
construction begins on new
monastery buildings.
The new monastery
buildings are dedicated.
Dom Thomas is re-elected as
abbot for an indefinite term.
He has continued to serve
the monastic community as
superior for thirty-four years.
New Clairvaux begins a
new foundation in Taiwan by
sending Brother Regis King
to help found the new monastery in collaboration with
our daughterhouse, Our Lady
of Joy, Hong Kong. A total of
six brothers eventually assist
at the foundation.
The monks vote to receive
the Chapter House stones of
Sancta Maria de Ovila from
the City of San Francisco.
The Chapter House stones
arrive.
Construction begins on the
monastery’s new guest
house facilities, which are
dedicated later in the year.
NEW
CL AIRVAUX
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Wine grapes are planted,
recalling the history of the
Stanford Winery and the
ancient Cistercian enterprise
of quality wines.
New Clairvaux accepts the
paternity of the newlyfounded monastery of
Trappistine nuns in
Juigalpa, Nicaragua,
Saint Mary of Peace.
The first harvest of wine
grapes on the Vina property
since the close of the
Stanford Winery in 1917.
The ground blessing inaugurates the re-construction of
the historic 12th century
Spanish chapter house of
Sancta Maria de Ovila.
Preparations begin for the
50th jubilee of the founding
of New Clairvaux.
The Abbey of New Clairvaux
commemorates its Jubilee
Year. Join us on Saturday,
August 6 from 1-4pm for
tours of the monastery
and refreshments with the
monks.