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Mount Melleray Abbey, the monastic community of Cistercian monks in Cappoquin, County Waterford, is set to close early next year. It is understood that the remaining monks will be transferred to Mount St. Joseph’s Cisterian Abbey in Roscrea.
Founded in 1892, it has been home to the Cisterian community since then, and had also been a boarding school – Cisterian College – for many years. Following the closure of the school, the monastery was also used as a scout facility for over 40 years.
Online, the news has already been met with sadness, with people taking to social media to decry the news as a “pity” and “a sign of the times.”
Confirming the closure of the much loved order in a statement to WLR News, the Cisterian order today said that the decision had been taken “regretfully” but was “in accordance with the restrictions of our present resources”.
Superior ad nutum, at the Abbey of Our Lady of Silence, Dom Rufus Pound ocso, said:
“After much reflection and soul searching we as an Order have had to make some very difficult decisions with the aim of ensuring a future for Cistercian life in Ireland. 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.”
The Cisterians have a presence at six locations across Ireland – Mount Melleray (Co Waterford), Mellifont (Co Louth), Mount St Joseph, (Roscrea, Co Tipperary), Bolton Abbey (Co Kildare) Portglenone Abbey (Co Antrim), and the Sisters at St Mary’s Abbey, Glencairn (Co Waterford).
It is understood that from 26 January 2025, three of their communities – 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. The new community has been named ‘The Abbey of Our Lady of Silence’, and its residency at Roscrea, is described as “an interim measure,” the Waterford news outlet reports.
The Cisterian communities at Moone (Co Kildare) and at Portglenone (Co Antrim) will not be impacted by this decision and will continue as autonomous communities.
The new community of Our Lady of Silence, at present has 26 members, three of whom are novices – and in a statement, the Cisterian Order said that “already interest has been expressed from others wishing to join us”.
“We are optimistic that this now has the potential to become a vibrant community wherever we finally decide that it will be located,” the statement reads.
“We will now take time to consider how this new community will develop and where it will ultimately reside on a permanent basis. In the context of our decision we must rationalise our use of the three properties formerly associated with the three pre-existing communities, in line with our present day needs and resources.
“No final decisions have been taken at this stage regarding any of the properties which may be vacated in the near future, however as decisions are made further announcements will be forthcoming. Cistercian College, Roscrea continues to go from strength to strength and will not be impacted in any way by decisions in the future.”
TD Mattie McGrath this week expressed sadness that the “beautiful” Catholic monastery was to close, adding that he has connected the Bishop of Waterford, Bishop Alphonsus Culinan, along with the Cisterian Community, to discuss the matter.
“It is with a huge tinge of sadness that I am here,” Deputy McGrath said in a video taken at the abbey. “I’ve had calls from all over the country from people after the suggested or proposed closure. The monks have been here in Mount Melleray since 1832 when they first started building the church here.
“So many people have been helped or assisted, and even in troubled times, there was a safe house here for fighters in the war of independence. And indeed, many many people have been healed here and gotten solace here. Not to mention, the thousands that were educated here at Cisterian College. I myself cycled here to do the entrance exam, but they didn’t have any intake of students in that year, back in the early seventies,” he said.
“I’ve contacted the people in charge. I’ve spoken with Bishop Alphonsus Culinan. We’re hoping that this news may not be true, we’re hoping and praying that people will be able to keep the Cisterian presence here. Thousands come from all over the country here for confessions at Easter and Christmas time, including myself, and there are many people buried here, from three different provinces in fact. So hopefully with prayerful support we will be able to maintain the Cisterian presence here,” the TD said earlier this week.
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