Our Lady of the Mississippi Abbey

Abbey of Our Lady of the Mississippi

Archdiocese of Dubuque
Abbot	Mother Rebecca Stramoski, O.C.S.O., Abbess
Site
Location	Dubuque, Iowa United States of America
Coordinates	42°24′58″N 90°35′42″W / 42.416°N 90.595°W / 42.416; -90.595

The Abbey of Our Lady of the Mississippi is located near

.

History

In 1960, the Trappistine nuns of

of that era. They therefore decided it was time to make a new foundation.

The original site was to be in Argentina, where there was already a new monastery founded by the monks of the Trappist abbey near to Wrentham. That site did not work out, however, so the abbess, Mother Angela, O.C.S.O., asked the Trappists abbots of the United States for possible sites. The abbot of New Melleray Abbey offered to assume responsibility for such a foundation.

After a period of searching for a suitable location, and the generous donation of a benefactor, in July 1964 the "Hickory Hill" estate, south of Dubuque, became available and was recommended as a suitable site. The abbey was founded in 1964 when the first thirteen nuns left in to settle on the present site of the abbey, under the leadership of Mother Columba Guare, O.C.S.O. The nuns began making candy soon after, as a source of income, but they also attempted to support the monastery through farming, growing Christmas trees, and raising livestock.^[1]

The monastery was declared an autonomous community and raised to the status of

Mother Rebecca Stramoski was elected abbess in 2012 and was re-elected in 2018 for a second six year term.

Today

Currently the abbey is home to about 20 nuns, who, as required by the

. Visitors are welcome to make a retreat and stay in any of several guesthouses on the property but these are often booked months in advance.

The nuns have a daily routine that involves spending a large part of their day in prayer, work, and contemplation. Each day begins with the Office of Vigil at 3:45 a.m.. Compline, the last prayer of the Liturgy of the Hours, is at 7:15 p.m. The Abbey is well known for candy,

Creamy Caramels. From September through December the Sisters make over a ton of caramels each week and ship them worldwide. The nuns operate an onsite gift shop stocked with candy from their factory as well as various religious gifts.

Expansion

In 1999, the nuns of the abbey decided to begin a daughter foundation,

.

References

External links

• Our Lady of the Mississippi Website
• Trappistine Creamy Caramels

Gallery

• 
  A young guest helps out in the abbey garden
• 
  Candy made by the nuns at the abbey
• 
  Resting area on the abbey lawn
• 
  The nuns generate their own income from their candy making, a farm and retreat house.
• 
  The candy warehouse at the abbey
• 
  A guest helps out in the candy warehouse at the abbey.
• 
  The abbey operates a farm, this is a picture of some of the livestock.
• 
  Side view of the altar and one of the nuns at the Abbey of Our Lady of the Mississippi.