St.

Joseph's Abbey,
Massachusetts
St. Joseph's St. Joseph's Abbey
Abbey is a
Trappist
monastery in
Spencer,
Massachusetts.
It is known for
as a center of
prayer and
monastic work. St. Joseph's Abbey
Jams and beer
Monastery information
produced by
Order Trappists
the monks are
particularly Established 1950
popular. The People
monastery is Important William Meninger
also known as associated Basil Pennington
one of the figures Thomas Keating
origins of the Site
centering Spencer, Massachusetts,
prayer Location
U.S.
movement in Public access Yes
the 1970s.
Certain parts of Other Produces and markets
the abbey are information Trappist Preserves, Spencer
Ale.
generally open
to the public.[1]

Contents
1 History
2 Goods produced
2.1 Trappist Preserves
2.2 Spencer Brewery
2.3 The Holy Rood Guild
3 References
4 Further reading
5 External links

History
St. Joseph’s Abbey was founded in 1950 on the former site
of Alta Crest Farms, under the leadership of Dom Edmund
Futterer. The monks moved there from their previous
location in Cumberland, Rhode Island, which was heavily
damaged by a 1950 fire.[2]

Father Thomas Keating was elected abbot of the abbey in

1961. Keating, a leader in the contemplative prayer
movement, retired in 1981.[3] Keating, William Meninger, and
Basil Pennington held retreats at the abbey to teach this
method of prayer.[4]

After the short term of Dom Pascal Skutecky, Dom

Augustine Roberts became the fourth Abbot in June 1984
and served two six-year terms.[5] The current Abbot, Damian
Carr, was elected in June 1996.

Goods produced
Trappist Preserves

Trappist Preserves is a brand of fruit preserves produced

and sold by the abbey. In 1954, shortly after their arrival in
Spencer, a small, stove-top batch of mint jelly was made by
Brother John Berchmans, one of the monks, with mint from
their herb garden.[6] Since monastic austerity at that time
precluded the jelly from being served to the monks at meals,
it was sold at the porters' lodge. The response to the jelly
encouraged the monks to try making and selling other
varieties. Soon, jelly-making proved to be a successful and
compatible monastic industry, contributing about half of the
income needed to run the abbey.[6] The jams and jellies
made by the monks are sold in supermarkets in the United
States, particularly in the New England region.[2] In 2005,
the monks produced 1.7 million jars of preserves in 26
flavors, turning one and a half tons of fruit into preserves
daily.[6]
Spencer Brewery

Spencer Brewery is the name of the brewery run by the

abbey that produces Trappist beer. In 2010, St. Joseph's
Abbey explored possibility of brewing beer like other
Trappist monasteries, and sent several fact finding missions
— first to the Belgian Beer Fest in Boston, then to several
Trappist breweries in Europe.[7] The Trappist breweries
made three recommendations for the new enterprise: hire a
skilled brewing engineer; build a modern, state of the art
facility; and only brew a single beer for the first five years.
Over twenty test batches were developed before settling on
the final beer's recipe. The first beer produced was a blonde
ale at 6.5% alcohol by volume which was called Spencer
Trappist Ale. As of 2016, it was the first and only certified
Trappist beer brewed in the United States.[8]

The brewery occupies 36,000 square feet and has a

capacity of 50 barrels. It held its first open house on August
6, 2016 to 2,500 visitors.[8] Response from subsequent open
houses was strong, and as of 2018 the brewery was
exploring constructing a taproom that would be open year-
round.[9]

The Holy Rood Guild

The monks at the abbey also make liturgical vestments

under the brand of The Holy Rood Guild.[10]
References
1. Ellery, J. P. (2009-04-02). "Tranquility, beauty of abbey
offer respite from life's rigors". Telegram and Gazette.
Worcester, MA. p. 3.
2. ^ a b Byrne, Kerry J. (2007-07-11). "Fast food". Boston
Herald. Boston. p. 30.
3. Fox, Thomas C. (2007-12-14). "Keating moved the
movement". National Catholic Reporter (44.7): 19.
4. Berger, Rose Marie (December 2006). "Be Still & Know:
Thomas Keating talks about how the ancient church
tradition of contemplation can transform Christians
today". Sojourners Magazine. 35 (11): 34.
5. Roberts' autobiography is entitled Finding The
Treasure: Letters From A Global Monk.
6. ^ a b c Giuca, Linda (2005-12-21). "A Vow of Quality:
Massachusetts monks use best ingredients in well-
known Trappist Preserves". Bangor Daily News. Bangor,
ME. p. C1. Retrieved 2011-03-13.
7. "Monks near Boston will start selling the first Trappist
beer brewed outside of Europe". New York Daily News.
16 January 2014. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
8. ^ a b Wilking, Alex (2016-08-01). "Spencer Brewery to
Open to the Public for One Day Only". Boston.
Retrieved 2018-08-15.
9. Bartlett, Jessica (2018-08-14). "Spencer Brewery
monks contemplate a tasting room". Boston Business
 Journal. Retrieved 2018-08-15.
10. Russell, Gerard F. (2008-12-23). "Nonprofits to receive
grants for power study; Abbey, health facility consider
wind turbines". Telegram and Gazette. Worcester, MA.
p. B1.

Further reading
Simon, Raphael (2004). Hammer and Fire: way to
contemplative happiness and mental health in
accordance with the Judeo-Christian tradition.
Bethesda, MD: Zaccheus Press. ISBN 978-0-9725981-
2-5. OCLC 225916393.

External links
Website for St. Joseph's Abbey
Website for Spencer Trappist beers
Website for Trappist Preserves

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Trappist beer
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Engelszell
La Trappe
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 Rochefort
Spencer
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Westmalle
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Coordinates: 42°17′51.59″N 72°0′52.11″W