Friends and Benefactors of St. Mary's Abbey joined the monks (on the new patio!) for the Blessing and Dedication of the newly renovated West Wing of the 1966 monastery on Sunday, April 22nd, 2018.
Abbot Richard Cronin, O.S.B., presided over the short ceremony before inviting all in attendance to take a tour of the new facilities and join the monks for lunch in the refectory.
The renovations, which began in December, were completed in order to:
1) Bring electrical, heating, plumbing, and life safety systems up to current codes and best practices standards for energy efficiency.
2) Consolidate the number of rooms in the Novitiate and West Wing of the 1966 monastery. This consolidation provides assisted living accommodations—like wheelchair accessibility, secure entrances, larger living spaces, individual bathrooms, and wider doorways and handrails—to elderly monks while also acting as an investment for future vocations.
The monks wish to extend their deepest gratitude to all who were involved in the planning and building of this project, especially our Benefactors, who made this possible!
Please see below for more photos!