Glenstal Abbey

04/08/2026

This week the monastic community will begin its annual retreat under the direction of Father Michael Peterson OSB of Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, USA.

Please note the following changes to liturgy times:

Tuesday 4th until Saturday 8th August: Matins and Lauds at 7am.
Monday 3rd and Thursday 6th August: no public celebration of Compline.
The normal liturgical timetable resumes on Sunday 9th August.

Monastery Reception and Shop: Monday 27th July to Saturday 8th August open from 10am until 4pm. Normal opening hours will resume on Monday 10th August.

Guesthouse: Closed until Monday 10th August.

20/07/2026

Today, Pope Leo visited the grave of Our Holy Father St. Benedict and prayed for peace in our world and had lunch with the community of Monte Cassino.

Pope Leo XIV visits the Abbey of Montecassino and its monastic community and prays at the tomb of St. Benedict “entrusting to him his plea for peace ...

15/07/2026

With hearts full of gratitude and grief, we announce the funeral arrangements for our dear brother Cillian Ó Sé OSB.

Reposing: Friday 17th July, 3.30pm – 5.00pm, at the Monastery, followed by removal to the Abbey Church.

Funeral Mass: Saturday 18th July, 11.30am, at the Abbey Church, followed by burial in the Abbey Cemetery.

https://glenstal.com/brother-cillian-kevin-o-se-3rd-july-1940-14th-july-2026/

15/07/2026

It is with sadness that we inform you of the death of our confrere Br Cillian Ó Sé, RIP. Cillian, aged 86 on 3rd July, died peacefully in St Paul's Nursing Home Dooradoyle last night at 10.45. He would have celebrated 40 years of monastic profession this coming Aug 15th. We remember his brother Aidan in Cork along with his nephews and nieces. We pray for him and for each other, who knew, worked and enjoyed his company ó fhás go haois, is ó aois go bás. I bParthas na ngrás go rabhaimid.
Details of his funeral will follow.

11/07/2026

“Incline the ear of your heart.” Today we give thanks for our Holy Father Benedict still shaping our life 1,500 years on.

Sancte Benedicte, ora pro nobis. 🙏

12/06/2026

❤️‍🔥 Happy Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus!

Today we celebrate the infinite love of Jesus.

In Glenstal this feast is a quiet joy. We carry you all in our prayer, trusting that His Heart holds every name and every need.

Sacred Heart of Jesus we place all our trust in you.

10/06/2026

Pope Leo emphasized how the monks' witness is particularly precious in this particular historical period, for the Church and for the world, thanking them “for the gift of silence, in a world full of noise, activity, and distraction.

After praying the Rosary and pronouncing an address in the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat, Pope Leo spends some time with the Benedictine monks that ...

06/05/2026

Wishing you all a peaceful evening

05/05/2026

We warmly invite you to our upcoming Summer retreat, previously known as the Ladies and Men’s retreat. This year, we will gather for two one day retreats on the 24th and 25th of June.

22/04/2026

This Earth Day, we pause in the spirit of Rule of St Benedict, which teaches us to “regard all utensils and goods of the monastery as sacred vessels of the altar.”

The earth itself is one such vessel — entrusted to us not for careless use, but for reverent care.

In the Benedictine tradition, stability roots us in a particular place, teaching us to love the land beneath our feet. Simplicity frees us from excess, and humility reminds us that we are stewards, not owners.

Today, and every day, may we:
🌱 cultivate gratitude for creation
🌿 practice restraint and mindful consumption
🌍 honour the sacredness of all life

“Listen carefully… with the ear of your heart.”
What is creation asking of us today?