We recently completed a pleasant five day visit from the Abbot-General of our Order, Dom Bernardus Peeters. He's the former abbot of Tilburg abbey in Holland and he's travelling with his secretary Fr. Raphael who is from Citeaux Abbey in France. Dom Bernardus shared a few stories of how things have been going in Tilburg. [...]
Recently we celebrated the ‘change of stability’ to Kopua of three Brothers - Aelred, Anselm, and Gregory - originally from the Cistercian Monastery of Our Lady of the Philippines, Guimaras Island. Change of stability sounds like a contradiction! Cistercian monks make a vow of stability, committing to a place and community for life. In rare [...]
With a recurring historical theme of Cistercians caring for their environment, the Kopua Cistercian Associate community, having just celebrated the 20th year of their formation, are supporting the monastic community to restore a wetland on its grounds. Father Nicho’s response to the idea when it was first presented in 2021 was: “Last night at [...]
Matariki Weekend June 2022 On the Friday of the first public holiday acknowledging Matariki over 40 volunteers gathered to begin planting 1000 native trees around the Kopua Wetland. We began with a Matariki Waiata sung by Hinekawa Munday. This waiata featured all nine stars in the cluster. After introductions we moved to the planting [...]
Pope encourages Trappists to pursue quest inspired by Jesus’ “dreams" Addressing participants in the General Chapter of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance Pope Francis encourages them to pursue four “dreams” in order to edify and improve oneself and one’s community. By Linda Bordoni from www.vaticannews.va Pope Francis on Friday had words of [...]
Br .Jonathan the Annunciation of the Lord is a most appropriate feastday for your taking the next step on your monastic journey. Its liturgy tells us, that God for his universal plan of our salvation, wanted to depend on the B.V.M. who at 1st was disturbed & scared of the idea, but then wholeheartedly [...]
Jonathan grew up in Marton and went to Palmerston North Boys’ High School, before university, work and time overseas. He describes his formation journey. My novitiate with the Cistercians has drawn to a close. As I look back on the two years’ programme – one year at our own monastery and one year near Melbourne [...]
Former guesthouse manager, Sybil Gibson, talks about monastic hospitality at Kopua Monastery: The Cistercian Companions of Kopua are blessed to serve God as part of the ministry of hospitality offered to Guests on retreat at Kopua. There are four Companions at the moment Jim, Sybil, Ian and Maria, and we try to live out [...]
Janelle Visser, from Canada, visited us and wrote a brief article about her stay. Janelle is an adventure tourism guide.Last Thursday I put my phone on airplane mode and set my life on monastery mode. Road to Kopua monastery I spent four nights – three full days – at a Benedictine monastery situated on a [...]
