Our Lady of the Southern Star Abbey (Kopua) is the only Cistercian monastery in New Zealand. Kopua was founded by Mount Melleray Abbey, Ireland in 1954. The monks of Kopua belong to the worldwide Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance (OCSO), popularly known as the “Trappists”.
At the heart of the monastic life is the search for God. We seek God and follow Christ in a life of prayer and community, solitude and simplicity, work and hospitality.
We follow the Rule of St Benedict, an ancient source of monastic wisdom that continues to guide many people in search of an authentic spiritual path in today’s world.
Our Place
The Abbey is situated in a beautiful, relatively remote, rural area of New Zealand on a dairy farm between Dannevirke and Waipukurau, Central Hawke’s Bay.
Visitors
Visitors are always welcome at the Monastery. Guests are invited to share in the monastic services and to enjoy the peace of this sacred place. Those who may wish to have a deeper experience of the life are able to stay in the monastery guesthouse. Prior booking is essential. Due to a high level of interest we are fully booked for 2023. Our bookings for 2024 will open in the latter half of this year.
Mass Times
Sunday: Community Mass at 10.00am
Weekdays: Community Mass at 8.00am
Pope encourages Trappists
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 [...]
Fr. Nicho’s Exhortation
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 [...]