Trappist Monastery (Abbey of Normandy): Their Journey in Guimaras

Abstract

 Cistercian monasticism is a form of Benedictine monastic life based on the Rule of St. Benedict as interpreted by the twelfth-century monks in Citeaux, France. The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance is a Roman Catholic contemplative religious order and takes the name of "Trappist” from La Trappe Abbey or “La Grande Trappe” in Normandy, France, where it began as a reform movement in 1664. The Our Lady of the Philippines Trappist Abbey was founded by the United States Region in 1972 and is the only men's monastery in the country located on the small island of Guimaras, separated from Panay and Negros islands. A 75-hectare land was donated formerly owned by the then Senator and Ambassador to the USA, Don Oscar Ledesma through the Archbishop of Jaro, Iloilo, Jaime Cardinal Sin for the establishment of a monastery to the six foreign monks from different monasteries and a Filipino monk, Bro. Pedro Lazo. In the 1980's the first Abbot was Father Joseph Chu-Cong, a Vietnamese monk from the St. Joseph Abbey. Three priests and 23 monks composed the Trappist monastery at present. The Trappist monks divided their contemplative life into religious and work-life practices between prayer and work “Ora et labora”. Prayer focuses on the Divine Office, Lectio Divina and various other forms of meditative and contemplative prayers. Productive work assignments are scheduled and mostly done manually. The burial tradition is a one day wake and inclusion in seven times prayer a day, in white cowl cloth, and covered with a white blanket then placed on a hand-made bamboo or wood on the top, and wrapped in the quilt's embrace before lowering into the grave. The contribution of the Trappist monastery to community development included accommodation of guests to spend for prayer, meditation, and retreats, livelihood, and employment generation involving agriculture, vegetable production, mango orchard, food manufacturing, and others.