New Melleray Abbey: A Unique Iowa Retreat with Monks

Oftentimes, our everyday lives become more stressful than we would like. Busy schedules, coupled with family obligations can quickly create a less than desirable environment. Fortunately, Iowa offers a surprising way to escape - a Catholic monastery located just outside of Dubuque.

The Guest House offers small rooms with one bathroom each, and guests are invited to stay for a time of silence and reflection. The rooms are not unlike dorm rooms, but they have a certain calm that is hard to find in these modern times. Everything is very well-kept; the monks who also reside there work day in and day out as a way of keeping grounded. Each guest is offered three meals a day, and the meals are surprisingly normal. The monks do not eat meat during any of their meals, but guests are offered a separate meal that is more desirable to the typical American diet.

What makes New Melleray different is the atmosphere; it's a building that will easily take your breath away, and the grounds are no different. The walls are made of bricked limestone which came from a quarry owned by the monks, and in the 1970's it was remodeled, which later won it an American Institute of Architects award. The monks themselves are unsurprisingly quiet, and guests are encouraged to keep that level of mindfulness. It's easy to see that this could be a place of reflection - all one has to do is see it for themselves.

In order to do so, however, you must contact the Guestmaster of the Abbey. He is one of the monks who resides there and would be happy to accommodate any and all guests, though they do recommend plans be made well in advance. If, however, you'd like to plan a trip in the near future, weekdays are usually available. A donation of $40-$50 is appreciated by the community, but not expected if funds are limited or unavailable; there is no set check-out.

It's important to keep in mind that New Melleray is a spiritual place, but it does not have to be that for everyone. You may speak with the monks only if you want to, and if you would rather go for a walk, the grounds can more than accommodate that. Mostly, it is a place that requires a certain amount of consideration for the work that is done there, and perhaps more importantly, for the work that isn't done there.