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New Norcia is located 132km north of Perth in Western Australia. The township was originally established in 1946 by Bishop Rosendo Salvado with another Spanish Benedictine monk, Dom Joseph Serra. The Benedictine order dates back to around 500 AD when St Benedict wrote a rule for monks living in his area and those that follow the rule became known as Benedictines. Over the years the interpretation has changed and other monastic orders have developed, most notably the Cistercians who emphasise poverty, separation from wordly affairs and other changes. The Benedictines, famous for their missionary work, were mostly responsible for spread of Christianity throughout Europe, and then the monks started to look further afield. Salvado's vision was to establish a self-sufficient community based around agriculture for the local aboriginal population, and to bring to the community Christianity. After the decimation of the indigenous people by introduced diseases in the 1860's the focus changed to general education. This education continued until the closure of the New Norcia Catholic College in 1991. Salvado led a monastic community which, at its peak, numbered some 80 men mostly of Spanish descent. His frequent fundraising trips to Europe provided him with the means to acquire land, to construct buildings and to purchase books, vestments, art works and ritual objects as well as stock and equipment. He became a prominent figure in Western Australia and an international figure in the Benedictine world. He died at the age of 86 whilst in Rome and his body was returned to New Norcia for interment in the Abbey Church. Following his death New Norcia changed from a bush mission to a more European monastic settlement - devoting more time to prayer, art and intellectual pursuits. Dom Anselm Catalan, who lead New Norcia from 1916-1950, added to the fabric of the town with the building of the Hostel - now the Hotel - and greatly encouraged the work of Dom Stephen Moreno, New Norcia's talented composer of religious music. From the 1950's through to the '90's the monastery underwent great change. The main thrust of the change was to encourage more Australians to join. The reforms of the second Vatican Council in the late 1960's made things easier in terms of both monastic life and worship. However the number of monks continues to decline. Since the early 1980's, hospitality at New Norcia has flourished and diversified. The Museum and Art Gallery annually attract thousands of visitors and also offer guided tours of the town each day. In addition to the Hotel, the Monastery Guesthouse provides accommodation for those seeking an experience of quiet and refreshment. The former college buildings are now used for school camps and adult workshops and conventions. In 1996 the monks established an Education Centre to further interpret the site for visiting students. New Norcia's traditional crafts of self-sufficiency, bread making and olive oil production have also been revived. View some of the favourite quotations of the New Norcia Benedictine Monastery that have been customised for distribution by the Tree of Knowledge. For further information visit: New Norcia Benedictine Monastery website - Australia's Only Monastic Town. |
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