Letting Go - New Norcia Benedictine Community (2024)

New Norcia Benedictine Community

Visit New Norcia

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People visit New Norcia for many reasons; for spiritual retreat, to join a tour and see inside the magnificent buildings or sometimes just to walk around the town and enjoy the peace and beautiful scenery.

In this section you will find all the information you need for your visit to New Norcia. Details of places to eat and places to stay, details of the town tours and information about some of our favourite things to do in Australia’s only monastic town.

We recommend your first port of call is the Museum & Art Gallery to speak to one of the staff about the attractions and experiences New Norcia has to offer. The Museum & Art Gallery is also a Visitor Information Centre and is the point from which town tours leave.

Stay at New Norcia

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There are so many different options for accommodation at New Norcia.

The Guesthouse is perfect for a quiet, retreat like experience - a world away from the rigours of modern life. You can join a Benedictine retreat here or be housed in the Hermitage for a silent retreat. Groups can be accommodated in the Old Convent or the historic boarding school colleges. Smaller groups are also able to book the Hostel, with its comfortable rooms, neo-classical architecture, scenic deck and heritage veranda, as well as St Ildephonsus' Cottage.

Please click on the areas on the right for more information.

Eat & Drink

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Hospitality is a tenet of the Rule of St Benedict, the Rule by which the monks of New Norcia live, so wherever you choose to eat in town, our aim is for you to experience warm monastic hospitality.

Education & Research

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From the earliest days of its foundation New Norcia has been focussed on education. The first Abbot, of New Norcia (Rosendo Salvado) established the Aboriginal girls and boys schools and the second Abbot of New Norcia, Fulgentius Torres built and opened the European girls and boys schools, which closed in 1991.

Since the closing of the schools, New Norcia's school buildings and grounds have been utilised by groups undertaking education programmes.

However, New Norcia also has a tradition of research and academia, with its impressive archival records and library collection, and scholars and researchers alike have delighted over the years in the information available in the town's records.

This section also provides information on the archives and library and provides link to forms which will give you access to the records of New Norcia.

Protecting a Unique Heritage

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New Norcia is Australia’s only monastic town and has a unique heritage. Founded in 1847 by Spanish Benedictine Monks, the town has had many purposes; a mission, a monastery, a provider of education and now as a place of spiritual retreat.

Delve into the town's unique history, discover the ongoing and completed work necessary for the upkeep and restoration of this special part of Australia.

But it is not only the majestic buildings set amongst the Australian bush that sets New Norcia apart; its history is also encapsulated in the archival records of New Norcia and in the library and museum collections.

In this section we also have information about how you can donate to New Norcia to help the Community restore and maintain this treasure.

What's Happening at New Norcia

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We hold a diverse array of events throughout the year at New Norcia.

Each year we host a full programme of events including a spiritual retreat programme presented by the Institute for Benedictine Studies, dinners at the New Norcia Hostel and a few other surprises!

Watch this space for all the updated information about "What's on at New Norcia".

News

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Weekend Retreat

Letting Go

Date:Friday, 28th June 2024 to Sunday, 30th June 2024
Price:$360.00
Tickets:

Visit the web shop to purchase tickets.

(SR. LILIAN BONG, SJA)

As we journey through life, we are in a continual process of ‘letting go’, in many different ways. This letting go can be the result of the loss of loved ones, of the process of aging, of relationship changes, and families growing up, etc. On the other hand, there can be things in our hearts—anger, regret, grief, attachment and pain—of which we would like to let go, but find it difficult to do so. Yet, in learning to let go, we can embrace God’s plan for us more deeply, and thus come to live with greater fullness and freedom. This weekend retreat will provide companionship and guidance in this process.

The cost includes two nights' accommodation at the Monastery Guesthouse, meals and entry into the Museum and Art Gallery.

PLEASE NOTE: online bookings for this close on Monday 24th March.
For bookings after this date please call the New Norcia Guesthouse on (08) 9654 8002 to ensure accommodation is still available.

CANCELLATION POLICY:
- Ticket cancelled 7 days prior to the event = full refund
- Ticket cancelled within 7 days of the event = 50% refund

BOOKING TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
The customer shall comply with all Government (Federal and State) requirements for entry into Western Australia or to access the New Norcia premises, event or service. Where the customer does not so comply, and cancels or is unable to access the New Norcia premises, event or service, the customer shall forfeit any and all monies paid.

For more information:

For all other queries please contact Fr. Robert Nixon, osb, at institute@newnorcia.com.au

Back to Events

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    Letting Go - New Norcia Benedictine Community (2024)

    FAQs

    Are there still monks at New Norcia? ›

    160 years later New Norcia is still home to Benedictine monks and the monastery is one of the 28 heritage buildings listed on the National Estate. But it's not just the monks' dedication to peace that makes New Norcia so special.

    What is the New Norcia Benedictine history? ›

    Founded in 1847 by Spanish Benedictine Monks, the town has had many purposes; a mission, a monastery, a provider of education and now as a place of spiritual retreat. The Monastery, where the monks live, work and pray, is at the heart of New Norcia.

    What is the New Norcia Institute of Benedictine Studies? ›

    The New Norcia Institute for Benedictine Studies seeks to broaden and deepen awareness of the monastic tradition within Christianity. The Institute offers resources for furthering academic study and research, as well as deepening spirituality.

    What is the New Norcia mission? ›

    New Norcia Mission was the collective name for the St Mary's Mission (from 1848) and the St Joseph's Native School and Orphanage (from 1861) which were 'segregated' and run as separate institutions by the Benedictine monks and nuns at New Norcia, 120 kilometres north of Perth, Western Australia.

    What are the allegations in New Norcia? ›

    During the 1960s, 29 per cent of the clergy at New Norcia had allegedly molested or abused children at some point during their career. There were 65 claims of abuse made about New Norcia, of which 26 were about a single perpetrator. The Catholic Church paid victims $869,000 in compensation.

    Can Benedictine monks leave the monastery? ›

    For three months, you will live with the monks, following the monastic Rule of Saint Benedict, praying, working, and studying with the monastic community. You may leave at any time, should you discern you do not have a Call to the monastic life at Saint John's Abbey.

    Why is New Norcia a special place? ›

    New Norcia is Australia's only monastic town, a historical and spiritual treasure in the West Australian bush. You won't believe what lies behind the locked doors of their buildings! Join a town tour and let their experienced guides unravel the unique history and show you the hidden artworks of New Norcia.

    Why did the New Norcia hotel close? ›

    “We've just decided to no longer have a hotel in New Norcia,” he said. “It's not part of our strategic plan.” The hotel, built in 1927, was originally a hostel for parents of boarders at the nearby colleges, but became “a practical expression of the Benedictine tradition of hospitality”.

    Why are Benedictine monks called black monks? ›

    The male religious are also sometimes called the Black Monks, especially in English speaking countries, after the colour of their habits. Not all Benedictines wear black however, with some like the Olivetans wearing white.

    Do you have to be Catholic to go to Benedictine College? ›

    The college embraces students and faculty from all faiths who accept its goals, seeking in its members a personal commitment to the ideals and principles of a spiritual life and the expression of these in worship and action.

    Who is the new abbot of Norcia? ›

    On May 25, 2024, the Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Order raised the status of the monastery to that of an independent abbey. Three days later, an election was held to fill the office of abbot and Nivakoff was elected the first abbot of the community since the death of the last previous abbot in 1792.

    What do Benedictine monks study? ›

    Benedictine Oblates study the Rule and aim to live in the world according to the principles of Benedict's vision: robust community, dignified manual labor, daily prayer and reading, balance between work, study and prayer, humility, silence, and good zeal.

    Are there still monks in New Norcia? ›

    New Norcia Benedictine Monastery is located on the site of the original 1847 mission building. The Monastery is now home to a population of monks who live a simple communal life of prayer and work within the Monastery.

    Who founded New Norcia? ›

    New Norcia is a little piece of the Mediterranean in the Australian bush. It has a monastery, church, hotel, working farm, beehives, wells, schools and an art gallery and museum. It has remained fundamentally unchanged since it was founded by Spanish Benedictine monks in the late 1840s.

    What is the New Norcia bypass? ›

    The new 6km bypass redirects traffic from the Great Northern Highway on to a bypass route east of the historic monastic town of New Norcia and includes construction of a new 88m bridge over Moore River and a scenic lookout over the town.

    Are there still monks in Tibet? ›

    Tibet's Buddhist monasteries form a key part of the country's national identity. For Tibetans they hold great religious and cultural significance, and, under the Chinese occupation, they have also become centres of political activism. Due to their respected status, Tibet's monks and nuns make natural community leaders.

    Are there still monks today? ›

    Monks spend their time and their lives worshipping God. There are monks still living in monasteries across the world today. During the Middle Ages there were monasteries throughout the land. Monasteries are different to churches and chapels because the monks lived in the monastery.

    What happened to the New Norcia Bakery? ›

    We sold the business in 2012 but it sadly fell into liquidation under the new owners six years later. The Benedictine monks still make the New Norcia Nut Cake and associated products and bake a range of yeasted breads in the original 120-year-old wood-fired oven in the monastery at New Norcia.

    Do silent monks still exist? ›

    Although a "vow of silence" is commonly associated with monasticism, no religious order takes such a vow, and even the most austere monastic orders such as the Carthusians have times in their schedule for talking.

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