Monastic orders all around the world support their members and missions by producing an array of high-quality artisanal goods perfect for gift-giving. This Christmas, support these religious men and women by buying from them!
https://www.monasterygreetings.com/
Read on for a selection of some of the best:
A truly special, unique and heirloom gift option is on offer from the Carmelite nuns at the Monastery of the Sacred Hearts in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. Choosing from an almost endless array of bead materials ranging from wooden to precious stones, your favored cord material (metal or textile) and crucifix, centerpiece and side medal elements,
you can design your own custom rosary which the nuns will assemble for you. A breathtakingly beautiful gift.
Mystic Monk Coffee is produced by Carmelite monks in Wyoming, USA, who have expanded their line to include tea, mugs and even a coffee/tea subscription service. They have a wide selection of seasonal coffee flavors
The monks at Our Lady of the Resurrection Monastery in New York sure were blessed when they put Brother Victor-Antoine d'Avila-Latourrette in charge of their kitchen. The author of several cookbooks, his recipes are simple, mostly vegetarian, and delicious. Sacred Feasts, available at Amazon, offers recipes based on feast days of the Catholic liturgical year.
The Benedictine Sisters at Queen of Angels Monastery in Oregon enjoyed mustard made from a secret recipe handed down for generations. They introduced it to the public in 2005, and have won awards as well as a loyal following. Monastery Mustard is available in eight delectable flavors. Find out why the mustard seed is "greater than all the herbs" (Mark 4:30-32)!
The Catholic Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, Massachusetts, USA, have earned a high reputation for their Trappist Preserves, which started with a small batch of mint jelly in 1954 and now has grown to 30 flavors. Click here to explore Trappist Preserves packages.
The Dominican Nuns of Summit, New Jersey, USA, specialize in body care, including soaps, balms and creams. Check out their array of intriguing fragrances (such as the currant and thyme-scented buttermilk soap shown above) and skin care combinations when you visit their online Cloister Shoppe.
Looking for something to put your Trappist Preserves on? How about some Trappist bread or biscotti? Cistercians at the Abbey of the Genesee near Rochester, New York, USA, offer these plus fruit and nut bars under the Monks' brand.
Oregon's Willamette Valley, USA, may be known for its wines, but the Brigittine monks have been producing some of the world's finest fudge and truffles there for years.
The Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters at Sinsinawa Mound in Southeast Wisconsin, USA, produce over 100,000 baked goods for loyal customers each year. Pictured above is their famous "Sin-a-Mound," a 1-pound cinnamon roll "to die for."
God loves all creatures, great and small, including our domesticated felines. Produced by a ministry of Ursuline Sisters providing fair wage jobs and training for individuals with barriers to employment in Cleveland, Ohio, this fleece catnip-filled mouse is a perfect stocking-stuffer for the cat-lover in your life. |
