Brownshill - Welcome
Pray the Morning Office of Lauds:
Lauds Thursday 25th St. Mark
Psalms 116, 65, 147, 146
Lauds Wednesday 24th
Psalms 116, 85, 64, 146
“We respond to the call of God, ‘who first loved us’ by truly seeking Him as followers of Christ, in humility and obedience and by conversion of heart Our monastic profession commits us totally to the service of God and others. This search for God in faith is the life-force of our whole day.....it is lived out in a community united in love.”
Our Monastery
The Monastery of Our Lady and St Bernard is the home of a community of six Bernardine Cistercian Nuns. We follow the Rule of St Benedict and are part of the Cistercian family. Situated in the hills of the south Cotswolds, in a designated area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Cotswold valleys and hills enhances the peace of the monastery which is conducive to our life of prayer.
Our Guesthouse
Our guesthouse reflects the simplicity of the Cistercian way of life and, at the same time, is warm and comfortable. We welcome all who wish to ‘come away for a while’ from the hustle and bustle of everyday life to benefit from the peace of the monastery and from the lovely surrounding countryside.
Our Daily Life
Our activities are many and varied but the sole aim of our day and of our life is to respond to God's call, seeking him and preferring nothing to his love. Each day is structured around the liturgy which draws us together in prayer as a Community.
Our work focuses on the Guesthouse and we all contribute to the spiritual and practical aspects of this: welcoming, listening, retreat talks, housework, administration, maintenance ........
Our History
The Monastery was founded in August 2006 by seven sisters from Hyning and Slough. We were warmly welcomed into the Diocese of Clifton and started our work of hospitality. In 2008/9 a major building project adapted the building to our needs and enhanced the facilities we can offer.
