Valyermo, California: St Andrew’s Abbey (Benedictine Monastery)

About St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, California:

St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo belongs to Benedictine Congregation of the Annunciation. Other communities in their Congregation are located in Belgium, Ireland, Germany, Poland and Trinidad.

In 1929, the monks of the Abbey of Sint Andries Zevenkerken (St. Andre) in Brugge, Belgium, established a new monastic community in Chengtu, China, called St. Benedict’s Priory. Here the monks ran a seminary and a state-recognized school for non-Catholic students. Shortly after World War II, the monks established the Institute of Western and Oriental Cultural Studies, with a 10,000-volume library.

On Christmas Day 1949, the Communists took over the city of Chengtu. They dissolved the Institute, confiscated the library, and put the monks under house arrest. Then in 1952, the Communists expelled the monks from China.

In 1954 the monks were transferred to their new home in southern California. In 1955 they established a new monastery called St. Andrew’s Abbey at our current location just outside of Valyermo, CA. We have been giving retreats here ever since!

Saint Andrew’s Abbey is a spiritual home for retreatants and the monks who dedicate their lives to work and prayer here.

They are proud to carry on their Benedictine heritage as they preserve this sacred place for anyone to step away from their busy life to be renewed in spirit.

Various retreats are offered:  individual and group, preached retreats, youth retreats and more.   Check their website for further details.

Any visitor to the Abbey may join them in their chanted prayer. They do ask that you be mindful of the spirit of unity, reverence and beauty that They strive to achieve in order to maintain a prayerful atmosphere. Please sing softly in order to blend with the monks and others around you. Let the monks set the pace and volume of the music so They may sing as one voice to the Lord.

Finally, observe a spirit of silence in and around the chapel at all times. (Please be sure to silence or turn off electronic devices.)

Be sure to visit their store: Here you will find books, home-made preserves, peanut butter, honey, ceramic works handcrafted by monks, coffee mugs and a wide variety of items.  Sales of these items help the Monks to support themselves, so be sure to stock up!  You can also order online, if you aren’t planning to visit soon.

Finding St. Andrew’s Abbey in Valyermo, California:

Saint Andrew’s Abbey is located in the Mojave Desert, some 80 miles by road from Los Angeles (driving time a little under two hours).

Physical Address:  31001 N. Valyermo Road, Valyermo, CA 93563