Monks
The Chapel: Stone Upon Stone — Summer 2026 Construction Update
The apse vault stands complete, and the monks have turned to carving and setting the granite that will clothe the Chapel’s exterior walls this summer.
gothic
Building a Mountain Monastery: 2025 in Review
Praised be Jesus Christ, born of the Blessed Virgin Mary! May your Christmas be filled with joy as we join with the Monks in beseeching the Christ Child that He grant you and your loved ones the graces you stand most in need of during this Christmas season. Carving Stone Throughout the early months of […]
The Chapel: Building a Vaulted Ceiling
A vaulted ceiling, at its simplest, is a series of stone arches all connected to each other to form a type of stone skeleton, making the ceiling.
The Chapel: Carving Granite
Throughout the winter and spring the monks worked diligently to carve the granite for the Chapel’s apse.
Monastery featured in Modern Machine Shop
Monastery stone cutting featured in Modern Machine Shop article Monks are interesting enough, but when you add the ancient craft of stone carving and modern manufacturing to the mix, you have quite the combination! This was recently highlighted in an article by Modern Machine Shop (MMS), a leading publication in the manufacturing and machining industry. […]
Building God’s House: Chapel progress
As soon as the building season began this summer, so short here on this mountain, the monks immediately set to work preparing to continue the stonework of the chapel. This first phase consists of the entire sanctuary end of the chapel. The interior alone is comprised of some six thousand individual stones, all of which […]
Almost there! The Chapter House nearly complete
The past few months have been full of activity in the Chapter House, and the results are breathtaking! Truly this little chapter house built for the glory of God and honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary will stand as a testament of love and devotion to God. The Chapter House Floor Beginning in March, the […]
The Heavenly Firmament: Painting the Chapter House ceiling
The delicate lacework of the arches spanning the ceiling, the gold arches glistening across the blue backdrop of the sky, remind the monk of the closeness the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen and Beauty of Carmel. This little chapel, nestled in the midst of hermitages, calls to mind the ancient traditions of Mount Carmel, where […]
Beginning of Stonework for the Chapel!
The final work of the monastery construction is the monastery Chapel, where the monks will gather eight times each day to praise and worship God in the liturgy. Each stone has been meticulously shaped and cut and serves both as a structural part of the building, as well as a means of uplifting the soul […]
Progress on the Chapter House interior
After finalizing the plans for the Chapter House interior skilled carpenters set to work carving the ornate wooden wall paneling and the lacework of moldings decorating the ceiling. At the same time woodcarvers began sculpting statues that would grace the interior. Meanwhile contractors installed the plasterwork of the blue, star-studded ceiling. Gradually the intricate patterns […]
Chapter House Stonework Finished!
The Chapter House holds a precious place in the hearts of the monks, nestled in the center of the monastery. A monastery Chapter House serves many functions. It derives its name from the monastery’s chapter, the group of senior monks that govern the monastery and meet in the Chapter House to discuss important matters. It […]
Cutting Stone for the Chapter House
Did you know that the monks themselves cut and shape every single stone that makes up the monastery buildings? This traditional approach, a monastery being built by its own monks, is alive and well here in this little corner of Wyoming. Over the past year, monks have been diligently working to complete the 4000 or […]