If asked, I reckon most people would associate the lifestyle practices of sustainability, self-sufficiency and mindfulness as very much belonging to the 21st century. They are practices we are urged to adopt so as to create a better life for ourselves and those around us.

As it turns out, far from being contemporary, these practices perfectly reflect the rhythm of life at Glencairn Abbey, the only Cistercian monastery for women in Ireland. Based on the Rule of St Benedict, whose motto was ora et labora (prayer and work), it’s a rhythm that has hardly changed since the abbey was first established in 1927.

In this book, daily life through the seasons at Glencairn is beautifully documented by the photography of Valerie O’Sullivan and the testimonies of the sisters who call Glencairn home. I was particularly taken by the words of Sr Maria Thérese who explained why getting up at ten to four in the morning is central to their daily prayer and work.

“Life is good here in Glencairn,” she says. “We rise at ten to four in the morning for Vigils, a very special time of the day. We keep the whole world in our prayer, especially those who may be suffering, those who can’t sleep and those who work at night, those who find it hard to face the new day for whatever reason, those we know and love and those who ask for our prayer.”

There’s something very comforting in knowing that no matter what is happening in the world, that seven times a day this community will be there praying for us all.

Hard work, be it in the laundry, kitchen, guest house, sewing room, cardroom, Eucharistic breads bakery or on the farm, makes the community self-sufficient in a sustainable manner.

However, choosing the monastic life does not mean that one is immune to the ups and downs of everyday living, as Sr Gertrude explains in her testimony.

“Living with people from different backgrounds, countries and ideas opens one’s mind but also means learning tolerance, openness to the sometimes very different views of others and learning to accept and love all sisters.”

So it’s no wonder the community at Glencairn has remained strong and two years ago, in a tremendous vote of confidence in the future, embarked on a multi-million euro redevelopment of the abbey and its facilities.

It takes courage and great faith in the future of Glencairn to do this, but courage, faith and a capacity for hard work is something Mother Marie and the community have in spades.

The work undertaken to date has secured Glencairn for another 100 years. It has given the community a great sense of security, joy, identity and hope. But there is more to be done and your support is needed.

However, as Mother Marie says, “growth takes time. We may want to speed things up a bit, but God does not share our compulsion for hasty solutions. The best things in life only mature in, and through, time.”

Anyone who has ever passed through the gates of Glencairn Abbey, know well that apart from the delicious cherry cake, it has something very special to offer. It gives people peace, time to listen to the inner spirit and encouragement when facing difficulty.

To quote Sr Nuala who paraphrased Matthew 17:4 ‘Lord, it is good….to be here.’

A Year in the Life:Glencairn Abbey is published by Columba Press and is available in bookshops nationwide, RRP €24.99.