Iowa Trappists expand casket factory due to increased demand

Published: 2007-12-28

PEOSTA, Iowa (CNS) -- For the craftsmen and artisans at New Melleray Abbey in Peosta, a relatively new ministry has expanded into a new state-of-the-art, 40,000-square-foot factory, almost five times larger than their previous facility. "Because of increasing demands for caskets, we were unable to keep up with production to satisfy demand, so we had to develop a new woodworking facility," said Sam Mulgrew, the operation's general manager. "It's not a highly automated factory. It has good dust collection, air quality and other features." In their work, the monks strive to produce burial caskets and urns that reflect their values of integrity, simplicity and reverence for nature. They try to nourish a return to a dignified spirituality of death. The Trappists at New Melleray Abbey follow the ancient monastic rule of St. Benedict, striving for simple living through contemplative prayer, community worship and manual labor.

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