The Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, better known as the Trappists, were honored at the 2016 ACHA Annual Meeting with the Distinguished Service to Catholic Studies Award.
Award citation
Since their arrival in the state of Georgia in 1944, the members of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, better known as the Trappists, have witnessed to the Gospels in a region of the United States that was not that familiar with monasticism or the Roman Catholic Church. Through their labor and their lives of prayer, the Trappists have ministered to the people of North Georgia regardless of race or creed. Theirs has been a missionary undertaking.
For over seven decades, the Trappist monks of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit Monastery have provided a place of prayer, of worship, and of solitude for all. Their ministry has provided a link between the past, the present, and the future of the Christian faith, offering insight into the history of monasticism, providing knowledge of the ancient practices of prayer and meditation, and demonstrating to the world that the God who is, who was, and who will be dwells in our midst.
It is for their witness, their ministry, their service to the Church and all God’s people that the American Catholic Historical Association awards its 2016 Distinguished Service to Catholic Studies award to the Trappist monks of Conyers, Georgia.