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St. Michael's Abbey, Orange, California U.S.A.

. . . THIS MAY TAKE A MOMENT OR TWO . . .

This is a view of the inner cloister of St. Michael's Abbey, looking northwest toward the covered walkway behind the Abbey Church.

This is a view of the "front" of the Abbey Church, as viewed from the front of the abbey grounds.

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The interior of the Abbey Church.  Note the skylight accentuating the altar.
The monumental stained glass of Mary, Queen and Mother of the Norbertine Order, opposite the main altar.  
Above one exit, the Coat of Arms of Prémontré, along with the motto of the Order (from Second Timothy, 3:17).
Above the other exit, a memorial to the Abbey of St. Michael of Csorna, Hungary, the original abbey of the Founding Fathers of St. Michael's
The Coat of Arms of the founding Abbot - Rev. Ladislaus Parker.  The motto 'Succisa virescit' (the succeeding house shall flourish) refers to the fact that St. Michael's of Orange is a daughter house of St. Michael's Abbey in Csorna, Hungary - a house which was suppressed from 1950 to the early 1990s by Communist rule in that nation.
Detail of the Window of Blessed Hugh in the Abbey Church
Detail of the window of St. Siard in the Abbey Church
Detail of the window of Blessed Hroznata in the Abbey Church.  
Detail of the window of St. Godfrey in the Abbey Church.
Detail of the window of St. Bronislava in the Abbey Church.
Detail of the window of St. Evermode in the Abbey Church.  
Detail of the window of St. Herman Joseph in the Abbey Church.  
Detail of the window of St. Ludolf in the Abbey Church.  
Detail of the window of St. Isfried  in the Abbey Church.
Detail of the window of St. Frederick in the Abbey Church.  
Detail of the window of St. Gertrude in the Abbey Church.  
Detail of the window of St. James Lacoupe (showing means of his martyrdom) in the Abbey Church.  St. James Lacoupe and St. Adrian Jansens (below) were killed by Dutch Protestants during the religious wars of the 16th Century.  
Detail of the window of St. Adrian Jansens in the Abbey Church, showing his method of martyrdom.  
Detail of St. Gilbert of England in the Abbey Church.  

The excavation work being done near the House of Formation below the Abbey Church for the Grotto of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Picture taken November, 1997.

The completed grotto as it appeared in early August, 2002.

Closeup of our Blessed Mother in the completed Grotto.  

A look down the main entrance road into the Abbey from the refectory parking lot.

 

The rose garden just east of the Church, looking toward the refectory.

 
Looking toward the side entrance to the Abbey Church across the Rose Garden (taken in front of the Refectory).  
Another - more resplendent - perspective on the Rose Garden.  

The United States, Abbey of St. Michael, and California State flags hang above the parking lot.

 

The original abbey bell, called "Little Therese" (1964) and the Abbey's steel cross tower, with the church in the background.

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The Abbey's Steel Cross, viewed from below.

This is a "side" view of the Abbey, with the roof of the abbey church appearing at left, and the priests wing at the right.  The parking lot is used for the many guests which visit the Abbey for Masses and other endeavors.

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The grotto of St. Herman Joseph at the rear of the Abbey.  Here the Saint is portrayed writing his first hymn to the Sacred Heart:

"Summi Regis Cor aveto
  Te Saluto corde laeto
  Te complecti me delectat
  Et cor meum hoc affectat
  Ut ad Te loquar toleres" 

 

Another view of the Grotto, looking at the original waterfall and pond.

 

The St. Michael area of the grotto.

 

The house of the Dominican sisters located to the east of the church. The sisters assist at the abbey with cooking, cleaning and other maintenance tasks.

 

The house located above and behind the abbey which is devoted to the very active Third Order at St. Michael's (known as the Blue House).

 

A view to the east of the abbey. Note the cattle grazing nearby.

 

A view toward the west from the abbey grounds. The Pacific Ocean is just over the hills in the distance.

 

A view to the south. Just over the summit of the hill in the distance is the Hindu Vedanta Society Monastery, called "Ramakrishna."

 

A view toward the north. Notice (1) the roofs of the abbey buildings in the foreground, and (2) the suburban housing encroaching on the hills just across from the abbey.

 

The procession into the Abbey Church for Vespers.  The individual in the black cape at left, front, is a member of a new American Order who was temporarily residing at the Abbey.
The number and youth of the population of St. Michael's, Orange, is readily apparent in this photograph of the continuing Vespers Procession.
Abbot Eugene Hayes (left, rear) culminates the procession.
The good cheer and vigor shines forth from some Confreres at St. Michael's, August 2002.   

The view of the modern-day abbey from a distance.  Note how it has grown down the hill from the original buildings.  

A view of St. Michael's taken in May 1964, before landscaping, trees alongside the road, or extensive ground cover. Note the lack of an Abbey Church building or a House of Formation on the slope of the grade.

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The Abbey's first bell, Little Therese, on the day of her dedication in front of St. Michael's Chapel (now the library of the Abbey), May 1964.

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An even earlier view of St. Michael's. This view was taken during construction in the spring of 1961. It is the present day Canons' Residence, looking south (the bricked in portion in the distance at left is a restroom).

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Another Spring, 1961 view, this time of the front of the Refectory. Note the lack of window glass and the shingle packs on the roof (not to mention no rose garden,  sidewalks, lawn, or asphalt!)

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