"The sisters are to be concerned about conservation of the environment
and to manage natural resources prudently."
- OCSO Statutes, 27A
Our commitment to care for creation is rooted in our Cistercian heritage. Like our forefathers and mothers who were known for taming the wildernesses of Europe through their agricultural endeavors, we feel responsible for the good stewardship of the land that is our inheritance, as well as for the whole of creation which is humanity's inheritance.
Consumer Confidence Report on Abbey Well Water
We have committed ourselves to three types of renewable energy on our property:
WIND - A wind turbine (2009-2024) supplied power for our Abbey Church and Infirmary.
GEOTHERMAL - Our candy production facility and business offices are heated and cooled by a geothermal energy system (2011).
SOLAR - We host three solar fields which benefit the town of Franklin, MA (2013, 2022), and much of our electricity need is met by another solar array on our abbey roofs (2017).
Photo courtesy of GreenSpark Solar, installer of rooftop solar array and wind turbine.
"As never before in history, common destiny
beckons us to seek a new beginning...
Let ours be a time remembered for the awakening
of a new reverence for life,
the firm resolve to achieve sustainability,
the quickening of the struggle for justice and peace,
and the joyful celebration of life."
- Pope Francis, Laudato Si