Holy Mass
The day begins with Mass at Mount Melleray Abbey for AMU-affiliated guests, Ireland program donors, and invited friends of the University.
Mount Melleray Abbey · County WaterfordRe-Opening Mass
Ave Maria University invites affiliated guests, donors, and the local community to Mass and a post-Mass reception.
DateSunday, September 20, 2026
Time10:30 a.m.
Place
Please come to celebrate with us, no RSVP necessary. We are expecting over 1,000 people and seating will be limited so please come early.
Schedule
Order of the Day
Post-Mass Reception
Guests are invited to remain after Mass for a reception at the community center down the hill for fellowship, remarks, and time together.
Saturday, Sept. 19 · Afternoon hike organized locally on St. Declan's Way and the Melleray Trails: Register
The Event
Mass, reception, and a first welcome to the Ireland program.
Through a partnership between the Cistercian Order and Ave Maria University, Mount Melleray Abbey will continue its mission this September as a place of prayer, study, work, and hospitality. The partnership marks the next chapter in the Abbey's nearly 200-year history. Beginning this autumn, Ave Maria University students will spend a semester at Mount Melleray, immersed in its living tradition through a daily rhythm shaped by the charism of the Cistercians and the history of the Abbey.
As it has for generations, Mount Melleray will continue to serve as a spiritual, cultural, and communal anchor for West Waterford and beyond. Together, the Cistercian Order and Ave Maria University are committed to preserving the Abbey's heritage while investing in its future for the benefit of pilgrims, visitors, students, and the local community as it has for almost two centuries.