Medieval Heritage in the Heart of California: Interview with Abbot Paul Mark Schwan of New Clairvaux
From the California Frontier Podcast
The Abbey of Our Lady of New Clairvaux is a Roman Catholic monastery in Vina, California.
Although it is located just outside of Chico, in the Great Central Valley, the abbey is rooted in a tradition grounded in the 6th-century Mediterranean world, when St. Benedict of Nursia codified the ascetic practices of Western monks into a concise Rule.
The monks of Vina follow a version of the Rule that evolved in the 11th century as a quest for a simpler and more rigorous lifestyle, which came to be known as the Cistercian Order.
In Part 1 of this interview, the Abbot of New Clairvaux, Fr. Paul Mark Schwan, explains how Cistercians arrived in Vina from Gethsemane Abbey in Kentucky in 1955. We also delve into the history of Vina, its connections to U.S. westward expansion, the California wine industry, and historical figures like Leland Stanford.
In an interesting twist, the discussion also delves into the abbey's medieval stone church, which was transported stone-by-stone from Spain by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. Tune in to learn how these stones connect with present-day Golden Gate Park and how they wound up at Vina.