“You know where they get their recipe?” asked Wendy Bush, a lay staffworker at the Ordo Sanctissimi Salvatoris monastery candy shop. Glancing up at the sky, she added, “This heavenly recipe has been called sinful. But the chapel is open, sins are forgiven.”
The monastery was founded in the 1970s on 44 acres, two miles south of
Amity. All Catholic monasteries do something to be self-sufficient, and
this one has relied on fudge and truffles since the 1980s.
It is the only surviving all-male Brigittine monastery in the world, after
the religious persecution of the European Revolution and Reformation led to their demise.
“They didn’t like organized religion. They thought it was superstitious and old fashioned,” said Brother Bernard, one of the eight Brigittine friars and two postulants who make up the entire community. “Of course, they didn’t succeed. We’re still here,” he added with a smile.
The Order of the Most Holy Savior was founded in the 14th Century by St.
Birgitta, a pious Swedish princess who started the first monastery for both men and women, and the original designer of the grey hooded habits they still wear.
They live a meditative life of study, prayer and solitude, and have taken
vows of poverty and chastity.
“Because of our vows, everything we do is for God; everything we do is a
prayer. When other people are asleep, we’re praying. When they’re busy,
we’re praying,” said Brother Bernard, who moved to Oregon seven years ago
from the Philippines to join this contemplative community.
Their day starts at 4:45 a.m., and it includes group prayers, mass,
Gregorian chants, the Rosary, and making chocolates.
Brother Bernard explained how the tasks are divided among the friars: “Each brother has his own thing to do. One brother cooks, others keep up the property and work outdoors [the garden includes a vegetable garden, a small vineyard and some fruit trees]. Brother Matthew makes the wine, another cleans the house, one is in charge of the business, and others make the fudge and the truffles. During Christmas, everybody pitches in.”
While Christmas is the busiest time of the year for the monks, the tourist season brings them visitors on touring buses and some people stop by the monastery’s chocolate tasting room while exploring wineries in the area.
“Chocolate is our only means of support. All monasteries have to make a living somehow, and we don’t go out into the world. That’s what’s nice about the candy business. This is something we can do in silence and keep in communion with God,” said Brother Steven.
“[We make] enough to support the monastery and do some charity,” he continued. “We’re not here to generate a huge income. Just to keep up with our necessities and help others. This is not a small place, and you know what it takes to feed a family.”
The candy, which has been featured on The Food Network among other national networks, is made with the highest quality ingredients, including local filberts and Guittard chocolate, the oldest family-owned and operated chocolate company in the U.S., founded by the French chocolate maker Etienne Guittard in 1868.
The fudge comes in a one-pound box. The varieties are Chocolate Fudge Royale (with or without walnuts), Pecan Praline Fudge Royale, Chocolate Hazelnut, and Chocolate Amaretto, which Bush described as having “a delicate cherry almond flavor that comes up as an aftertaste, like a good wine.”
The truffles are colossal, and come in half-dozen packs. Flavors, all with a base of chocolate, include plain, milk chocolate, hazelnut, cherry, raspberry, amaretto, and maple.
In addition, from September to February, the monks make mint chocolate and butter rum truffles, and chocolate cherry nut fudge. Prices range from $9.85 to $12.95 and come in adorned packages with the classic Cloister-font lettering.
The tasting room and store are open every day, Monday through Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Monasteries are known for their hospitality, and this one features a comfortable guest house, a dining room, and a chapel where the monks come together to sing and pray seven times a day.
The brothers are very friendly and welcoming, but visitors may only come face-to-face with lay staff and volunteers. As Brother Steven explained, the monks’ main focus in life is on prayer. “We don’t want to be interrupted all the time,” he said.
Brother Bernard added that the public is welcome to email them their prayer requests to monks@brigittine.org.
The Brigittine Monks’ gourmet confections are so successful, they sold 34,000 pounds of fudge and 8,000 packages of truffles last year. Salem’s local Mercedes dealership also gives a box of Brigittine fudge to customers buying a new car.
The confections can be found in Made in Oregon stores, at the Holy Family Supply store downtown and at the Honeywood Winery. They can also be ordered online, directly from the monastery’s website, brigittine.org.
