Iowa monks donate casket for Arizona girl

Chicago Tribune ^ | January 13, 2010 | MELANIE S. WELTE

[NYer]

A 9-year-old girl killed in last weekend's mass shooting in Arizona will be buried in a hand-crafted casket donated by a group of Roman Catholic monks in Iowa.

Trappist Caskets, which is owned and operated by monks of the New Melleray Abbey near Dubuque, was contacted by the Bring Funeral Home in Tucson, Ariz., on behalf of Christina Taylor Green's family.

It's a comfort to the family "to know that it was made by monks and blessed by the monks," said Belinda Motzkin Brauer, a representative for the funeral home.

The casket is made of red oak grown in the monastery's forest, said Sam Mulgrew, the general manager of Trappist Caskets. It was engraved with Christina's name, date of birth and date of death before it was shipped to Arizona on Tuesday, Mulgrew said.

snip

The New Melleray Abbey, which was founded in 1849, started Trappist Caskets in 1999 when the monks began selling caskets and urns to families at wholesale costs.

"Our caskets are made by hand. They're very slowly made. They're made by monks," Mulgrew said. "They don't make caskets the way we make them anymore."

The monks also made special keepsake crosses for Christina's family. In the spring, they will plant a red oak tree in Christina's honor.

Trappist Caskets donates many children's caskets. Mulgrew said the monks have established a fund for that purpose that people can donate to.

"They are opposed to profiting from it so they prefer to donate the caskets," Mulgrew said.

[PGR88]

And to do his part, Obama had 14,000 “together we thrive” T-shirts printed for the memorial service.

[NYer]

The monks belong to the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, known as Trappists. They farmed in Iowa for 160 years, but gave that up last year, said Mulgrew, who is not a member of monks' community. Caskets are now their main business.

"This is good work. They are cloistered monks. It's a work of mercy for them and it's meaningful for them," Mulgrew said.

Pall bearers bring escort the casket of 9-year-old Christina Green at the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, before her funeral Thursday, Jan. 13, 2011, in Tucson, Ariz. Green was the youngest victim of Saturday's shooting in Tucson.

NEW MELLERAY ABBEY

[livius]

Very beautiful.

[livius]

When I first read about the “Together We Thrive” t-shirts on FR, I honestly thought that the poster was making a tasteless joke. I can’t imagine anybody in his right mind would have thought that was appropriate for a memorial service.

[Yorlik803]

What a classy thing to do.
They do Gods work when they do this.

[allmendream]

Nice to see that there are still those who accept and take seriously a higher calling.

But if they are Trappist monks, shouldn’t they be brewing beer?

[Tennessee Nana]

Contrast the love and tribute shown by these wonderful Godly monks towards young Christina to the mocking travesty of Barry & Co last night...

[Carley]

No matter how classless and without a soul there are those who manifest the true love of God.

We can pray for the family to find some comfort in the memories of their precious daughter.

[Osage Orange]

Not sure many FReepers know this...but Dallas Green ( ex-manager of the Phillies...) is this young girls Grandfather.

[Charlemagne on the Fox]

New Melleray Abbey is the best site for a retreat I have ever experienced. (And only this morning I received a shipment of their excellent incense for our thurible.)

[Never on my watch]

That was a heck of a big order of T-shirts to get done in three days over a weekend. Something tells me these were sitting in a closet at an ACORN office.

[surfer]

Just waiting for the right “emergency”...Progressives are freaking predictable and dispacable...

[NYer]

But if they are Trappist monks, shouldn’t they be brewing beer?

Some communities brew beer, others make jams and jellies and others make .... fruit cake. This community has chosen to make caskets, something all beer drinkers will eventually need ;-)

[allmendream]

Something we will ALL need someday!

I was just joking about the beer, I know they do OTHER things, but as an avid beer drinker and not a Catholic - when I hear “Trappist Monk” I start salivating for a good Belgian style ale!!!

Do you blame me?

[McGavin999]

That was a heck of a big order of T-shirts to get done in three days over a weekend. Something tells me these were sitting in a closet at an ACORN office.

What an interesting observation

[livius]

Something tells me these were sitting in a closet at an ACORN office.

Very possible. The slogan apparently comes from some leftist "multicultural" education group.

[GOPJ]

Beautiful post. Thanks.

[television is just wrong]

and that is just ill that he had those shirts made at all. politics as usual for them.

[PGR88]

The monks near us make bread. Good stuff!