Building Coffins Boosts Monks' Coffers

October 25, 2003 12:49 AM

Building Coffins Boosts Monks' Coffers. Trappist monks at the New Melleray Abbey in rural Iowa turned to casket-making five years ago after their farming operation went under. But the casket business is good. So now, in between prayers, the monks can be found in the wood shop.
posted by bluedaniel (8 comments total)

They seem a bit expensive, but I haven't had to buy a casket in 14 years. I would think they would copy their brothers in Belgium and make good Trappist beer, instead.
posted by Goofyy at 4:44 AM on October 25, 2003

Goofyy, you took the words right out of my mouth. But even the Trappist brewers are facing financial dilemmas, since the French government wants to sin-tax their high-alcohol-content beer.

Which, of course gives me the perfect opportunity to say that for the monks, as for the rest of us, nothing is certain but death and taxes.
posted by taz at 4:59 AM on October 25, 2003

Damn I need to get out more, I wasn't even aware of Trappist beer.

Taz, a good opportunity well taken!
posted by bluedaniel at 6:47 AM on October 25, 2003

I heard it on NPR.
posted by piskycritter at 7:53 AM on October 25, 2003

Holy Transfiguration Skete.

The Jampot is open.
posted by clavdivs at 8:31 AM on October 25, 2003

Another place to get your box. This one be nice. If your corpse is handy with tools, you can do it yourself.

This one was "built for Microsoft exec in Bellevue, WA." What, no windows?
posted by Wet Spot at 2:41 PM on October 25, 2003

My work takes me past this place several times a month. The abbey is a suprise every time I see it. Not something you'd expect in the middle of Beanfield, Iowa. I like the simplicity of the coffins and, from what I understand, they are several times cheaper than what is offered at your neighborhood mortuary.
posted by guidedbychris at 5:04 AM on October 26, 2003

Very strange, I posted about Belgian beer not too long ago, and that post no longer exists. I even took the trouble to run down links about both beer and the fancy glasses. My partner is Belgian, and living in the UK (where the ale is good but too expensive) we import our own cases from Belgium.
posted by Goofyy at 7:32 AM on October 26, 2003