In the forested hills of eastern Oklahoma, far from any city, Benedictine monks chant the ancient prayers of the Church seven times daily. Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey, founded in 1999 by monks from the Abbey of Fontgombault in France, represents a remarkable flowering of traditional monasticism in 21st-century America. The monks celebrate Mass exclusively in the Extraordinary Form (Traditional Latin Mass) and are constructing a massive Romanesque church that will take decades to complete.
The abbey welcomes pilgrims and retreatants who seek the rhythm of monastic life. The day begins with Matins at 4:45 AM and ends with Compline at 7:30 PM. Between the Hours, monks work at building their church, tending cattle, producing goods in their industries, and maintaining the property. Visitors can attend all liturgies, stay in the guesthouse, and experience the peace that comes from a life ordered by prayer.
For Catholics drawn to traditional liturgy and contemplative spirituality, Clear Creek offers something increasingly rare: a growing, thriving monastery of young men living the ancient Benedictine Rule in all its rigor. The journey to this remote corner of Oklahoma becomes part of the pilgrimage—a detachment from the noise of modern life.
📜 History & Spiritual Significance
Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey traces its origins to the Abbey of Fontgombault in France, a community that revived traditional Benedictine life after centuries of decline. In 1999, monks from Fontgombault established a new foundation in the rolling hills of northeastern Oklahoma, purchasing land in the Cookson Hills.
The community has grown steadily, attracting young men seeking the contemplative life lived according to the ancient Benedictine tradition. The monks follow the Rule of St. Benedict in its 6th-century form, gathering seven times daily for the Divine Office and once for the conventual Mass.
Construction of the permanent church began in 2012. When completed, it will be one of the largest Romanesque churches built in America. The monks do much of the construction work themselves, following medieval building techniques where possible.
☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Hulbert
Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey
Traditional Benedictine monastery in the Oklahoma hills
The abbey welcomes visitors for retreats and days of prayer. The temporary church hosts the traditional liturgy; the new church rises nearby. The grounds include a gift shop selling monastic products and a bookstore.
🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations
Assumption of Mary — August 15
Major feast at the abbey with solemn liturgy.
All Saints — November 1
Solemn celebration of the communion of saints.
🛏️ Where to Stay
The abbey keeps guesthouses of its own and they are the reason to come; guests are welcome at the Hours of the Divine Office and, in the men's house, at meals with the monks in the refectory. Everything else is at least 25 km away in Tahlequah — Clear Creek stands in open country and there is no lodging in between. Book with the Guest Master well ahead, and arrive before 9pm, when the gate is locked.
Men's Guesthouse, Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey (pilgrim accommodation) — at the monastery, 5804 West Monastery Road. Nine rooms in the main house, with overflow at the old monastery ten minutes' walk away. Meals with the monks in the refectory are included. Website
Bethany Women's Guesthouse (pilgrim accommodation) — at the monastery, for eight women, meals included. Website
St Martha's (pilgrim accommodation) — at the monastery, a family house of two bedrooms; guests cook for themselves. Website
St Mary's (pilgrim accommodation) — at the monastery, sleeping eighteen across six rooms, for families and groups; guests cook for themselves. Website
Best Western NSU Inn (hotel) — 25 km, in Tahlequah, the nearest hotel to the abbey. Reserve this hotel
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tahlequah (hotel) — 26 km, in Tahlequah. Reserve this hotel
Tahlequah Inn (hotel) — 26 km, in Tahlequah. Reserve this hotel
Tru by Hilton Tahlequah (hotel) — 27 km, in Tahlequah. Reserve this hotel
Accommodation available to book near Hulbert. Pilgrim houses and religious guesthouses are listed above — many take bookings directly and do not appear on booking sites.
🚗 Getting There
By Air: Tulsa International Airport (TUL) is 75 miles west.
By Car: From Tulsa, take Highway 51 east to Tahlequah, then Highway 62 north. Follow signs to the abbey. A car is essential.
🔗 Useful Links
Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey — Retreat information, Mass schedule, monastic products.
🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations
Oklahoma City (200 km west) — Blessed Stanley Rother Shrine.
🪶 Closing Reflection
"Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ. And may He bring us all together to life everlasting."
— St. Benedict of Nursia, Rule of St. Benedict Ch. 72, the closing words of "Good Zeal"
