“This devil’s drink is delicious. We should cheat the devil by baptizing it.”
~Bl. Pope Clement VIII (1536 – 1605) upon tasting coffee for the first time
The defeat of the Turks at the Battle of Vienna in 1683 brought many blessings to Christendom, not least of which was the first coffeehouse in Christendom.
Since then, coffee has blessed Western civilization with sharpened wit, brighter mornings, and the brotherly love enjoyed over a fresh pot.
While woke capitalism has overcome some of America’s favorite coffee sellers, Catholics will be glad to know that the faithful have taken up the challenge.
Here are five ethically-sourced, Catholic-owned coffee roasters right here in the USA!
Abbey Roast
The Benedictine monks of Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery offer 100% Arabica Coffee through direct trade with a small family-owned plantation in the mountains of Brazil. Abbey Roast is the exclusive importer of this award-winning gourmet bean. While you drink it, know that you are supporting the future of monasticism in America. All proceeds contribute to the expansion of the growing community.
Mystic Monk Coffee
How can a Carmelite Monastery of cloistered monks in the middle of Wyoming become a premier coffee company? Prayer and creativity fueled the astonishing success of Mystic Monks Coffee, now an international success and boasting multiple gourmet collections of coffees, teas, and chocolates.
When one of the monks’ sister bought a small coffee plantation in Costa Rica, the community launched an entirely Internet-based company to sell their special blends roasted (for the first batches) in cast-iron skillets. 12 years later, the monks had enough income to purchase a mountain property and build 24 hermitages. Today, the gothic church at the center of the monastery is under construction, and every bag of Mystic Monk Coffee goes towards its completion and the daily life of the monks.
Guadalupe Roastery
When Brad Fassbender returned home from a mission trip to Honduras, he wanted to do more for the struggling coffee farmers and their families whom he met there. He started Guadalupe Roastery to buy coffee directly from farming families, which over the last three years has reached 85,000+ lbs. Through its success, Guadalupe has been able to promote subsidiarity, education, the dignity of the workers, and the beauty and gift of the natural resources of Nicaragua and, more recently, Colombia.
Oh. And the coffee is delicious. Guadalupe’s SCA ratings place it in the top 3% of beans in the world.
Catholic Coffee
Catholic Coffee, roasted in Charlotte, NC, has a mission. “We believe in truth, goodness, beauty, and great coffee.” They offer a variety of roasts and gift sets, as well as fantastically hip Catholic merchandise. Every purchase helps support the Archdiocese of the Military Services, USA, and The St Isidore Corps, which serves rural, impoverished communities in Maine.
River Road Coffees
River Road Coffees has been a staple of the community in Baton Rouge, LA, for years. What started as one family’s desire to share the joy of a family breakfast tradition grew into the region’s first and best-loved local coffee roaster. Offering a wide variety of blends and roasts with a charming dash of Southern charm, River Road Coffees continues to uphold the family spirit of its founders.
Do you have a favorite Catholic-owned coffee roastery? Feature them in the comments below!
