Life and Work of a Benedictine Monk in the New Norcia Monastery

Dom Paulino Gutierez was born to a farming family in the village of Villaespasa, Burgos, Spain in 1910. Since arriving in Australia with the Abbot Anselm Catalan in August 1928 his life and work in the monastery has involved a variety of vocations.

For 50 years Dom Paulino was New Norcia's baker and miller. On six days of each week he baked bread for the whole of New Norcia, using the flour he produced in the flour-mill several times a year. He estimates he baked about one million loves during that time.
From 1930 until recently he rang the Angelus bell, and was well known for the grand liqueurs he concocted deep down in the cool atmosphere of the monastic cellars. From 1935 to 1971 he served as community infirmarian.
Dom Paulino has been cobbler/shoemaker for the Community and local people for many years and can still be seen in his 'shop' doing occasional repairs.
Dom Paulino has always been involved with the growing, picking and processing of the olives grown at New Norcia. During his later years his knowledge in this field has been sought both nationally and internationally.