Coffee of the Cross: Nicaraguan Shrine-Grown Coffee and Parish Mission Partnerships

Who They Are: Coffee Born Beneath the Cross of Peace in Matagalpa, Nicaragua

Coffee of the Cross (accessible via coffeeofthecross.com and its dedicated collection on guadaluperoastery.com) is a Catholic specialty coffee initiative with a remarkable geographical and spiritual origin. In 2014, the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal (CFR), working alongside the Diocese of Matagalpa in Nicaragua's northern highlands, acquired a coffee farm—known as the Guadalupe Gold Farm—situated right at the foot of the Mountain of Peace Shrine (Montaña de la Paz) on Mount Apante, where a towering white monumental cross overlooks the city of Matagalpa.

Verified active on October 29, 2026 with twenty-five specialty coffee and parish-partner offerings roasted and fulfilled in collaboration with Guadalupe Roastery, Coffee of the Cross serves a dual purpose. First, it provides a direct market for high-elevation Arabica cultivated around the Mountain of Peace Shrine and neighboring Catholic family farms in Nicaragua, reinvesting revenue into local agricultural employment and missionary outreach to the poor. Second, it equips U.S. Catholic parishes, schools, and diocesan ministries with co-branded and mission-driven coffee bags that fund local apostolates.

Current Coffee Catalog: 84-Point Shrine Lots, Cristo Rey, and Saint-Inspired Flavors

The Coffee of the Cross catalog verified on October 29, 2026 combines Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) graded Nicaraguan single-origin lots with approachable flavored coffees named after beloved saints. Customers can order 12-ounce bags, 5-pound parish bulk bags, or single-serve K-Cup pods in Whole Bean or Ground formats.

At the center of the collection is the Coffee of the Cross Signature 84-Point Washed Central American offering—available in Light, Medium, or Dark roast—alongside the flagship Cristo Rey Medium Roast grown on the slopes of the Mountain of Peace Shrine in Matagalpa, offering balanced notes of creamy milk chocolate and bright citrus. Drinkers who prefer deeper roast development can choose the Coffee of the Cross French Roast (featuring notes of bittersweet chocolate, roasted nuts, and dark molasses) or Three Kings Dark Roast, while specialty purists can experience the Natural Parainema 2026 Gold Cup Winner scoring 87.68 SCA points.

Uniquely within the Coffee of the Cross collection, the roastery also crafts a trio of saint-honoring specialty flavored coffees using natural extracts on specialty-grade beans: St. Maximilian Kolbe Dark Chocolate, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Caramel, and Little Flower Cinnamon Hazelnut (named in honor of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux). Seasonal single-estate microlots rotate according to harvest availability.

What Distinguishes Coffee of the Cross for Its Customers

Coffee of the Cross is distinguished by the physical geography of its namesake shrine: very few coffees in the world can trace their heritage to trees growing on the literal slopes of a Catholic pilgrimage mountain crowned by a monumental cross and consecrated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

For parish leaders and ministry coordinators, the brand's readiness to partner with local churches—providing 5-pound bulk bags for parish halls, K-Cups for rectories, and saint-named flavored coffees like Little Flower Cinnamon Hazelnut or St. Maximilian Kolbe Dark Chocolate for parish bookracks—makes it a versatile tool for evangelization and community fellowship.

Public Customer Feedback and Verified Buyer Reception

Company-hosted verified buyer reviews on guadaluperoastery.com/products/coffee-of-the-cross and National Catholic Register coverage, checked October 29, 2026.

Verified buyer reviews on the official Coffee of the Cross product pages (checked October 29, 2026) consistently highlight the smooth, low-acid Drinkability of the 84-point washed Nicaraguan beans across all three roast levels (Light, Medium, and Dark). Customers who have visited Nicaragua on mission trips or pilgrimages express special fondness for brewing coffee grown at the Mountain of Peace Shrine.

Reviewers also praise the saint-themed flavored offerings—particularly Little Flower Cinnamon Hazelnut and St. Maximilian Kolbe Dark Chocolate—for tasting natural rather than artificial or syrupy. As noted throughout this guide, reviews on the merchant's product pages are company-hosted.