After breakfast, I had dish duty. So I was introduced to the pantry area (the main kitchens are in the basement). I got to clean the tables, and put away the food, and move dishes around to get ready for the Noon meal.
I then had a few minutes to read some of the rules... the monastery uses the rule of the founder, but recently (25 years ago) switched to become a Benedictine order following the Rule of St. Benedict. I was given copies of both rules to read.
It was explained that these rules are more like guidance on how to be a good monk rather than rules like a card game. The St. Benedict's rule is 1500 years old and even the Huntington rule is from the early 1900s so both have to be interpreted by the order to apply appropriately to today's life.
After the Eucharist service I got to attend one of the Novitiate Classes. Br. James is the assistant novice master and Br. Mark is the current novice. We spent two hours discussing monastic habits and getting an introduction to the overall novice process here at Holy Cross.
We finished that just in time for Diurnum (Noon worship). As part of the Come and See program I get to sit up in the choir area with the monks for worship. I sit next to Br. Raphael who has been very kind and patient in getting me to the right page numbers. There's much more that the monks worry about in worship than just the one slip of paper they give the guests. Br. Raphael knows where to find the actual music they use. It's a much different vantage point...
See... I am actually here.
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