Visiting with our Youth Group

Tomorrow's lesson in our Youth Group is about religious orders and living a life devoted to prayer.  I knew that this close to tax time, I'd be feeling a bit lazy and so I decided to take my older kids up to the monastery, then they could teach the lesson.  (OK, perhaps I wanted them to see it first-hand and experience the place.)  So after leaving NJ at the ungodly hour of 6:00 AM, we arrived a bit before the Eucharist service. 

Note that this is a long post - one to tell about our whole day, so grab a cup of coffee and enjoy!  Let me first introduce you to my friends, Matt, Susan and Sara. 

As we arrived, the monastery was still in The Great Silence (and we weren't yet) so we explored the grounds a bit, checked out the cloistered porch, and the chapel before folks arrived.

I'll spare you all the photos of the places we've seen before, but I will note that we're in Easter season so the place was decked out with beautiful flowers - especially lilies.  The other thing I'll note is that the new guest library is finished and it's incredible.

After Eucharist, we met briefly in St. Mary's parlor which was to be our base of operations for the day.  We met briefly with Brother James R. who was going to be our host, and afterward we had some free time.  I heard the Kairos group (the Monastery's Choral group) rehearsing in the chapel so I sat and listened to them (I was told I also had a brief nap, but Vicky woke me when I started snoring too loudly). 

We went searching for the youth and found they had moved outside to the Middlehouse porch since someone else was using the parlor (it was a very busy weekend).



So when the bell rang, we went in to Diurnum (Noon prayer), had Dinner (Noon meal - incredible baby back ribs, potato salad and coleslaw) and then met up with Br. James.  He shared with us some basic history of the monastic movement and talked about how someone becomes a monk, sharing a bit from his personal history (he used to be a teacher).  The kids had a fair number of questions, but eventually the post-lunch period took it's toll and as heads started nodding, to walk around a bit and get a tour while continuing the discussion. 

 

Here's where it got interesting, I wasn't expecting the tour to include portions of the "Monastic Enclosure", the area where the monks live, work and interact.  We started talking about their rule of life - the Rule of St. Benedict and he brought us to the Chapter House - where the brothers meet every day to read a chapter of the rule to each other.  It is a square room with an octagonal center that is quite striking and has the initial words of the rule painted on the lower border.

 

Br. James showed us an example of a monk's cell (room).  We didn't actually go to their rooms, but one of the offices occupies the same amount of space and is laid out the same way (without the bed and desk).  We did get to peak briefly into their common room, a sort of living room for the brothers.

Br. James then shared about the importance of work and so we went to the basement where we saw the laundry, met briefly with Br. Robert (the Superior of the Order - in charge of all four monasteries), and then saw their incense manufacturing operation.  Holy Cross Monastery is known far and wide for the quality of their liturgical incense. 



We got to see exactly what frankincense is and then see how they blend it with essential oils to color the fragrance it gives off when burning.

And then since we were in the basement of the monastic enclosure, we got to tour their library.

Following the library tour, Br. James showed around outside of the monastic enclosure explaining how they shared a number of items (including cars).  We also briefly met Br. Scott, the house Prior who was returning from inspecting Br. Bernard's efforts with the honeybees.  (They were worried that they had lost another hive, but there seemed to be adequate activity.)


 From there we went in and explored the Crypt
 

After the Crypt, we had a few minutes to visit the Gift Shoppe, where Br. Jose was quite helpful.  We ended up with a small selection of stick incense, post cards and I got the next volume for my St. John's Bible.  Matt was very interested in the liturgical incense and wanted to buy a small pack and some charcoal.  I obtained photographic proof that he promised to check in with his mother before trying to burn it in the house... we also found a fellow guest (I think a seminary student) who was very helpful in supplying tips on how to use it indoors properly.

 
 

Finally, our last item of the day was having Br. James explain a labyrinth and how it might be used in our personal spirituality.  One woman came up and started to use it while we were talking, so they got to see it in action.

 Though as Vicky and I departed to let them at it, I wasn't certain that there would be any takers...
 

In the end, they chose to go down by the river for a while before Vespers and Supper.  Vicky and I passed the time on a bench at my favorite spot (top of the hill overlooking everything), and then in pilgrim hall.

 

We finished with a group photo just before Supper (Gyros!).

I think we had a great time.  One interesting tidbit is that after an intensely contemplative day, the car EXPLODED into noisy conversation just as we pulled out of the monastic driveway.  My youth friends are in 8th and 9th grade after all, and I'll admit it's a bit of a stretch to make desert fathers, monastic living, work and contemplation interesting, but everyone seemed to have a great time. 

 

And who knows... someday maybe I'll go up for a visit and meet up with Br. Matt.

 

 

 

 

 

One last thing... this was my first visit up there with my new camera.  It turns out it has a "pencil sketch" feature (whatever that means).  If you want digitally generated pencil sketches of the Middlehouse door or of the Chapel, here they are...