Im pretty sure I was even holding back tears at this point. Were all getting old., Read: Silent, Yes, but Never Withdrawn: Readers Respond to this Dwindling Catholic Monastery. At the edge of the gardens is a stunning view of the Cooper River that you can enjoy after spending some contemplative time meditating in the labyrinth. Thats what everyone dreams of right?! MONCKS CORNER, S.C. A year and a half ago, I could do anything run the chain saw, cut up trees, use a backhoe.. And its not backbreaking work, because were an older community., (In the 1950s, when their numbers were higher and the average age was much lower, the monks working life was more varied and physically intense; they ran a lumber mill, raised cattle and had a large-scale bakery.). We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. A visit will give you an interesting look into a more devout way of life. We were learning about the great traditions of the church, including monasticism, and whatever Protestant bias I had was washed away as I recognized that the church had found wisdom and grace through monks and nuns for millennia. Perhaps ironically, when you devote eight hours a day to prayer, it seems you have all the time in the world. Thank you so much! Individual abbeys juggle these occasionally competing commitments in different ways. And maybe, by some creativity, looking to the future, they can help to hold on to, and spread, this tradition.. I dont even remember what I said, but I guess it was funny! Father Gerard-Jonas Palmares inside one of the locations where mushrooms are grown at Mepkin Abbey. Moncks Corner, SC 29461 I first met Jessica while I was working a full-time job before I went full time with photography! I was mortified. For decades, the monastery relied on an egg farm that produced as many as 30,000 eggs per day. She cruised over to the monks block of butter and started to help herself, when 95-year-old Father Christian, with bent back and long beard and twinkle in his eye, asked, Oh, I see youre joining us today? He was genuinely delighted. Perhaps he should have addressed that. Benedict instructed that a novice's street clothes should be kept. And I doubt you need to tell him that parenting six children is a monumental task. Jessica pushed me and saw potential in me that I didnt see myself. All Benedictinesthe larger umbrella under which Trappists existpledge to receive every guest as Christ. font-size:20px; [Dont miss more stories like this one. You know, they rev their hands up when they pray, like theyre getting going. Sure enough, I noticed in the next office: the monks circle their hands like theyre cranking an engine. Stephen, his wife Dina and the youngest of their six children live in Bronxville, N.Y. Stephen and Dina have made pilgrimages with America Media to Ignatian Spain and the Holy Land. I went to Mepkin Abbey with three objectives: to improve my prayer practice; to experience a full immersion into the daily life of a monk; and to begin a discernment about the next phase of my life. The abbey is struggling to attract and retain younger novices. There is a gift shop on the premises where you can buy products made by the monks, as well as regional specialties.Although the Abbey is well off the beaten path, it is definitely worth the time, especially if you appreciate pristine beauty and relative solitude. You eat in a room catty-corner to the monks, but you can get to their butter without great effort. What a peaceful place. Work is another central pillar of life for the Trappists at Mepkin as a means of supporting the community, providing solidarity with workers, and promoting a healthy mind and body. ?--unless i missed it. We took a tour of Mepkin Abbey and it cost $5 per person. For more family-friendly things to do around the Lowcountry, . While many monks at Mepkin are concerned about the monasterys future, they also see this moment as an opportunity to pioneer a new form of monasticism. To be sure, many of the Trappist traditions at Mepkin are helping to sustain the monastery. Under the umbrella of the Diocese of Charleston, Mepkin Abbey is a beautiful and quiet enchanting spot in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. But one day, I finally changed my mind. The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone. I wore an unflattering, hoodie-like habit. 1098 Mepkin Abbey Rd, Moncks Corner, SC 29461-4796 Read Reviews of Mepkin Abbey Barony House #1 of 45 Restaurants in Moncks Corner 103 reviews 401 Altman St 5.9 miles from Mepkin Abbey " We frequent this restaurant ev. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use Bookwhen. We clomped in and sat down. I felt privileged to reside in such a beautiful place, to live in silence and to brush against the gentle disposition, intelligence and wisdom of the monks. A Bible at the conclusion of vigils, the first of seven daily prayer services at Mepkin Abbey. It's located outside of Charleston in Berkeley County. (Theyve since changed to a shiitake and oyster mushroom operation.) Walking paths, benches overlooking the river. We ask readers to log in so that we can recognize you as a registered user and give you unrestricted access to our website. The, crche exhibit is incredible and extensive - be sure to vote for your favorite. In January 2007, a PETA investigation found that the abbey's hens endure constant abuse for almost two years before they are killed. We were born when the Wesleys asked their fellow baptized members of a state church: Are we going to take Jesus seriously or not? I've known Jessica and Bobby for a few years now. So she gathered her tray and breezed out of the guest areaand right into the monks area. Do you want a wedding photo shoot at the Mepkin Abbey? A Reflection for Saturday of the First Week of Lent, by Christopher Parker. Guided tours ($5 per person) are offered at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, except on any Friday designated a Desert Day . When I told her once that if I died, I wanted her to remarry someone as like me as possible while also somehow not nearly as good, she responded, If something happens to me, you have my blessing to join the monastery. Romance at its finest. The thought of being a wedding photographer had crossed my mind, but I was too scared. Got a question about Mepkin Abbey? Shes so cute! in November make you reservation via the web in October it fills up fast. For a Year. So says the advertisement for Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist monastery in South Carolina. The coffee, tea, hot chocolate and fresh from the oven cookies that are available during the Creche festival is a wonderful touch. They brought out the eldest and most infirm monks and sat them in front of the rest of us. (Other religious organizations, like Hillsong Church, for example, have used Instagram and other platforms to reach and engage with younger generations.) 27 reviews of Mepkin Abbey "This is seriously one of the best kept secrets in the Greater Charleston Area. [2] His wife, Clare Boothe Luce, commissioned and built an extensive landscape garden there known as the Mepkin Garden. The retreat master finally took me aside. And if that means closing Mepkin, that means closing Mepkin., I believe theres going to be a turnaround, he added. As a monk at Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist monastery in South Carolina, he maintains that Roman Catholic order's code of prayer, work, seclusion, poverty and chastity. if you are trying to comment, you must log in or set up a new account. I joined the monks in chanting psalms during the seven offices of the Liturgy of the Hours, the first of which, Vigils, kicks off at 3:20 a.m. The abbeys new affiliate program will offer two new short-term monastic options for people of any, or no, faith traditions: a monthlong monastic institute, open to men and women, and a yearlong residency. What young people keep telling us, said Father Joe Tedesco, the chair of the committee for Mepkins future development, is that theyre interested in the spiritual life journey, but not in institutional religion. more. It really is the grace of Mepkin.. Jason Byassee teaches homiletics and biblical hermeneutics at the Vancouver School of Theology in British Columbia. It's a MUST SEE! ! Our people were hungry to pray like monks. The main architecture is the trees. Lately, though, Brother Josephs health has taken a turn for the worse, narrowing the scope of his monastic life. I was blessed to meet Jessica at just the perfect time. (Several Trappist monasteries in Africa and Asia, for example, havent been plagued by the same decline in vocations and some, at least partly because of the stability of monastic life and the unfamiliarity of the message, Father Stan said, are brimming with young monks.) (While there, he used the first name Aelred.). Thank you! Mepkin retreatants are welcome to observe the Liturgy of the Hours with the monks, joining in worship and prayer at all seven daily services in the Abbey Church, beginning with Lauds at 3:20. Absolutely, an incredible experience. Father Christian took Jaylynns misunderstanding of the rules as a sign that Christ had a special grace for him and his brothers that day. I reminded him recently of those shit-shoveling days. Because tents have been known to damage the gardens, only chairs (which are available for rental) are allowed. During my month-long monastic immersion, I lived in a small, comfortable room in the monks dormitory. 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Vietnam, Articles M