The Monastery Diaries, Part 1

Last night, I once again camped, this time on the grounds of the monastery. It was a fitful night. My body is definitely feeling the effects of walking 60 km in two days and sleeping on a thin air pad on the ground in a tent for three nights.

I went to the little monastic oratory at about 6:30 AM to pray Lauds. To my surprise, it started filling up with people shortly after I arrived. At some point, two monks arrived. Shortly thereafter, they celebrated a low Mass. It was silent, serene, and exactly the balm I needed.

Somehow, it was almost 8:30 by the time I was back to my campsite. Time to have a quick breakfast of camp food, break down camp, and walk the mile or so to the monastery with all my gear. I was not moving with what you might call any speed at all.

I finally set off for the Abbey at about 9:15 AM. I crossed the plank-and-cable bridge over Clear Creek. Yesterday, it had been quite a chore, what with all the bouncing around. Today, as the only one crossing it, it was much easier. And for the first time, I noticed the sign: “Men and boys only beyond this point”.

I arrived at the Abbey church in time for Terce, followed by high Mass. It was absolutely glorious to pray along with the Monks from my Monastic Diurnal.

I eventually caught up with the guest master, Father Nesbitt. He gave me the lay of the land a bit, and he let me into one of the guest rooms for the first shower I’ve had since Thursday morning.

I’m still not sure where I’m staying. Most probably in the guest quarters down by the chapel I prayed in this morning – the original monastery. There is, however, a small chance that one space may open in the Abbey proper. That would be lovely, of course, but I can certainly walk back and forth if I need to.

I spent about half an hour in the guest garden after my shower, just sitting and listening to a family reunion with one of the brothers. I spoke with an elderly gentleman named Mike, a member of the family, who had once lived in Tucson and (briefly) in Kent. He walked the Camino Portuguese almost twenty years ago.

Then it was back to the Abbey church for Sext, followed by lunch in the refectory with the Monks. The Abbot shared the head table with Bishop Schneider, and after lunch, the guests had a chance to meet with him for a little while. While His Excellency is soft-spoken, he is also very well-spoken. His knowledge appears encyclopedic, and we discussed new religious foundations in the United States for a while before the Abbot whisked him away for a meeting.

Father Nesbitt made the call, and I am (at least temporarily) in room three, which is the same room with the shower I borrowed earlier.

This place is like a maze; I’m sure I’ll eventually figure it out, but right now I’m doing an awful lot of wandering around to get back to the same places that I was earlier. And there is, so far as I can tell, no Wi-Fi at the Abbey. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by that!

In my quest to find the shared restroom, I did a bit of exploring of the guest wing, right down the stairwell to the crypt chapel. It is glorious! The many side altars remind me very much of monasteries I have seen in France and northern Spain. And I have never seen such a beautiful traditional icon of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton before. It absolutely stopped me in my tracks.

I also found the guest library, which proved to be an absolute treasure. 

None was at 3 PM, followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and then Adoration. Somehow, I was there until Vespers began at 5 PM.

It was heaven on earth.

The monks all filed out in their usual way after None, but at some point, they started slowly filtering back in, not in their usual procession, but in a haphazard, random way.

When the bell rang to summon them for Vespers, all of them left to line up for procession.

Vespers was absolutely beautiful, and it was followed by Benediction.

Afterwards, I spoke with Father Nesbitt, who confirmed that I would be in room three for the rest of my stay, which delighted me immensely. There’s just something about being in the building. 

Since dinner was not until 7:30, I had some time to write and to peruse a book I borrowed from the library. There I met up with some of the other guests, and we had a far-ranging conversation. Weirdly, I wasn’t the person who brought up the Camino. It turns out that at least two other guests here have walked it, one as recently as this past summer.

After dinner, we had some conversation with Father Nesbitt before retiring to our rooms to await Compline. 

The end of Compline was wild. Following the Salve Regina, there was an additional psalm or something, as well as an additional prayer. And instead of processing out at the end, the monks just randomly scattered in all directions. I’m going to have to check the Abbey’s own books to see what that was all about. 

Afterwards, I returned to my room and did some much-needed laundry. 

Will I wake up in time for Matins? We shall see!

After three days on the Three Hearts Pilgrimage (which you can read about on my Camino blog), I spent three days at the Abbey of Our Lady of the Annunciation of Clear Creek. These posts are my recollections and reflections of that time.