Thomas Merton
-
The Voice of the Heart
Listening to the voice of my heart has never come easy for me. I’m usually quick to assume a present feeling is final, an agony is forever, or that all of my questions should have answers and answers NOW.
-
I Wasn’t Ready To Write This
“Love alone could waken love.” Pearl S. Buck There are moments in life that I won’t be ready for. That doesn’t mean they won’t happen. That doesn’t mean I should sit back and do nothing. I wasn’t ready to write this. This isn’t another article about names in politics; this is an article about you and me. The…
-
The Great Anesthetic of Modern Day Life
(Originally posted on The Huffington Post Blog.) “The world is like an anesthetic… people are not going beyond the superficial to the meaning of life — they don’t even ask that question because they’re caught up in that anesthetizing process.” A Monk of Holy Trinity Abbey, Utah I woke up this morning with an overwhelming…
-
When Doing Nothing is Doing Everything
As originally posted on Huffington Post and Patheos: “Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving.” Bell Hooks This time, after jumping in my car, no maps were necessary as I navigated my way towards New Mellerary Abbey for the 10th time since 2011. Maybe I had gone enough times to know my way,…
-
To Be OK with the Blank Page
Originally posted on my HuffPost Blog “You can’t anticipate a garden. Stuff won’t grow until it’s time to grow and when the season’s finished, it’s all over.” -Father Anthony, OCSO My friend Dave told me once that to be ok with loneliness, you have to be ok with the blank page. Most of us can’t stop…
-
Abbey of Gethsemani • Trappist, KY
The Abbey of Gethsemani was the first monastery I have ever traveled to, so there was something delightful about returning to ‘where it all began.’ While I now sense a greater home at New Melleray (due to my more frequent stays and being from Iowa), I’m still so thankful and reverent of the introduction to…
-
Our Lady of the Angels Abbey • Crozet, VA
“Schola Caritatis.” Latin for school of love. Our Lady of the Angles Abbey in Crozet is the ‘youngest’ of Trappist Abbeys, being built in 1984. The land was used as a cheese farm, and the sisters of Crozet continue that work to this day. Crozet is tucked away in the hills of Virginia surrounded by…
-
Holy Cross Abbey • Berryhill, VA
The first blatant difference I noticed coming into Berryhill was the weather. It was the my first run in with the lovely winter, and I’m happy to report I was not only safe, but I also gazed in wonder like a child at the delicate snowfall (perhaps it helped that it still wasn’t as cold…
-
home away from home
Many people ask me why I call this ’17 spaces.’ The reason for this is that for every Trappist Monastery I have traveled to, I have felt it to be a free space for me to explore, learn, grow, ask hard questions of myself and the world, and ultimately deepen my sense and understanding of…
-
Thomas Merton
My interest in the Trappist’s lifestyle began when I first read some of the work of Thomas Merton. This seems to be a common starting place for many who find themselves retreating at Monasteries, so I have pondered what makes my experience different, what has God pointed me in this direction for? I’ve spoken with…
Dr. Cassidy Hall, DMin, MDiv, MTS, MA 