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Sunday, November 21. 2010

Retreat at Mepkin Abbey


I have a retired friend who spends around 6 weeks each year at Mepkin Abbey in South Carolina. Quite a few people do this sort of thing. It's a Trappist monastery (Cistercian, with strict rules) with guest houses for retreatants. (They do take in married couples as retreatants and you probably need to be Roman Catholic, but I'm not sure.)


He does whatever labor is assigned to him - from baling hay to cleaning toilets, observes the rules of silence, and makes it to all of the Masses (beginning after the morning bells at 3 AM).


He returns home "cleansed and refreshed by the Spirit." The guy was a drop-out seminarian, USMC in Vietnam, and, as he describes himself, a "kick-ass businessman." He is, indeed, a tough SOB who loves the Lord.


The Abbey is an old plantation on the Cooper River, north of Charleston, donated to the order by the Luce family.

Posted by Bird Dog in Our Essays, Religion at 12:00 | Comments (6) | Trackbacks (0)

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In one episode of Cheers, Sam's conscience was actually getting the better of him over some misdeed or another. He had been to see a priest but was balking at the idea of having to do penance.

Carla said it for all of us Papists when she responded, "It's not a religion for wusses, Sammy."

In other episode, she admonished him, "Don't mess with nuns!"

She was right on both counts, believe me!
#1 JJM on 2010-11-21 16:32 (Reply)
I remember meeting one of the monks at a nursery near Hilton Head. He was at the grand opening to promote Mepkin Abbey's composted chicken manure fertilizer called Earth Healer. Great stuff - it made anything grow. The monk had a great sense of humor, too. He said they'd originally thought to call it Holy Shit, but decided that Earth Healer would be a better name.

I remember he had a truly happy and joyful attitude that to this day makes me think that they are doing something right at Mepkin Abbey.
#2 Phil in Englewood on 2010-11-21 19:16 (Reply)
When I was in my twenties, I always intended to visit a monastery. Years later, I finally did. Take my word: it's never too soon to start visiting monasteries. If you have the itch, scratch it.

One of my favorite memories is walking across a crisp, snowy path at 5 AM, under a golden full moon in a dark sky studded with stars. The chapel was in a low wooden building across the court. Somewhere a wood fire was burning. As I opened the chapel door, incense hit me in the face, and I caught a glimpse of icons in a candle-lit room littered with oriental rugs (I am Orthodox). I was outside of space and time.
#3 ahem on 2010-11-21 20:12 (Reply)
Thanks for the tip. I think I will make my next vacation a praycation...
#4 Pajak (Link) on 2010-11-21 20:56 (Reply)
Years ago I was priviledged to visit the Monks of New Skete for two weeks.

I have to admit, it was a peaceful experience.
#5 Tom Francis on 2010-11-21 22:59 (Reply)
Mepkin Abbey used to provide eggs for much of Lowcountry South Carolina's better restraunts and grocery stores and, of course, the resulting chicken fetilizer. PETA gave them so much grief about the chickens that about two years ago, Mepkin Abbey left the egg and chicken business and now sells mushrooms to the public to support themselves.
#6 LM Mayland on 2010-11-22 09:48 (Reply)

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