by Kathi Stearns

Most people imagine quiet prayerful men as premier candidates for the monastic life. Few realize the men who were jazz musicians, snake handlers, police detectives, architects and war veterans form the Trappist community of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers.

Trappist Brother Bernard Abell, OCSO, an agriculturist who enjoys both the company of snakes and playing classical guitar, made the solemn profession of his monastic vows Jan. 26. Dom Bernard Johnson, OCSO, the abbot, was the principal celebrant of the Mass of solemn profession.

Brother Bernard first visited the monastery as a nine-year-old on a field trip while a student at Mimosa Elementary School, Roswell.

As a young adult growing up in Miami, he now recalls himself as “self-centered.” The ‘70s were turbulent and tested him as much as any other youth of his age. He saw his friends lose their way and even their lives as they experimented with the temptations of the era.

In an attempt to find answers to the troubling questions of life he moved out of his parents’ home and began a search for a new way o life.

“There were horrible things happening ... I’m convinced when we look back on it in 30 or 40 years there is going to be a whole group of people missing who were teenagers in the ‘70s, who never got married or had kids because they never recovered from the scars of that time.”

At first he lived in a house that was rented by Vietnam war veterans. The veterans taught the younger Bernard about the relationship between the human condition and suffering.

“Religion is one way to try to make sense out of suffering ... I had watched a lot of horrible things happen to people that I really loved ... The questions I had about my life experiences became more and more profound,” he said.

At 24 he was baptized a Catholic at St. Louis Church in Miami. “It wasn’t until I was on my own that I decided Catholicism was the solid religion. From studies of other faiths I learned that only Catholicism, with its deep-rooted tradition, appealed to me.”

Brother Bernard believes the life of a monk is a mystery to many people. To him it is as simple as the life he leads.

“The monastic tradition is a lifelong quest for God and the truth. Sometimes one gets glimpses of what the truth is and gets answers to some of his questions. We’re all called to the same God and to share the same intimacy with Him, but monastic people are called in a particular way.”

“The call that brought me here came after a long period of profound reflection on life experiences. There are a lot of questions that need answers that can only be answered from inside oneself with God’s help.”

During the interrogation of his solemn profession Abbot Bernard Johnson reminded Brother Bernard that an important aspect of spiritual life in the monastery is service to his brothers within the community.

“Even though monastic life is basically a life of solitude, I find fulfillment in it through my relationship with other people. God put us here all together and said, ‘You people mingle, and we’ll see what happens.’”

In 1988, Brother Bernard with the assistance of the abbot then, Dom Armand Veilleux, now procurator general of the order in Rome, selected his religious name. Bernard’s first choice was Rocco, a famous Italian saint who is the patron of contagious diseases.

The abbot guided him away from Rocco and gave him two choices: Bernard, the greatest saint of their order, or Horsiesious, the disciple of St. Pachomius.

“The choice became rather obvious,” Brother Bernard explained.

“The symbolism of the new name reflects a new man in Christ and a new life. Taking a religious name is a very beautiful symbol of my commitment.”

Brother Bernard’s two-month observership began April 1, 1988. After completing this phase of the monastic life, a candidate is required to leave the monastery for one month. He traveled to the Florida Keys and worked with his father, Andy, for six weeks on his charter boat.

He started his six-month postulancy, Aug. 7, 1988. On Feb. 11, 1989, he began his two-year novitiate. Brother Bernard made the simple profession of his vows on Feb. 11, 1991.

At the monastery Brother Bernard is the sub-cantor, plumber, carpenter and assists the general maintenance and heavy equipment departments. On Saturday, his day off, he mows the grass near the guest house.

In his free time Brother Bernard enjoys neo-Platonic philosophy. “It is through the language of philosophy that we are best able to describe our experiences. It is extremely important to know what words mean.”

When he is not discussing the works of St. Augustine, he can be seen with his boa constrictor, Ted. His interest in snakes came from his work as a wildlife collector in the Everglades, where he caught opossums, snakes, frogs and rabbits for agencies requesting them.

“I stopped collecting them because there aren’t enough snakes out there. There are about 10 different snakes which have been put on the endangered species list since I entered the monastery.”

Bitten by a rattlesnake once, the future monk suffered paralysis in his left hand for six months.

Thirty-five invited guests, including his sister Lydia Abell, a police officer in Dade County, Fla., and his father, attended his solemn profession. His oldest sister Andrea Ryan, of California, and mother Gladie, of Key West, Fla., were unable to attend. A reception was held in the guest house.