Print Issue: March 28, 2002

Terce

Introduction • Vigils • Lauds • Terce • Sext • None • Vespers • Compline

By Deacon Michael Balfour
Photography by Michael Alexander

At 9:50 a.m., the sound of the abbey bell calls the community to return to prayer, the foundation of their communal life. The monks gather in the chapter room for Terce (mid-morning prayer), the third and shortest office of the day. As do all the offices of the day, Terce consists of prayers, passages from the psalms, songs and readings from Scripture. The chapter room is set aside for community meetings and is designed to imitate the choir arrangement in the abbey church. Two rows of benches face each other with the abbot's chair at one end. As in the large church, a crosier, or shepherd's staff, is always standing next to the abbot's seat as a reminder to the community of his authority and to himself of his call to be a protector and guide to his brothers.

As Terce concludes at 10 a.m. the monks, novices and observers begin the first work period of the day.

"First of all, every time you begin a good work, you must pray to him most earnestly to bring it to perfection."
RB prologue

The brothers of Our Lady of Holy Spirit Abbey each have specific work duties in community. Some may be assigned to the maintenance needs of the abbey itself. This can include simple housekeeping and cleaning or the preparation of meals. Others may be assigned to the various endeavors that support the abbey financially. The monks rely on the sales of their products and crafts not to generate a profit but to be able to renovate and update the abbey as times and the needs of the aging population change. This income has allowed for the installation of new elevators that allow some of the retired and infirm brothers access to the main church and refectory. The refectory itself has undergone recent renovations to bring new dishwashing equipment on the same level as the dining area and a new "coffee room" that allows the monks to have access to small refreshments during the day.

One of the major renovations to the abbey is a remodeling of the crypt space directly under the church. A modern conference and meeting space is being realized.

The guesthouse does not have set costs for retreatants, but donations are accepted. One of the job assignments requires a monk to manage the operations that include taking reservations, overseeing the meals and the preparation of rooms.

Brothers are also assigned to work in the bonsai garden, the bookshop, the bakery that brings in revenue from the sale of fruitcakes, or in the stained glass shop.

In each area, whether in the revenue-generating enterprises or in the support duties of the monastery such as carpentry, electrical work, or the kitchens, only an experienced, solemn professed monk can be assigned to be in charge. Over the years, with the general aging of the community, the monks have had to turn to the outside world for help in some of the work as fewer of the younger monks are available to be trained. Father Methodius Telnack, OCSO, is in charge of the stained glass shop and has designed and produced creations for churches and buildings since April of 1957. Some of the work is now being contracted out due to the lack of experienced or trained monks. Many of the senior brothers' wish is that God will bless the community with an increase in vocations so that the abbey will realize revitalization and an ability to carry on the varied work-related needs of the community and once again build up their own source of "monk power."

In the bakery, Brother Basil Arsenio directs two novices, an observer and an oblate priest in the intricacies of creating the now famous Our Lady of Holy Spirit Abbey fruitcakes. Over 250 are produced each week.

An observer assigned to the bonsai shop quickly learned an important lesson when he was asked by one of the older brothers what he was doing. "I'm making dirt," he said.

"No, you're making soil. Dirt is what's tracked in on the bottom of your shoes," the brother replied. The observer indicated he learned that "the world is full of subtle but important differences."

(L-r) Karen Leibnitz, a lay employee, novice Brother Benedict Joseph and observer Fred Dilger search for the right pot to fill an order in the bonsai shop. The abbey provides a full line of bonsai pottery and tools imported directly from Japan. The bonsai operation is one source of work for monks and revenue for the abbey.

Each brother, whether observer or solemn professed, if physically capable, serves the community in "attempting to bring good work to perfection" for the benefit of the entire house. There are currently 53 in community at the abbey with only 20 capable of daily work. Six monks are retired in the infirmary, one brother is recuperating and will eventually work on a limited capacity. Seven semi-retired monks help on a part-time basis and 11 work a regular schedule without heavy manual labor.

In addition four of the brothers are "away." The term refers to those given permission to work outside or be away from the abbey for a period of time. Three are on sick leave and one, Father Thomas Francis, OCSO, is serving as chaplain to Trappist religious women in Venezuela. He is scheduled to return to the abbey in September of this year.

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