Trappists as Countercultural Force

I just completed a five day silent retreat at the Abbey of Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Trappist Community located near Lafayette, Oregon. Together with five other priests and two spiritual directors I lived in the guest house, ate meals in the guest refectory and joined the monks for their sung prayer when I wanted, and several times for their silent mediation in a beautiful little room with a large window overlooking a deep forest. I'll write about my personal experience at another time. I want to reflect today on the Trappists as countercultural force.

Some might say that the Trappists are medieval, anachronistic and irrelevant. I do not agree. Their nine hundred year history spans several eras. They are international. And though declining in numbers, they are remarkably resilient. How could one say that men living in community, keeping silence, praying five times a day and dressing in robes with hoods are any thing by counter cultural when most live in isolation, speak noise, pray little and dress modern (whatever that means...) "Monk" originally referred to those who took their spiritual training as seriously as athletes took their physical training. Monks are training themselves for the Kingdom of God. Their lifestyle reflects a different value system than the dominate culture around them and they have organized themselves to live by their values of community and conversion:
Community: expressed in their common life and their vow of stability, concretized by the cemetery on the monastery grounds.,
Conversion: meaning openness to being shaped by the Word of God in Scripture, prayer and liturgy;
Trqppists are avid readers, persistent meditators and dedicated prayers;

In the guest house refectory one of the monks regularly posts cartoons, notices and quotes of the day from his reading and study. I found this short poem by Pablo Neruda particularly meaningful:

If each day falls inside each night,
there exists a well where clarity is imprisoned.
We need to sit on the rim of the well of darkness
and Fish for Fallen Light
with patience.

Thomas Merton is the most famous contemporary Trappist. He died in 1968 while visiting Thailand for interfaith dialogues. He was a good friend of Thich Nhat Hanh. They take vows. Trappists are rigorous Benedictines. They live in community. They wear white habits with hoods and extra long sleeves. Black cowls go over the top of their habits while a broad brown leather belt holds their distinctive look together. (Look on the Web for a picture--it's sort of how I imagine someone to look who is a "monk".) They pray the hours five times a day. They act on the belief that constant immersion in the Word of God and prayer makes a difference not only for their lives but for the life of the world. Their schedule is remarkable (The five prayer hours are required; the silent meditations in community are optional):
4:15 am Vigils (First Hour prayer in the chapel)
4:25 am-5:00 am Silent Meditation (optional for those who want it)
(I never made it to these early services, but I did go to most of the rest of them.)
6:00 am -6:25 am Silent Meditation
6:30 am Lauds (Second Hour prayers followed by Mass)
12:30 pm Day Hour (Third Hour prayers)
5:30 pm Vespers (Fourth Hour prayers)
5:50-6:20 pm Silent Meditation
7:30 pm Compline (Fifth Hour prayers)

Each prayer period lasts about 20 minutes and consists of sung psalms, hymns, spoken readings and prayers. Between the hours of prayer the monks read and study, eat, work (This Abbey has three businesses which the monks operate: baking fruit cakes, which they sell on liine; a sustainable forestry project on some of the 1,300 acres they own; and a book bindery.) They retire to sleep early and rise up early in the day! Visiting in May was nice because all but one of the hours was in some kind of daylight. I can't imagine January when all but the Day Hour would be in darkness!

The grounds are beautiful, modest and well kept. A large duck pond supports two duck couples, whom I immediately named my Oregon Ducks! They waddle, sleep on one foot and dive comically for food, their butts in the air and they little webbed feet churning to keep them standing on their heads. It takes a lot of effort to be an Oregon Duck! I tried to lap the pond at least ten times each day. Part of my retreat was to get out of the city and to breath some good country air, which I did.

Visiting the Abbey (which by the way is on "Abbey road" in Lafayette) was inspiring to me. I have great appreciation for those who have dedicated their lives to something so very different than most modern or post modern people, and though I am not drawn to join them, their example of being a countercultural force is agitational.

P Moe
5-9-05