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| From Conyers Monks |
When I think of monks, I either think of the dark robe clad balding types of the Friar Tuck variety, or of the Martial Arts Masters from any number of Kung Fu movies, but its interesting to note that Monks live among us, just a short drive to the East, near Conyers, Georgia
At the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Rockdale County, Georgia, you can see first hand, real monks at work. They are neither of the kind listed above, but rest assured robes (albeit white) are the predominant mode of dress. They belong to the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, or as they are more commonly known Trappists.
The name Trappists comes from the original monastery founded in the 1600’s near La Trappe, France. Its also shorter and easier to remember. These are the same Trappists that brought us the Catholic Author Thomas Merton, and who were martyred by Islamic radicals in 1996 in Tibhirine, Algiers. Our Trappist Monks here in Conyers are their spiritual brothers.
The Monastery of the Holy Spirit was founded in the Spring of 1944 by a settlement of monks from the Abbey of Gethsemani, near Louisville, Kentucky. The 1400 acres of land was donated by the Archdiocese of Atlanta and Henry Luce (Original Publisher of Fortune, Life, and Sports Illustrated magazines, among others). They originally lived in a barn and it took until 1959 for the main building to be completed (The Church was completed one year later)
The Monks live a simple, contemplative life of prayer, communal worship, and manual labor. It is nice to have in our area a physical reminder of how simple life could be, if we only made the proper choices. On my visit, I was able to speak briefly with a monk, who had been in residence there since 1949. Imagine a life lived in communion with God and the land, free from commercial marketing, 10 minute lunches, reality TV, incessant consumerism, and the overwhelming drive to make more money. It was clear who was the better man.
To survive the Trappists do several things to support themselves. They are most famous for their Trappist Beers, though (unfortunately for us), that craft is reserved for the order in Belgium and the Netherlands (though maybe if someone made the right donation, we could bring this craft to our backyard). Here at the Conyers monastery they are most well known for their Stained Glass work and their Bonzai Trees. They also have a nice Abbey Store where Catholic religious items and books can be purchased as well as food items they produce, or are produced by other Trappist Monasteries around the world. Anything under the label, From the Abbot’s Table, is made by our Conyers monks, and their specialties are fudge and jellies. I bought some Cherry Apple Pie Butter that simply made an English Muffin sing in my mouth.
More and more the monks are relying on Tourism to draw revenues, and thus I felt compelled to let Atlanta know what you can do out there. The Church is open to the public (Hours of operation), and I was able to attend the Vespers service (evening prayers). I was a little disappointed that it was not done in Latin, not that I’m a hyper traditionalist, but English is more accessible to the every day Georgian. You can tour the Bonzai greenhouse, or take a nice walk on the grounds along a tiny, but picturesque lake that has its share of geese and ducks. There is a short film about the history of Monastery to be viewed. And let’s not forget the primary goal of the center, it is a quiet place that makes one’s walk with God a little easier. Many organizations make use of its facilities for Planned Retreats, but you can use the land, free of charge, for personal spiritual growth.
Now in interest of full disclosure, I do want to let it be known that I am a practicing Catholic and have often thought I would make a good monk, except for the no women part. But that doesn’t change a thing, the Monastery of the Holy Spirit is a welcome, albeit different, addition to the varied attractions in the Greater Atlanta area. It certainly has a different purpose than most, but how many of us are, from time to time, searching for a different purpose. If you only spend an hour or so there, remember the Arabia Mountain preserve is only seven miles away.
