Ten men will spend two full days with the monastic community starting today. This Monastic Immersion Weekend, our seventh since beginning a few years ago, will welcome our 100th participant since the program began.
Above are just two items participants receive-one for fun (the hat, obviously) and one serious, the Abbey Crucifix which is blessed and presented by the Abbot in a simple, yet beautiful, ceremony on the high altar after Compline tonight. Other items for the MIW class include a copy of the Rule of St Benedict, Merton’s book on Prayer and Esther de Waal’s important work on the Rule for laypeople. To encourage continuing to pray as they do with the monks these two days, MIW participants also receive a copy of the Glenstal Abbey Breviary to take home with them.
They will be off to bed after a short Q&A with the abbot this evening. Vigils, for which the ‘singing bowl’ rings to wake us up at 3am, comes quickly!
We appreciate your prayers for the success of our Monastic Immersion Weekend. Check back to this space for more news during the weekend.
Tim says
I hope and pray all the participants have a Holy and enlightening experience this weekend.