Categories: uncategorized
Date: 18 February 2005 07:06:21
Aside from breakfast, which is taken in the guest's dining room, I took all my meals with the monks, and other guests, in the refectory. Only males can take meals with the monks as only males are allowed in the monastery area proper.
After the service before dinner or tea, one follows the monks into their cloisters and into the refectory. You stand behind one of the seats of the large table in the middle of the room while the monks take their place in tables around the edges. A prayer is said. You sit.
A verse is read. A bell rings. The meal begins. The reading continues.
Two monks, one for each side of the table, place the dish containing the food to one side of you. You take what you want and nod a "Thanks" when you are done [the meals are conducted in silence, save for the reading and prayers]. This continues for each dish. For dinner (lunch), we had a three-course meal and tea was a two-course affair. You also had a small bottle of wine, and water and lemon soft drink.
Benedictines are known for their hospitality. Meals were as varied as roast pork with vegetables to rice dishes to chicken. Salads, fruit and the bread baked at the monastery bakery were ever present. The wine went down very nicely. It was a bit strange at first to be in the midst of the monks, seemingly surrounded on every side by them ;-), but that feeling soon passed.
After the Bible reading, a reading from a book is read. They were currently going through a history of the monastic orders in Britain, and it was fascinating to hear about the history. On Sunday evening a choral music CD was played. Just before the end of the meal, a rule from The Rule of St Benedict was read.
After dinner, guests were invited by the Abbot for a coffee and some conversation. A nice glass or two of port also featured at these after-dinner get-togethers. It was a fascinating time of varied discussion.
Breakfast was one of the many times I caught up with other guests staying at the monastery. It was wonderful to meet such a diverse group of people and to share some time with them. We were all friends there; it was wonderful.