Thankfully, the monastic guest program at Mepkin is open to all: those discerning a vocation or not, Catholic or not, men or not. Some tips for making the most of your twilight years. We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services. I learned later that the monks had needed some assistance with a liturgical gesture, and the Methodists were nearby and ready to lend a hand. We were learning about the great traditions of the church, including monasticism, and whatever Protestant bias I had was washed away as I recognized that the church had found wisdom and grace through monks and nuns for millennia. The monastery grounds include a graveyard containing the ashes of Henry Laurens, as well as the graves of John Laurens, Clare Boothe Luce, and Henry Luce. In 1936 the well-known publisher Henry R. Luce bought the property. Sign up for our newsletter.]. Father Gerard Jonas was unsurprised and confided that the monastic guest program lasts for one month for a good reason: A would-be monk should understand that the life can be monotonous. Required fields are marked *. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in India. The monastery grounds include a graveyard containing the ashes of Henry Laurens, as well as the graves of John Laurens, Clare Boothe Luce, and Henry Luce. Another Trappist community facing similar challenges the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity, in Huntsville, Utah celebrated its final Mass last August, then shuttered its monastery. ! Our people were hungry to pray like monks. He prays that there will always be dark, quiet churches, so that even if folks dont know how to pray, they can step inside a minute and breathe easily. They turn out the lights, light candles by a statue of Mary, and chant together the Salve Regina, an ancient prayer invoking Marys help. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. So why didnt I want to introduce my Methodist congregants to them? There was no room for a wall, and if there were, itd have just blocked the breeze. Mepkin Abbey part of a global network of Trappist monasteries that for nearly 1,000 years have provided their communities with reliable sources of prayer, learning and hospitality is edging. Moncks Corner, SC 29461. He is the head, we are the members. There is nice small gift shop which helps support the community. Add a bit of spirituality to your getaway at Mepkin Abbey. I learned about my parishioners upbringings, their siblings, their parents, their children, their loves I wouldnt have known anything about without that time together. I always wish that I could stay there a lot longer.If there is a place in total peace. Under the umbrella of the Diocese of Charleston, Mepkin Abbey is a beautiful and quiet enchanting spot in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The abbey is located near Moncks Corner, at the junction of the two forks of the Cooper River northwest of Charleston, and is located in the Diocese of Charleston. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Their openness has allowed them to be easy prey for, among others, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, who objected to their chicken farm and forced its shutdown. A version of this article appears in the print edition under the title Revival at the monastery., But my Methodist friend Scott could hardly contain his smile. I was able to muddle through this dry spell, as I assume that all monks must do for various stretches of time, and the latter part of my stay at the monastery was replete with blessings. Mepkin Abbey Moncks Corner SC Wedding | J. Jones Photography line-height:20px; I hoped that none of the monks noticed, but if they did, thats O.K., too. Look, he said, I cant get Catholic priests to come to this place. The local mushrooms are available for purchase but also served in numerous fine restaurants in the area. Its gardens are now known as the Mepkin Abbey Botanical Garden. Your source for jobs, books, retreats, and much more. The monastery itself, which comprises a church, the monks refectory (dining hall) and living quarters, administrative offices, and a library, is nestled within a landscape dominated by large oak trees draped in Spanish moss. Cardinal McElroy on radical inclusion for L.G.B.T. Wooden carved sculptures, natural waterways, old architecture, graveyards, flowers everywhere. I worked for four or five hours a day in the abbeys mushroom-growing operation. It says he lives with his wife and their youngest child. They also have so many areas that you are free to roam on your own. At 3:20 a.m. they gather for Matins, chanting the Psalms for an hour with a long break for silence. Walking paths, benches overlooking the river. And the abbey, they say, is a repository of wisdom about the benefits of contemplative living. Thats what everyone dreams of right?! A day after the animal rights organization PETA called for a boycott of Mepkin Abbey eggs, and nearly a year after the group first complained to the abbey about egg production there, Abbot. //-->. And Mepkin Abbey is the epitome of Charleston. What is the reserve sacrament? So why was I hesitant to bring others there? They were, in a way. In everything we do here, we try to respect the land, the ecology and the environment, Father Stan said. Those blessings included daily Mass, which at Mepkin Abbey begins at 6:30 a.m. I wondered whether I had missed my calling. Trappist monks at prayer (photo courtesy of the Abbey of Gethsemani). In seminary, friends told me about Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist monastery in South Carolina Low Country, near the coast. fax: 843-761-6719, Niches in Mepkins Columbarium are available to the public. Surely they knew they shouldnt do that, right? I first met Jessica while I was working a full-time job before I went full time with photography! As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important Americas voice is in the conversation about the church and the world. Their wedding was absolutely perfect in every way. For a Year. So says the advertisement for Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist monastery in South Carolina. Interview: Whats it like to photograph Pope Francis? So I asked Father Columba, formerly a parish priest in Dublin, whether I could discuss an unspecified pastoral issue with him. I have been making five-day retreats at Trappist and Benedictine monasteries for the past 20 years and have found the experience of living in silence and detaching from work and family life restorative and re-energizing. These cookies help us improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. Mepkin Abbey Now Available for Weddings in Featured, News Mepkin's friends and neighbors can now reserve the abbey gardens for the celebration of a marriage. So far, Mepkin has shunned all forms of social media both individually and institutionally. Stay a while and say hello! It really is the grace of Mepkin.. Simple gorgeous grounds and a beautiful day. Because of the monastic nature of the property, up to 50 guests are permitted, and only wedding ceremonies may take place on the property; receptions are not allowed. Mepkin Abbey: Our Wedding - See 138 traveler reviews, 104 candid photos, and great deals for Moncks Corner, SC, at Tripadvisor. All the buildings have been built around the trees.. Mepkin Abbey is located at 1098 Mepkin Abbey Rd., Moncks Corner, SC 29461. I reported to the retreat house, a gleaming glass and steel half-cloister that is the most recent addition to the abbeys modern buildings. It's a MUST SEE! I was blessed to meet Jessica at just the perfect time. But enough of my talking, see for yourself how beautiful it was! Couldnt this go badly? Throughout my tenure at the abbey, it always felt as though there was somewhere that I was supposed to be, and something that I should be doing there. Now the books suggested by the monks are helping to change my life. Good point. Mepkin retreatants are welcome to observe the Liturgy of the Hours with the monks, joining in worship and prayer at all seven daily services in the Abbey Church, beginning with Lauds at 3:20. 1098 Mepkin Abbey Rd, Moncks Corner, SC 29461-4796 Read Reviews of Mepkin Abbey Barony House #1 of 45 Restaurants in Moncks Corner 103 reviews 401 Altman St 5.9 miles from Mepkin Abbey " We frequent this restaurant ev. font-size:20px; The thought of being a wedding photographer had crossed my mind, but I was too scared. Verify to immediately update business information, respond to reviews, and more! Christmas at Mepkin Abbey | Arts and Travel | postandcourier.com [2] New York architect Edward Durell Stone travelled to Mepkin in 1936 to design a new house for the Luces. Brother Joseph Swedo was bent forward in his chair, his rugged hands folded delicately in his lap. If youre waiting for a whole lot of people to come to the traditional monastery well, that wont happen, he said. The people might move without you. After a few generations, the Laurens family sold the property, and it passed through several hands. The monastery sits on a bluff above the Cooper River, its 3,200 acres a patchwork of pine forest and vast lawns punctuated by ancient oaks that drip with Spanish moss. All Benedictinesthe larger umbrella under which Trappists existpledge to receive every guest as Christ. Pray like this, at this hour, in this way, and with these people. Id rather be in a community that has a vital energy and a good community life. This is one of the most beautiful places you could ever dream of having and outdoor wedding at. Beautiful Wedding Venue - Review of Mepkin Abbey, Moncks Corner, SC Whats that about? line-height:20px; The only drawback was the occasional boater to disturb the tranquility. The monastery now produces around 1,400 pounds of mushrooms each week half oyster mushrooms, half shiitake. Many young people of the Roman Catholic tradition, Father Guerric added, will simply not be attracted to forms of monasticism that require celibacy and a lifetime commitment. Its gardens are now known as the Mepkin Abbey Botanical Garden . Photographs from Mepkin during the early 1950s capture a wide variety of work. Your email address will not be published. [CDATA[// >