Life changes at Abbey and Monastery due to pandemic

The Benedictine tradition is deeply rooted in community, but what happens when a pandemic interrupts their traditions? Sr. Lois Wedl expressed in an email that safety precautions have impacted the monastery’s ability to be hospitable.

“We Sisters know well St. Benedict’s chapter 53 of the Rule in which he explains that guests who were never lacking in the monastery needed to be treated as Christ himself. The sign in front of the chapel that we were not allowing visitors was so contrary to the Benedictine value of hospitality that it was really difficult,” Wedl said.

The ability to host guests is limited due to some of those in the monastery being at higher risk for health reasons. For worship, they sit in every other seat and they have the sisters distribute hosts. They also only meet on Sundays, feast days, holy days and funerals.

St. John’s Abbey now has assigned seats for the monks during prayer and mass, and they are spaced out every-other seat as well. Br. Paul-Vincent shared that the monastery also splits into two groups-a blue group and a green group. One of the groups is comprised of the monks who spend the most time out in the community and having more risk of exposure. The other group is of those least exposed. The two groups meet in separate areas during meals, and each group takes shifts for lunch as well. The St. John’s abbey retirement center has very restricted access, but with nice weather those in the retirement center are able to meet socially-distanced outside.

The Benedictine Friends program is still on this school year, having many of their interactions online.

“It isn’t the same without meeting in person,” Hailee Thayer a current CSB student in the Benedictine Friends said.

The sisters haven’t been able to host in-person events for Benedictine Friends thus far.