Benedictine Life in the Land of Eternal Spring

The warm Guatemalan sun peeking over the mountains with a clamoring church bell breaking through the silence of early morning means the start of another day at the Abadía de Jesucristo Crucificado.

My BVC partner Ethan Engh and I have been having an incredible time living, working, and praying with this Benedictine community for about a month and a half. Nestled into a small valley near the Southeastern border of Guatemala sits the city of Esquipulas, home to roughly 18,000 people. However, this number can be a little misleading, because over the course of a year, Esquipulas receives more than one million pilgrims, making it one of the most popular pilgrimage sites in the Americas. Every day, visitors flock to the Basilica to visit the famous image of El Señor de Esquipulas. Also known as the Black Christ in English, this lifesized crucifix has been attributed to several miraculous healings since its creation in 1595.

Behind the scenes at the Basilica, a talented and caring crew of Benedictines tends to this revered site and ministers to the arriving pilgrims. This amazing community of about 25 monks works tirelessly day in and day out to give blessings, offer spiritual guidance, and help lead the visiting faithful in prayer. When they aren’t busy with their daily tasks, they can usually be found visiting with each other over coffee, sharing a laugh around a board game, or engaging in some serious fútbol matches, which are no joke!

The majority of our work as volunteers consists of teaching English at the Colegio San Benito. This primary and secondary school was founded by the monks in 1964. Several teachers have told us about a time just a few decades ago when it was little more than a couple classrooms and two-dozen students. Now, it is a thriving, robust institution with about 30 classrooms between two buildings, plenty of field space for recess fútbol games, and over 400 total students ranging from preschool to high school.

It was very overwhelming during our first few days of work, and I remember feeling very unqualified to stand in front of a room full of high schoolers and teach them a second language. After all, I was never an education major! However, after
some time, practice, guidance from fellow teachers, and encouragement from students, I’ve fallen into a rhythm, and it is now one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had. In about a week, the school will finish its academic year, and I already cannot wait to be back in the classroom with our students in January.

As I write this, I am in the process of applying to grad school, and while I am still not completely sure where I am called to be next year, I know that for these next several months, I am called to be here. Being amid this vibrant circle of students, monks, teachers, pilgrims, and locals has given me yet another example of what the Benedictine value of community
living can and should look like.

So, Bennies and Johnnies, I sincerely hope you take time consider how you can make a positive change in the world by serving others, whether in college or afterward. As a senior last year, one goal that I and many of my classmates had was to do something bigger than ourselves. In my opinion, one of the best ways to fulfill this goal, especially as young adults, is to go out into the world and be of service. Whether it’s the BVC, another postgrad volunteer program, or even just a week-long service trip, there is a wealth of options available when it comes to making positive change in the world. If you find yourself experiencing that inner voice or gut instinct to serve others and make that positive change, don’t ignore it. Listen to it. Allow yourself to think about it, and if you genuinely feel called and compelled, don’t be afraid to go for it! Speaking from experience, you will be inspired and renewed by the lives you encounter, and the work you do will give you a new perspective on the world you never knew you needed.