All the buildings have been built around the trees.. Grab your camera and make your way through the centuries old Oak lined drive to Mepkin Abbey. If you're in the Charleston area in November or December you must visit this unique display. Copyright 20042023 Yelp Inc. Yelp, , and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp. There is no admission to enter the gardens and walk around, but if you want a more extensive behind-the-scenes tour of the chapel and other areas, there is a suggested contribution fee.You will rarely see any of the monks, as they stay well-hidden, but you can get a glimpse of the type of lifestyle they lead. Trappist monasteries in the United States are likely to consolidate, Father Stan said. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Father Guerric granted that indulgence during one of our conferences, at which I was reminded that if you meet with a Mepkin monk to discuss what is going on in your life, spiritual or otherwise, you will leave the meeting with a book. Every morning for the rest of his life, the monk confronted two habits. So lets give them an experience of the place without a commitment, and see what happens.. Mepkin Abbey is a Trappist monastery in Berkeley County, South Carolina. 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. And while were in the confessional, I should fess up, as I did to Father Guerric, that I had dozed off a couple of times during the centering prayer session that he hosts at 5 a.m. each day. [CDATA[// >. Why are we unique? Do you want a wedding photo shoot at the Mepkin Abbey? In the Benedictine tradition, guests are to be received as Christ. Some aging monasteries, including Mepkin, have had to rely on greater numbers of paid employees and volunteers, which has helped avert a shortage of labor. Mepkin Abbey: Intimate wedding - See 138 traveler reviews, 104 candid photos, and great deals for Moncks Corner, SC, at Tripadvisor. The other is from St. Augustine, who acknowledges that when we pray through the psalms, Christ prays through us: This psalm is spoken in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, both head and members. The guides are fantastic they know the history of the abbey quite well. Yes, I got Bobby to show a real, genuine smile! It was a call for which I had been waiting, albeit not a call to vocation. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Id rather be in a community that has a vital energy and a good community life. The ceremony will begin at 4PM. Perhaps he should have addressed that. We clomped in and sat down. Years later one of those monks, Brother Stan, became the monasterys abbot. My love of these people is clear. var pfHeaderImgUrl = '';var pfHeaderTagline = '';var pfdisableClickToDel = 0;var pfHideImages = 0;var pfImageDisplayStyle = 'left';var pfDisablePDF = 0;var pfDisableEmail = 0;var pfDisablePrint = 0;var pfCustomCSS = '';var pfBtVersion='2';(function(){var js,pf;pf=document.createElement('script');pf.type='text/javascript';pf.src='//cdn.printfriendly.com/printfriendly.js';document.getElementsByTagName('head')[0].appendChild(pf)})(); Questions to ask your wedding photographer, How to sleep well the night before your wedding, Rainy Charleston Engagement Session | Kelsey and Michael, McClellanville Engagement Session | Katherine and Robbie. And, for me, that kind of strength could only have come from having lived the monastic life in that community., That sense of welcomeness and hospitality, he added, is just a wonderful aspect of the place. But what Jaylynn heard is that she couldnt sit with me. At 3:20 a.m. they gather for Matins, chanting the Psalms for an hour with a long break for silence. Youre in church, but your entry and exit are separate from theirs, and you cant go past the divide. I felt privileged to reside in such a beautiful place, to live in silence and to brush against the gentle disposition, intelligence and wisdom of the monks. ! Our people were hungry to pray like monks. So why was I hesitant to bring others there? But Mepkin Abbey had fed my soul. more. This is a fabulous place to So I asked Father Columba, formerly a parish priest in Dublin, whether I could discuss an unspecified pastoral issue with him. The monks used to run a chicken farm. It is in the Souths Low Country. I meant that the monks have their own dining hall and guests have a separate one. Whats a monk? For more family-friendly things to do around the Lowcountry, . read more. Father Christian took Jaylynns misunderstanding of the rules as a sign that Christ had a special grace for him and his brothers that day. And I doubt you need to tell him that parenting six children is a monumental task. I reported to the retreat house, a gleaming glass and steel half-cloister that is the most recent addition to the abbeys modern buildings. 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. I reminded him recently of those shit-shoveling days. She did as one does when one is nervous, like she knew exactly what she was doing, head up and eyes straight ahead. Mepkin is fairly unique in the Trappist world for how deeply it invites guests into its life. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. They brought out the eldest and most infirm monks and sat them in front of the rest of us. We cannot find a time, until the Reformation, when there was Christianity without monks and nuns. Password reset instructions will be sent to your registered email address. Todonate online, click here, or you may send a check to Mepkin Abbey, 1098 Mepkin Abbey Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461. That sense of acceptance was affirmed by Rob Hagan, who spent 30 years as a monk at Mepkin before leaving the monastery in 2007. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. You are never in a bad location. Check out some of our wedding photos from this place. We can't do it without youAmerica Media relies on generous support from our readers. Stephen, his wife Dina and the youngest of their six children live in Bronxville, N.Y. Stephen and Dina have made pilgrimages with America Media to Ignatian Spain and the Holy Land. 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 had unhurried time to talk. After a few generations, the Laurens family sold the property, and it passed through several hands. [5] They eventually decided on a mushroom production operation.[6]. Silent in front of the reserve sacrament. I sensed that I was just scratching the surface of the monastic experience and that as a mere visitor to an abbey guest house, I was still on the outside looking in. 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. Mepkin Abbey is truly a wonderful place to viit. Why am I being asked to create an account? A book recommendation from a Trappist monk is a precious gift, something that the monk believes or perhaps knows will help you on the journey. I first met Jessica while I was working a full-time job before I went full time with photography! What is the reserve sacrament? I was mortified. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions. They only have one child left at home.I greatly enjoyed this article, I have been to Mepkin several times and had a wonderful experience each time. Mepkins monks, led by the abbot, Father Stan Gumula, process from the church to the refectory. Simple gorgeous grounds and a beautiful day. They were praying. But I have great hope in the future., Father Columba Caffrey, the newest member of Mepkins monastic community who, at the age of 60, is also one of its youngest monks, was also cautiously optimistic. While many monks at Mepkin are concerned about the monasterys future, they also see this moment as an opportunity to pioneer a new form of monasticism. One of the monks had suggested that I was not cleaning the mushroom logs properly, and because I am perfect in every waynot to mentionstubbornI gave him the cold shoulder. Sign up for our newsletter.]. 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. The local mushrooms are available for purchase but also served in numerous fine restaurants in the area. In December 2007, Mepkin announced on its website that it would phase out the egg production operation which had been its main income, citing the controversy and its disturbance of their monastic way of life. Have been visiting the Abbey for many years, primarily to view the annual crche display. I dont want to spend my remaining years simply hanging on, Father Stan said. In 1949 the Luces donated a large part of the property, including the garden, to the Trappist Order's Gethsemani Abbey. .av_font_icon.av-js7ruq5v-ba8a02887e7fff03068ed916a24ed508 .av-icon-char{ I am middle-aged, happily married and the father of six children. Fun fact: Jessica asked me to photograph her wedding before I even thought about being a wedding photographer. And its not backbreaking work, because were an older community., (In the 1950s, when their numbers were higher and the average age was much lower, the monks working life was more varied and physically intense; they ran a lumber mill, raised cattle and had a large-scale bakery.). Make promises to do better. Despite their hope for the future, the monks at Mepkin are cleareyed about the likelihood that their new initiatives which will probably attract young, interfaith and short-term visitors will fail to attract Roman Catholics who are interested in a long-term commitment with the core monastic community. 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. Based in Charleston, SCContact me at catie@catherinehurtphotography.com. line-height:20px; Date of experience: July 2015 Ask babeol about Mepkin Abbey 2 Thank babeol This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Mepkin Abbey - Luce Gardens 1098 Mepkin Abbey Rd Moncks Corner, SC 29461 What day is the wedding? In 1762 one of his descendants sold the land to Henry Laurens of Charleston. And because Trappists see their lifestyle as a vocation, or a call from Jesus, they dont actively recruit new members. You can opt in to any additional cookies. They were relearning prayer, as I had done years before. Another time at the abbey I volunteered my paltry services to work with the monks. In keeping with broader declines in the ranks of priests, nuns and brothers, Mepkins monastic community is dwindling. Welcome Dear Friends: All the monks of Mepkin want to share the opportunities we offer you to engage with us in the. To be sure, many of the Trappist traditions at Mepkin are helping to sustain the monastery. The coffee, tea, hot chocolate and fresh from the oven cookies that are available during the Creche festival is a wonderful touch. And for the past 73 years . Anyone can read what you share. They have a terrific gift shop. Is it going to be a turnaround thats quick enough for Mepkin? And for the last 73 years since he joined the order at age 17, answering a call from God, he said physical labor has been an integral part of his daily routine. Photographs from Mepkin during the early 1950s capture a wide variety of work. This blog a journal about our lives, travels, fashion, and style. Its the way St. Benedict prescribed things in the fifth century. The weather couldnt have been any more perfect. this helps us promote a safe and accountable online community, and allows us to update you when other commenters reply to your posts. more. Most of the crop is sold fresh to local restaurants and markets in Charleston. The sign asks you to sit in the back, but the request is only there, it seems, to be flaunted. Mepkin sits above the Ashley and Cooper Rivers, so its pre-AC builders did what sandlappers do and set the buildings at an angle. Individual abbeys juggle these occasionally competing commitments in different ways. Such a unique place to visit.We visited here to tour the abbey and attend the mod day prayer service. The monastery now produces around 1,400 pounds of mushrooms each week half oyster mushrooms, half shiitake. [3] Mepkin Abbey defended itself by citing their compliance with the animal welfare standards of the United Egg Producers. fbq('track', 'ViewContent'); Mepkin Abbey: Our Wedding - See 138 traveler reviews, 104 candid photos, and great deals for Moncks Corner, SC, at Tripadvisor. Every sunrise and sunset, a sign of Gods presence. I didnt know what he meant. Dont want to? My niece and I went to Mepkin Abbey to take photographs. Eventually, I recognized my error and came to appreciate that a book recommendation from a Trappist monk is a precious gift, something that the monk believes or perhaps knows will help you on the journey. At some point a lot of Methodists went from being despised for their seriousness about the gospel to being just another tall steeple country club. 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. I dont know. What are you feeding these Methodists? The Mepkin grounds are the most peaceful and spiritual place I have ever laid feet on. 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. Bono) would put it, I still hadnt found what I was looking for. But during my third week at Mepkin, I hit the monastic wall. [4] Furthering the controversy, it was discovered shortly after the release of the video that many scenes shown in the video, such as those of dead chickens of the floor, were actually shot at a separate facility rather than at Mepkin Abbey. Mepkin is one of only 15 Cistercian Trappist monasteries in North America and the only one in South Carolina. What a spectacular site for a wedding. Over the same period, the monks average age has steadily risen by nearly 50 years up to 77, from around 30. Naturally, I was involved in one of them. I wondered whether I had missed my calling. I wore an unflattering, hoodie-like habit. As a monk at Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist monastery in South Carolina, he maintains that Roman Catholic order's code of prayer, work, seclusion, poverty and chastity. He stage-whispered to each one of us with inappropriate loudness, When youre 102, Ill come pray for you. Abbot Stan stood off in the corner, his shepherds crook beside him, and openly wept. Pay the entry fee and find out why it's such a hit. Or they wouldnt like it and theyd judge me for being too Catholic. The Mepkin Abbey gate is open from 6am-6pm. Thank you so much! While Trappists are an order in the Roman Catholic Church, everyone is welcome to visit and make Retreats here. Couldnt this go badly? (Several Trappist monasteries in Africa and Asia, for example, havent been plagued by the same decline in vocations and some, at least partly because of the stability of monastic life and the unfamiliarity of the message, Father Stan said, are brimming with young monks.) Shes so cute! 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. Times shown in timezone: Eastern Time (US & Canada), Tai Chi Retreat - Friday-Monday, March 3-6, 2023, 7 Day Individual Retreat - Monday-Monday March 6-March 13, 2023, Individual Retreat - Friday-Monday, March 10-13, 2023, NO PUBLIC BOOKINGS - Monday-Friday, March 13-17, 2023, Individual Retreat - Friday-Monday, March 17-20, 2023, Individual Retreat - Monday-Friday, March 20-March 24, 2023, "Sustaining the Work of Social Justice," An In-Person Retreat with Lerita Coleman Brown - Friday-Monday, March 24-27, 2023, Individual Retreat - Monday-Friday, March 27-31, 2023, Individual Retreat - Friday-Monday, March 31- April 3, 2023, Seven-Day Guided Holy Week Retreat with Sr. Susan Schorsten & Sr. You might think theyre wrong when they actually couldnt be more right. Surely they knew they shouldnt do that, right? The Abbey gift shop offers homemade jams, jellies and preserves produced by other Trappist monasteries and the mushrooms grown by the Mepkin Abbey monks. Those blessings included daily Mass, which at Mepkin Abbey begins at 6:30 a.m. Yet they also vow poverty, chastity, obedience, and devotion to prayer. The only drawback was the occasional boater to disturb the tranquility Eventually the monks settled on growing mushrooms. In February 2007, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals released video of Mepkin Abbey's battery cage egg operation, showing debeaked hens crowded inside battery cages and a monk discussing the practice of forced molting. As with most human beings, the monks strength is close kin to their weakness, their superpower not far from their Achilles heel. Pray like this, at this hour, in this way, and with these people. At the time I was just taking headshots, family photos, and nature photos. The area has been known as Mepkin for centuries, and was originally the estate of several historic families. And their wedding was strictly family and close friends. It is a place you have to experience . But one day, I finally changed my mind. (AP Photo/Bruce Smith) Pray. Johnny loved the monks from the start. I worked for four or five hours a day in the abbeys mushroom-growing operation. The community sees itself as a steward of the monasterys grounds, and as a leader in the local environmental movement. Serene and The World Is Changing. The address is: 1098 Mepkin Abbey Rd, Moncks Corner, SC 29461. Each passing nod by a fellow resident, a further embrace into the community. You can either click on the link in your confirmation email or simply re-enter your email address below to confirm it. Jessica and Bobby, I am so honored to have captured your special day. And maybe in spite of yourself, youll start to become more like Jesus. Since youre a frequent reader of our website, we want to be able to share even more great, As a frequent reader of our website, you know how important, A Catholic guide to your mid-life calling. Before air conditioning that meant you had to angle your house on the land so as to catch the best breezes. Even weekend retreats (2 and 1/2 days) with 3 kids and the wife at home invoke guilt. Visited the abbey during the 2013 crche festively. Walking paths, benches overlooking the river. The main thing I learned from taking Methodists to Mepkin was about prayer. I loved it. Im pretty sure I was even holding back tears at this point. Upcoming Events at Mepkin Abbey Schedule; From 3 Mar 2023 March, 2023 3 Fri 3 days Tai Chi Retreat - Friday-Monday, March 3-6, 2023 6 Mon 1 week 7 Day Individual Retreat - Monday-Monday March 6-March 13, 2023 10 Fri 3 days Individual Retreat - Friday-Monday, March 10-13, 2023 . But Trappist communities may be particularly vulnerable, since their traditions are more isolating and, in many ways, more resistant to modernization. I think the reason they took to monastic prayer so profoundly is that Methodism is a revivalist sect. 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 toward a potential crisis. After 20 years or so it started to feel like I was talking to myself. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. I needed to find a way to forgive this person after all these years, and my month at Mepkin seemed like a good opportunity to cross this problem off my spiritual to-do list. The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone. I went to Mepkin Abbey with three objectives: to improve my prayer practice; to experience a full immersion into the daily life of a monk; and to begin a discernment about the next phase of my life. This article planted in me a desire to go again.I do not understand why people read an article in which the author shares something personal of his spiritual life and experience, and people have a need to respond with criticism. Their digital presence is also extremely limited. A building commitment rooted in the local ground became a commitment to welcome the guest with particular vulnerability and openness. Peaceful place to reflect. Check out some of my other favorite weddings on the blog: Jessica and Shauns Seabrook Island Wedding, Ashleigh and Devans Isle of Palms Wedding. Beauty will save the world, Dostoevsky said, and I see this in these monks. In January 2007, a PETA investigation found that the abbey's hens endure constant abuse for almost two years before they are killed. For a Month. All Benedictinesthe larger umbrella under which Trappists existpledge to receive every guest as Christ. Actually we were obeying. Good lesson for a pastor. Mepkin Abby Entrance Perhaps ironically, when you devote eight hours a day to prayer, it seems you have all the time in the world. We called him Father Butter ever thereafter. The gardens are well maintained, the docents (tour guides) have so much information to share with you. Wed like to set additional cookies to understand how you use Bookwhen. Mushrooms and garden compost from the Abbey's farm, and candies, preserves and creamed honey from other Trappist Abbeys are available at the Reception Center Gift Shop. Before you go, check the hours and for special events here on their . My nephew was married here the week before my mothers ashes were placed in their columbarium - she looks over the water with the oaks and magnolias seeping in between - the wooden statues and stations are moving as well as artfully magnificent. [Dont miss more stories like this one. You get up ungodly early, sure. So why didnt I want to introduce my Methodist congregants to them? God was busily making all things new. Peaceful place to reflect. The abbeys new affiliate program will offer two new short-term monastic options for people of any, or no, faith traditions: a monthlong monastic institute, open to men and women, and a yearlong residency. [2] When the Luces bought the plantation, Laurnes' house was already gone; the then-current house had been built in 1906. I first met Jessica while I was working a full-time job before I went full time with photography! But in 2007, in the aftermath of an immensely disruptive PETA investigation, the abbey announced plans to phase out its egg operation. There was no room for a wall, and if there were, itd have just blocked the breeze. Mepkin Abbey is part of the Roman Catholic Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, commonly known as Trappists. Mepkin is closed to Visitors on Mondays. So I made the rookie mistake of waving off further book recommendations. phone: 843-761-8509 The economics of monastic life can also present challenges. Every morning, hours before the sun, the monks and the Methodists bowed and twirled and chanted psalms. There is a gift shop on the premises where you can buy products made by the monks, as well as regional specialties.Although the Abbey is well off the beaten path, it is definitely worth the time, especially if you appreciate pristine beauty and relative solitude. Work is another central pillar of life for the Trappists at Mepkin as a means of supporting the community, providing solidarity with workers, and promoting a healthy mind and body. They looked, to our untutored eyes, like Jedi. Founded by monks from the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky in 1949, after a 3,132-acre plot was donated to the Catholic Diocese of Charleston by Henry and Clare Boothe Luce, Mepkin was placed under a conservation easement in 2006, in concert with several neighboring properties. If you login and register your print subscription number with your account, youll have unlimited access to the website. It's a MUST SEE! He is no longer strong enough, he said, to regularly attend the first or last of Mepkins seven daily prayer services vigils at 3:20 a.m., and compline at 7:35 p.m. (Other religious organizations, like Hillsong Church, for example, have used Instagram and other platforms to reach and engage with younger generations.) They taught me to chant psalms, to revel in the tradition, to sit in silence, to pray while working, to delight in Gods presence. White robes, long sleeves, beards, and bald heads. For us, the silence is second nature, he said, adding that visitors often find it conducive to a transformative experience. Gerard Jonas Palmares, O.C.S.O.,the director of the monastic guest program, greeted me as though I were a long-lost relative. people, women and others in the Catholic Church, Cardinal Cupich: Critics of Pope Francis Latin Mass restrictions should listen to JPII. He works as a securities lawyer for a bank in New York City. Be aMonk. i agree!!!! We use some essential cookies to make this website work. Learn More. This is one pretty place. [CDATA[// >