Work on the Monastery Grounds is a Gift to and from God
VII. Ora Et Labora: Work at Holy Spirit
A History of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit by: Dewey Weiss Kramer
When visitors to the monastery reach the turnoff from Highway 212, they begin their visit by driving up the magnolia-lined approach. In previous years they might have seen black angus cattle grazing beside the drive. Today, however, there are no longer any cattle being raised at the monastery. After parking, they walk through the gate house and pass the bookstore. Once inside, they discover, in addition to the expected theological books, handsome sand castings, rosaries made by Conyers monks, delicious fudge of many flavors, and the ever popular fruitcake. A few steps more and they encounter a path leading to a large greenhouse displaying magnificent ferns, herbs, and other related items. Beyond this is a similar greenhouse devoted to bonsai trees and other rare plants.
Art work, plants, and bonsai - add to this the stained glass workshop, and retreat house - and it seems Holy Spirit has an active business life along with its contemplative life. Correct. The monastery's business acumen is not, however, surprising, for labor has always been part of the contemplative, monastic tradition.
Benedict was following earlier monastic rules of life when he legislated a lifestyle balancing liturgical prayer, private prayer, study of Scripture, and manual labor, with equal time per day allotted to each activity. The insistence upon manual labor as an intrinsic part of the life had three main sources. First, work is an ascetical exercise: it expels idleness. Second, it recognizes an obligation toward neighbor: the monk should not be a burden on others, and he should also give alms to the needy. Finally, earning one's own living while in the service of the Lord follows the examples of the apostles. All three reasons are integral to the prime concern of seeking God. Ideally, while working, monks continue to pray, meditating upon the lectio and the Divine Office, thus exemplifying the goal of "Ora et labora."
The Cistercian founders of the late eleventh century re-emphasized the commitment to manual labor -- both as corrective to developments within European Benedictine monasticism whereby the monk's "work" was conceived of almost solely as liturgical prayer, and as reaffirmation of the spirit of poverty and the apostolic life. Monastic "business," then, is conducted not in and for itself, but as part of the whole monastic vocation. It should help the monk to serve God and neighbor. Business concerns remain subservient to the religious mission. Perhaps for this reason, the mood at the monastery remains peaceful; the "market place" does not intrude.
When the monastery opened in 1944, in keeping with both Cistercian and Gethsemani traditions, it was first assumed that Holy Spirit would support itself mainly through agriculture. But when the monks sent a soil sample to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and asked what crops could be grown profitably, the answer came back "bricks." The community then turned to other sources. They set up a dairy; raised pigs, chickens, beef cattle, rabbits. These original occupations have been phased out over a period of years because they were too time consuming, and there was not enough man power to accomplish the tasks. They have been replaced by various occupations in response to changing needs and talents. Those who have special abilities - as sculptor, sand caster, tailor, or horticulturist - have been encouraged to practice their gifts and in so doing contribute importantly to the upkeep of the monastery.
Although the evolution has been toward traditional monastic occupations (foods, arts, crafts, gardening) and reflects the present era's concept of work as self-expression, they are also the overflow of the communal life.
The bonsai trees grown at Holy Spirit, a favorite with visitors and a major revenue producer, started simply as a display item, so that visitors might have something to see in addition to the church building. Repeated suggestions to buy the miniature trees finally led to their production for sale.
The monastery stained glass business started out in a similar fashion. When Atlanta's first suburban Catholic church was planned in the nineteen fifties, its pastor - a friend of the community as were so many of the diocesan priests by then - requested the monks who had already furnished their own church with a distinguished display of stained glass, to craft two windows for St. Thomas More Church. That done, the requests started coming in and continue to this day. Monastery glass can be found in numerous religious and secular buildings throughout the region.
Also important for revenue is the monastery bookstore with its varied selection of books and liturgical art. Perhaps even more important, many a stranger to the monastery or to Catholicism has become a friend, thanks to the generous attention paid to customers and browsers by the monks working there.
Holy Spirit's abbots have encouraged their monks to grow personally as well as spiritually, and the diversity of occupations is a vital part of this direction. The businesses have developed largely out of individual talents and initiative. Individual monks are able to choose that occupation which best suits their temperament and can best further their gifts.
"Ora et labora." Whether bread or a sand casting, or a luxuriant hanging fern, something of the "prayer" of this monastery is present in the products of its "labor," and those who buy them are in that presence. Dom Frederic Dunne's dream of a vital witness to the Catholic faith in Georgia is being realized in the prayer and work of the monks of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit.
Open to the Spirit
by Dewey Weiss Kramer
Copyright 1986.