Four days at the monastery

No homily today.  Just photos.  Was up in Vermont from Wednesday to Sunday.  Fortunately I left Boston on Wednesday rather than the planned Thursday.  Great three and one-half hour drive up.  A few sprinkles began upon arrival.  The skies went berserk by the time vespers ended.  Thursday was marked by very heavy rain, thick fog, and ice in parts of VT though not the mountain.  Not certain I would have made it.  If I did I would not have enjoyed the trip.   Friday was ugly.  By Saturday the temp had dropped 30 plus degrees to 9.  Road dried out from heavy wind and got solid.   All shots taken inside. 

This outside garth was taken through an open window in one of the halls.

The choir stalls are very deep, rather like a phone booth (remember those?).  The wood is bird's eye maple.  Beautiful wood that photographs well.  Too often I've encountered cheap wood that has been varnished. It  photographs very oddly. 

The sanctuary lamp.  A real candle not an electric one. 

As wide-angle as I can take with my equipment from the back of the monastic church.  The light along the sides and above the altar is skylight.  The only overhead lighting in the church comes from the rectangular boxes over the stalls.  The light is controlled with a switch under the arm of the stall.  It is turned on only when absolutely necessary.

The choir from a different angle.  

Overlooking the cemetery.  Focused on the condensation on the window and the sun-catcher rather than the crosses over the graves. 

Books ready for the next office.  

Sacred vessels at the ready for Mass. 

Father preparing for the consecration. 

Elevation of the Precious Body of Our Lord.  

The monks in their stalls.  There are sixteen men there are the moment.  Their habit is white with a very deep hood.  The bands connecting the scapular are a hallmark.  

The lectionary containing the readings for Mass.

The bell ropes.  The lighter colored one is for the bell that signals the Angelus and is rung during the consecration.  The darker pull, is for the large bell that is rung before the liturgical hours and Mass. 

The cemetery.  Once again taken from one of the cloister walks after opening the window for as short a time as possible.  By the time I took this the temps were in the single digits. 

The cemetery from the other end of the walk.  Once again through a long slit window that was open long enough to permit the shot. 

The monastery is constructed of unfinished concrete and granite blocks with the milling marks in place.  This is one of them.  The textures are fascinating.  

+Fr. Jack, SJ, MD