[todaysdate]
By Eric Blauer
I broke some religious rules at the insistence of an old nun with a huge smile, big hug and a work ethic that would make a curmudgeon Protestant smile. Before I tell you my sins, let me first explain how this sinner got piously punked by some naughty muns.
I recently visited the Monastery of St. Gertrude located in the big sky beauty of Camas Prairie in Cottonwood, Idaho. This place of worship, witness and work has been home to a group of Benedictine Nuns for over 100 years. The current brigade of holy Betties is around 45 and coming to their home is like finding Tolkien’s Rivendell again.
“His (Elrond) house was perfect, whether you liked food, or sleep, or work, or story telling, or singing, or just sitting and thinking best, or a pleasant mixture of them all. Evil things did not come into that valley. I wish I had time to tell you even a few of the tales or one or two of the songs that they heard in that house. All of them, the ponies as well, grew refreshed and strong in a few days there. Their clothes were mended as well as their bruises, their tempers and their hopes. their bags were filled with provisions light to carry but strong to bring them over the mountain passes. Their plans were improved with best advice.” -The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
This rejuvenating practice of hospitality grows out of the root of that 1,500 year old rule of St. Benedict, a short little ‘how to’ book on monastery life.
“All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ, for he himself will say: I was a stranger and you welcomed me. (Matt 25:35). Proper honor must be shown to all, especially to those who share our faith (Galatians 6:10) and to pilgrims.”-The Rule of St. Benedict c.#53
For the last five years I have been blessed to practice a rhythm of prayerful retreat at Mt. Angel Abbey, another Benedictine Monastery down in Oregon. It was there among the monks that I first experienced monastic wisdom and practice. A treasure that has helped expand my vision and practice of ministry and mission in our own pastoral and community work in East Central Spokane.
I throughly enjoy my retreats to Mt. Angel and share this with no disrespect, but one thing that has always kept me feeling less like Christ and more like a Mormon among Evangelicals is the prohibition on sharing the Eucharist with them in their Mass. Even the way the monks at Mt. Angel have their sanctuary set up adds distance to the divide. Pews, then monk only prayer and singing seating and then the altar area. All of this is punctuated with easily seen dividing lines in the tile floor. A clear message that this is your area and this is ours.
If you are a non-practicing Catholic and come forward during the presentation of the bread and wine during communion, you are asked to cross your arms which will signal the priest that you are to receive a blessing but not the body and blood of Christ.
Being the protestant that I am, I have always ‘protested’ by never attending their Mass while retreating at Mt. Angel. I thoroughly enjoy the hospitality there and I am deeply grateful for the restorative care and beautiful facility and gardens, but I have always felt that gentle but firm, arm of distance.
Part of all of it is probably rooted in St. Benedict’s Rule that cautiously holds hospitality in tension with discreet communications and associations:
“No one is to speak or associate with guests unless he is bidden; however, if a brother meets or sees a guest, he is to greet him humbly, as we have said. He asks for a blessing and continues on his war, explaining that he is not allowed to speak with a guest.”-The Rule of St. Benedict c.#53
But when I came to St. Gertrude’s, I was in for a shock, I started hearing rumors that these nuns were allowing anyone to join in the Eucharist, no questions asked. I was skeptical but as my time there passed, I became the victim of their warm and homey hospitality. I knew things were quite different when on my first day, we were invited to join them all in their prayers and songs, not from a view from the pews, but we were sat down right in their prayer stalls.
I was included and that trend extended through out my stay. This had a real impact on me, it produced a big thaw on my preconceived ideas about a nunnery and soothed my slightly hurt feelings from my previous monastic ventures. At Mt. Angel the men always dress in their black robes and except for a designated monk who attends us, the rest eat somewhere else.
But at St Gert’s, every nun is always dressed like a casual Evangelical showing up for a potluck. We all ate together and we had the delight of conversing with different sisters at each meal. We learned about them as women, not just nuns. We asked questions, shared stories, joked and even heard feelings about the struggles, challenges and opportunities of communal life and the monastic vocation. It wasn’t gushy like a teen blog but it was just enough vulnerability and accessibility to allow the sacred a bit of real humanity.
But the real blow to my walls of ecumenical distance came when I decided to accept the radical invitation to share in the full Mass on my last day there. I realized that to refuse the invitation would be an act of inhospitable sin, in the face of the great lengths they went to extend welcome to me.
So with the smiles and gentle hand waving forward of a dear old nun, I made my way up to the bread and cup and crossed a line in my own heart as a result of the love and daring hospitality of these godly grandmas. There at Saint Gert’s, I ate the bread and drank from the cup of our Lord, together with my sisters in Christ.
As I reflect on my stay at St. Gertrude’s, I am reminded of the prophet Malachi’s words:
“Are we not all children of the same Father?
Are we not all created by the same God?
Then why do we betray each other,
violating the covenant of our ancestors?”
-Malachi 2:10
Those rebel nun’s showed me the radical hospitality of the Gospel message which is: “You are welcomed by God and by us” and because of that, I will make St. Gertrude’s a yearly part of my pastoral retreating life and prayers.
The Monastery is great, isn’t it?
I’m a big fan.
What a beautiful story of true ecumenism.
Here is the ‘official’ position on why what happened to me at St. Gertrudes shouldn’t have happened according to the powers that be: https://favs.news/ask-a-catholic-is-it-forbidden-for-non-catholics-to-receive-the-eucharist/
I am glad you found those sisters…they are great folks. And they make it so much easier to feel our unity in Christ, when so much of Roman Catholicism pushes us out to the edge, out to the other side of the line carefully created in their floors, and so often in their hearts..
It’s true of every congregational clan I am afraid…