Just Too Cool: Bishop Etienne on Wyoming Carmelites

Bp. Paul Etienne of Cheyenne was the monastery of the Wyoming Carmelites to ordain one of the men to the diaconate.  He made some great comments in his blog (HERE) about the monks and the monastery they are building.

The bishop posted a great photo of what they have built so far.  Thus, Bp. Etienne:

At present, there are 16 members of the Mt. Carmel community in Wyoming, and after the day I have spent with them, I can tell you they enjoy a vibrant spirit.  The love of Christ is very much alive within this cloister!  Over the years of my observations of this fledgling community, I can see a sure and certain maturity.  They are a gift to the Church.

As most of this readership knows, the Mt. Carmel monks began construction of their new monastery two years ago.  We visited the site late this afternoon to check on construction progress.  The monks are hard at work, carving the limestone and sandstone that will cover all of the buildings.  They are also laying the stone in place themselves.

With the winter season now behind us (I hope!) construction is kicking into high gear once again.  Tomorrow, they will begin digging the foundations of their monastery church, one of the last buildings of the campus to enter construction phase.  The refectory, chapter house, porters office and hermitages are fully under roof, and the foundations are now in place for the infirmary.  Once in full gear, the job-site will employ approximately fifty laborers.

In the coming days, they will have four stone-cutting machines in full operation.  As you can imagine, it will take tons of stone to cover the exterior of all of the buildings.  Below is a photo of the north side of the refectory building, giving you an example of just how much these monks have learned over the past two years, and the quality of their workmanship.  They are building a monastery of which the church can be proud.  And this bishop is quite impressed with the ‘temple’ they have already built within their community.

This is the refectory.  Wow.  I have got to visit them sometime.

Meanwhile… when you buy their coffee and tea and other items, you help them to build.   You also help me.

Friends, if you are buying coffee and for your office, use my link.  If you are buying for your parish coffee and donuts, use my link.  If you are buying for yourself… you get the idea.  And they have K-cups, which I have used.  HERE

Try a sampler!  HERE

16_06_22_monksampler

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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14 Comments

  1. benedetta says:

    How very beautiful and encouraging.

  2. capchoirgirl says:

    Just bought two more bags yesterday! God bless their work.

  3. majuscule says:

    I have been following them for years–praying and supporting. And buying coffee.

    It’s been interesting watching God’s plan unfold. They had quite a search for the property they finally settled on. I think I recall that at one time they were interested in a property that had formerly been a dude ranch but it was bought out from under them. Good thing, too!

    Then once they had the property they had to jump through governmental permitting hoops…

    But there they are–a growing community. May God bless and protect them!

  4. Augustine says:

    What a counterpoint to the nutty nuns!

  5. maskaggs says:

    Bp. Etienne was a parish priest in my diocese when he got the nod from Rome. Even his send-off was a pretty basic parish affair. He’s a good man. He did some diocesan-wide service but none of this chancery fast-track business – just shepherding souls and tending to the Church. A good man all around.

  6. Maltese says:

    As a disclaimer, ever since I wrote this article:

    http://www.newoxfordreview.org/article.jsp?did=0107-conlee

    I’ve been accused of being a member of the FSSPX; I’m not, and, technically, only Priests are. Although, admittedly, I’m highly sympathetic to the work they are doing here:

    http://www.newseminaryproject.org/

    I don’t think the Church would have the slight breeze of fresh-air that it has, if it weren’t for the founding work of Archbishop Lefebvre, and Pope Benedict’s Summorum Pontificum. We might be otherwise left with the barren after-taste of the “fruits” of Vatican II. That said, I count as friends and confidantes priest who live and work in within the praxis of the Novus Ordo. And they are admirable, holy human beings, and priests. I used to think that the Latin Mass was the only way to worship, until I delved deeply into the liturgical traditions of Ireland. They didn’t have the Latin Mass a thousand years ago. So, to get too caught-up into a certain liturgical patrimony can sometimes lead to a barren faith. That said, I truly believe the liturgical innovations wrought, imposed, and levied on the Catholic faithful after Vatican II have been detrimental to the Faith.

  7. graytown says:

    Beautiful copper rain gutters and downspouts.
    Might have to hire an armed guard to prevent the metal thieves from pulling them off the building.

  8. majuscule says:

    Here’s a news article from early on. I remember reading one from even earlier before they started the coffee business. It’s the picture of the monk on a tractor that got me. You just gotta love these men!

    http://archive.sltrib.com/story.php?ref=/ci_6429013

  9. JonPatrick says:

    Drinking Mystic Monk Blend as I read this! Impressive what they have done.

  10. DonL says:

    This is of our favorite charities. Almost got to visit them passing through Cody, but it is well off the beaten path.

  11. S.Armaticus says:

    Cowboy monks!

    Who would have thunk…

  12. Adam Welp says:

    I hope that +Etienne returns to Indiana some day as a future Archbishop of Indianapolis!

    I would love to see the monastery in person one day.

  13. Pingback: THURSDAY EDITION – Big Pulpit

  14. Semper Gumby says:

    This is great. Thanks Fr. Z.

Comments are closed.