Monastery of Christ in the Desert facts for kids
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 Location in New Mexico
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| Monastery information | |
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| Order | Benedictine |
| Established | 1964 |
| Mother house | Mount Savior Monastery (Pine City, New York, United States) |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of Santa Fe |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Aelred Wall, O.S.B. |
| Important associated figures | Thomas Merton |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | George Nakashima |
| Site | |
| Location | Abiquiu, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States |
| Coordinates | 36°22′40.80″N 106°40′49.80″W / 36.3780000°N 106.6805000°W |
The Monastery of Christ in the Desert is a special place where Benedictine monks live. It is a monastery located in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The monks are part of a larger group called the English Province of the Subiaco Congregation.
This monastery is found in the Chama River Canyon Wilderness area. It is about 75 miles north of Santa Fe. To get there, you travel on a 13-mile dirt road called Forest Road 151. This road branches off from US route 84.
Contents
History of the Monastery
The Monastery of Christ in the Desert was started in 1964. Aelred Wall, O.S.B., founded it with monks from Mount Saviour Monastery. That monastery is in Pine City, New York.
In 1983, the monastery joined the English Province of the Subiaco Congregation. It became an independent Abbey in 1996. As of 2019, there were about thirty monks living there. The monks come from many different countries. English is the main language spoken in the monastery.
Monks and Technology
In 1995, the monks started a special internet service. They called it "scriptorium@christdesert." This service designed websites for others. It became very popular and was featured in many news stories. These included the Associated Press and The New York Times. It was also in Time magazine.
However, the web design work became too much. It started to take away from the monks' main purpose. Their main purpose is to live a life of prayer and quiet. So, in 1998, the web scriptorium was closed down.
In 2006, the monastery was part of a TV show. It was a Discovery Channel documentary series called The Monastery. The show followed five regular people. They lived at the monastery for forty days. They learned about the monks' way of life.
Building and Energy
The first monastery building was designed by George Nakashima. The monastery uses propane and solar power for its energy. It has one of the largest private solar power systems in the United States. This helps them live off the grid.
Sister Monasteries
The Monastery of Christ in the Desert has helped start other monasteries. These are sometimes called "daughter houses." They include Nuestra Senora de la Soledad and Monasterio Benedictino De Santa María y Todos Los Santos in Mexico. Another one is the Benedictine Monastery of Thien Tam (Heavenly Heart) in Kerens, Texas.
What the Monks Do (Apostolates)
The monks at the monastery do many things. They have a guesthouse where visitors can stay. Both men and women are welcome. Guests can join the monks in their chapel. They can share in the monks' daily prayers and Mass.
Besides the guesthouse, the monks also run a gift shop. The shop sells books and religious items. They try different ways to earn money to support themselves. This helps them continue their monastic life. For a few years, they even had a thrift shop in Santa Fe.
The monks also work in agriculture. They do computer work and maintain the buildings and grounds. They also create many handmade items. These include craft beer, soap, lotions, candles, pottery, and artwork.
Brewing at the Monastery
Since 2005, the Monastery of Christ in the Desert has run a small brewery. It is called Abbey Brewing Company. The brewery makes three kinds of beer. These are Monks' Ale, Monks' Wit, and Monks' Tripel.
The beers are currently brewed by Abbey Brewing. They use the facilities at Sierra Blanca Brewing Company in Moriarty. There is also a small experimental brewery at the monastery itself. Abbey Brewing Company sells its beers in eight states. They plan to sell in more places in the future.
See also
In Spanish: Monasterio de Cristo en el Desierto para niños
- Monastery of the Holy Cross
- NextScribe - an independent research project
