Hello from St. Meinrad, Indiana, and the Archabbey of St. Meinrad. I am here to write an article about the monks of St. Meinrad and the Toledoans who are serving here.
It is a most remarkable place... Hard to describe in a way because it is such a big topic. But I will be writing about it for the March 9 paper.
Today, St. Meinrad was hit with an ice storm. Everything is covered with a few inches of ice. I am so glad I did not have to drive anywhere. I just went out to check on my car and it is covered with about an inch thick coating of ice. I don't know if I could open the car doors without breaking the handles. It's supposed to warm up tomorrow and melt the ice, so I'm hoping the weather forecasters are right.
I stood outside a moment ago and the entire abbey is quiet except for the occasional crack of a tree limb breaking under the weight of the ice. You hear the groan of the limb, the c-rrrr-ack of the branch, and then hear it fall to the ground. About 500 houses in Evansville, Ind., lost power due to ice causing the power lines to snap.
It's an eerie sight. But my visit to this place has been amazing. I'm looking forward to writing the articles about St. Meinrad. I've never seen anything like it. Tonight I had the rare pleasure of dining in the monks' refectory.
They eat in silence, as a reader reads for the entire meal. Afterward, the monks chat briefly and then observe an evening of silence.
I do feel a holy presence here, unlike anything I've experienced before.
I just wanted to check in with you and let you know where I am and why I have not been blogging. I'll be back home tomorrow night and will catch up further.
Thanks and God bless from the holy ground of St. Meinrad Archabbey.
St. Meinrad, Ind.
Feb. 21, 2008