Lumen Christi Institute Retreat Experience at New Melleray

 

Abbot Mark Scott and a few monks are currently reviewing a proposal offered us by Mr. Tom Levergood of the Lumen Christi Institute in Chicago to host a retreat for students.  Mr. Levergood, Executive Director of the Institute proposes a “monastic studies effort based on a collaboration between the Lumen Christi Institute and various monasteries.”  His hope is to promote a deeper understanding of the Catholic monastic intellectual tradition as well as introducing students to the monastic tradition as it is actually lived by monks today.  The monks welcome this opportunity to foster relations between ourselves and students of the University of Chicago.  In particular, we are eager to share the riches of the teaching of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the spiritual father of our order.  We are likewise eager to share with students the contents of the new Monastic Gradual we recently introduced which features traditional chant settings to all mass antiphons in the Roman Missal.  In the days ahead, monks will work out details of a retreat program designed by Mr. Levergood in discussion with his students.