Such a unique place to visit.We visited here to tour the abbey and attend the mod day prayer service. Learn More. } Do it anyway. The sign asks you to sit in the back, but the request is only there, it seems, to be flaunted. Benedict instructed that a novice's street clothes should be kept. I dont know. If you're in the Charleston area in November or December you must visit this unique display. Pray. Simple gorgeous grounds and a beautiful day. Dont want to? Still, Mepkins future is anything but certain. Mepkin Abbey is a Trappist monastery in Berkeley County, South Carolina. He is no longer strong enough, he said, to regularly attend the first or last of Mepkins seven daily prayer services vigils at 3:20 a.m., and compline at 7:35 p.m. Father Christian took Jaylynns misunderstanding of the rules as a sign that Christ had a special grace for him and his brothers that day. The abbey hosts about 1,500 people a year who want to experience the contemplative life. In 1936 the well-known publisher Henry R. Luce bought the property. They brought out the eldest and most infirm monks and sat them in front of the rest of us. The flowers were in bloom so there were all kinds of beautiful colors and smells in the air. Meghan + Grayson | Mepkin Abbey Wedding October 06, 2015 in Wedding mekpin abbey wedding Vendors: Tags: mepkin abbey portraits, mepkin abbey wedding, moncks corner wedding, moncks corner wedding photographer, moncks corner wedding photography Kelsey + Peter | Wickliffe House Wedding LeeAnn + Justin | Confederate Home and College Wedding Mepkins monks, led by the abbot, Father Stan Gumula, process from the church to the refectory. For decades, the monastery relied on an egg farm that produced as many as 30,000 eggs per day. Id rather be in a community that has a vital energy and a good community life. The area has been known as Mepkin for centuries, and was originally the estate of several historic families. Simple gorgeous grounds and a beautiful day. Or they wouldnt like it and theyd judge me for being too Catholic. During my month-long monastic immersion, I lived in a small, comfortable room in the monks dormitory. Mepkin Abbey is not your typical attraction. Mepkin Abbey is open , Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun. I was blessed to meet Jessica at just the perfect time. line-height:20px; read more. The horn of a freight train blaring from across the Cooper River, a temporary reminder of the noise and distractions of the outside world. This is one of the most beautiful places you could ever dream of having and outdoor wedding at. I arrived at Mepkin Abbey on a July afternoon during a South Carolina monsoon. Another time at the abbey I volunteered my paltry services to work with the monks. You can either click on the link in your confirmation email or simply re-enter your email address below to confirm it. I've known Jessica and Bobby for a few years now. The abbeys new affiliate program will offer two new short-term monastic options for people of any, or no, faith traditions: a monthlong monastic institute, open to men and women, and a yearlong residency. Methodists go home knowing how to be Methodists again. (i wondered why there wasn't any mention of his wife?!?! The Mepkin Abbey gate is open from 6am-6pm. The Mepkin grounds are the most peaceful and spiritual place I have ever laid feet on. One is from Thomas Merton, the most famous Trappist. The monastery also generates income from the store at its visitors center, which sells dried mushrooms and a slew of other products, many of which are produced at other Trappist monasteries; its retreat center, which hosts both individual and group visitors; timber that is harvested by outside contractors; and a new nondenominational columbarium, which offers a place for funeral urns to be stored on Mepkins grounds. The weather was perfect but this is such an enchanting place. Mepkin Abbey is located at 1098 Mepkin Abbey Road in Moncks Corner - just far enough of a journey to explore a day away from it all. MONCKS CORNER, S.C. A year and a half ago, I could do anything run the chain saw, cut up trees, use a backhoe.. Meet Paul Haring, the CNS photographer who covered the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI and the election of Francis, numerous international papal trips and the daily action of Vatican life for over a decade. Several monasteries wall off guests from monks. Were all getting old., Read: Silent, Yes, but Never Withdrawn: Readers Respond to this Dwindling Catholic Monastery. Father Gerard Jonas was unsurprised and confided that the monastic guest program lasts for one month for a good reason: A would-be monk should understand that the life can be monotonous. I went to Mepkin Abbey with three objectives: to improve my prayer practice; to experience a full immersion into the daily life of a monk; and to begin a discernment about the next phase of my life. The salty air was blowing through the huge oak trees as they exchanged their vows and held back *happy* tears. The brothers knew, Mr. Hagan said. Yet they also vow poverty, chastity, obedience, and devotion to prayer. Brother Joseph Swedo was bent forward in his chair, his rugged hands folded delicately in his lap. You are never in a bad location. Welcome Dear Friends: All the monks of Mepkin want to share the opportunities we offer you to engage with us in the. Im pretty sure I was even holding back tears at this point. I meant that the monks have their own dining hall and guests have a separate one. I wondered whether I had missed my calling. Visit the poor. I have been making five-day retreats at Trappist and Benedictine monasteries for the past 20 years and have found the experience of living in silence and detaching from work and family life restorative and re-energizing. As a monk at Mepkin Abbey, a Trappist monastery in South Carolina, he maintains that Roman Catholic orders code of prayer, work, seclusion, poverty and chastity. 2680 Lohr Dr, Mt Pleasant, SC 843-819-9705; dennis@charlestonphotoart.com; I am also serving Hilton head, Columbia, Savannah, Myrtle beach; PORTFOLIO. Verify to immediately update business information, respond to reviews, and more! So many different interpretations of this important scriptural event. So I asked Father Columba, formerly a parish priest in Dublin, whether I could discuss an unspecified pastoral issue with him. Thank you! I was blessed to meet Jessica at just the perfect time. We ask readers to log in so that we can recognize you as a registered user and give you unrestricted access to our website. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Naturally, I was involved in one of them. I was mortified. Monks at Mepkin also adhere to a strict vegetarian diet and maintain a largely silent atmosphere although its not as if we dont speak, Father Stan explained. more. I worked for four or five hours a day in the abbeys mushroom-growing operation. I didnt know what he meant. So why was I hesitant to bring others there? The main thing I learned from taking Methodists to Mepkin was about prayer. There was no room for a wall, and if there were, itd have just blocked the breeze. Anyone can read what you share. They only have one child left at home.I greatly enjoyed this article, I have been to Mepkin several times and had a wonderful experience each time. They also have so many areas that you are free to roam on your own. Joe Tedesco, https://mepkinabbey.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/IMG-0010-scaled.jpg, https://mepkinabbey.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/logo.png. When I told her once that if I died, I wanted her to remarry someone as like me as possible while also somehow not nearly as good, she responded, If something happens to me, you have my blessing to join the monastery. Romance at its finest. Pray like this, at this hour, in this way, and with these people. Nor can he fully participate during the roughly five hours set aside each day for agricultural work and the upkeep of the monasterys grounds. The property was originally a colonial rice plantation, later acquired by Clare Boothe Luce, who in turn donated the grounds to the Trappists in the 1940s. Father Columba readily agreed, but before we got together, he delivered an amazing homily on Mt 18:21-22, in which his theme was that forgiveness is a miracle. Father Columba and I still had our talk, but forgiveness was not one of the topics that we discussed. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Stay a while and say hello! During nice weather, you may see it being used for outdoor weddings or as a backdrop for professional photographers. Mepkin Abbey is located at 1098 Mepkin Abbey Rd., Moncks Corner, SC 29461. The coffee, tea, hot chocolate and fresh from the oven cookies that are available during the Creche festival is a wonderful touch. Let us therefore listen to the psalm and recognize in it the voice of Christ.. I dont even remember what I said, but I guess it was funny! And I give her all the credit for getting me into weddings as well! Under the umbrella of the Diocese of Charleston, Mepkin Abbey is a beautiful and quiet enchanting spot in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. We had unhurried time to talk. //-->. I wondered whether I had missed my calling. If youre waiting for a whole lot of people to come to the traditional monastery well, that wont happen, he said. Perhaps ironically, when you devote eight hours a day to prayer, it seems you have all the time in the world. Their robes have long sleeves, and those sleeves make it hard to find ones hands. Mepkin Abbey: Our Wedding - See 138 traveler reviews, 104 candid photos, and great deals for Moncks Corner, SC, at Tripadvisor. Not without good reason then, his voice is ours, and our voice is also his. My niece and I went to Mepkin Abbey to take photographs. Copyright 20042023 Yelp Inc. Yelp, , and related marks are registered trademarks of Yelp. Wondering why we ask for your email, or having trouble registering. The monastery now produces around 1,400 pounds of mushrooms each week half oyster mushrooms, half shiitake. She cruised over to the monks block of butter and started to help herself, when 95-year-old Father Christian, with bent back and long beard and twinkle in his eye, asked, Oh, I see youre joining us today? He was genuinely delighted. But enough of my talking, see for yourself how beautiful it was! It's located outside of Charleston in Berkeley County. 1098 Mepkin Abbey Rd, Moncks Corner, SC 29461-4796 Save Jbendler Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 76 31 Beautiful Wedding Venue Review of Mepkin Abbey Reviewed April 27, 2014 What a spectacular site for a wedding. But theres no TV. Yes, I got Bobby to show a real, genuine smile! At the time I was just taking headshots, family photos, and nature photos. Some aging monasteries, including Mepkin, have had to rely on greater numbers of paid employees and volunteers, which has helped avert a shortage of labor. We use some essential cookies to make this website work. The only drawback was the occasional boater to disturb the tranquility. This is one pretty place. fax: 843-761-6719, Niches in Mepkins Columbarium are available to the public. For more information on how we use cookies, or to change your cookie preferences, see our Cookie Policy. Parenting six children is a monumental task. Absolutely, an incredible experience. The thought of being a wedding photographer had crossed my mind, but I was too scared. [5] They eventually decided on a mushroom production operation.[6]. A glimpse into monastic life at Mepkin Abbey with Fr. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. You'll have to buy some of the Mushrooms that the Monks grow (dried or fresh). The Abbey gift shop offers homemade jams, jellies and preserves produced by other Trappist monasteries and the mushrooms grown by the Mepkin Abbey monks. You can take a self-guided tour of the gardens Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Please contact us at members@americamedia.org with any questions. Every morning, hours before the sun, the monks and the Methodists bowed and twirled and chanted psalms. It says he lives with his wife and their youngest child. FOR A MONTH. The abbey grounds are huge and very well kept. Thank you! Make promises to do better. The early returns, 500 years on, are not positive. I am middle-aged, happily married and the father of six children. And for those who just want to stroll through the well-manicured gardens and enjoy the beauty of live oak trees with Spanish moss, abundant flowering plants and interesting wood sculptures, this is the place to go. Nothing says Charleston, South Carolina like the glowing oaks dripping with Spanish moss, salty air, alligators swimming in the ponds, and the Azaleas blooming everywhere you look. So lets give them an experience of the place without a commitment, and see what happens.. Required fields are marked *. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. To be sure, many of the Trappist traditions at Mepkin are helping to sustain the monastery. I learned later that the monks had needed some assistance with a liturgical gesture, and the Methodists were nearby and ready to lend a hand. Needless to say, bring along a camera. Serene and There is no admission to enter the gardens and walk around, but if you want a more extensive behind-the-scenes tour of the chapel and other areas, there is a suggested contribution fee.You will rarely see any of the monks, as they stay well-hidden, but you can get a glimpse of the type of lifestyle they lead. You will find it there. Mepkin Abbey: Intimate wedding - See 138 traveler reviews, 104 candid photos, and great deals for Moncks Corner, SC, at Tripadvisor. I felt incredibly sheepish when the monk on the other side of this contretemps sought me out to apologize within a half-hour. What a lovely visit we had to this beautiful place. The pilgrimage gave us Methodists time to talk to one another about things less prosaic than our standard pre-church chatter about the weather and football. This practice worked just fine for me, until it didnt. I will be going back many times, always something new to see and many plants in bloom. But I have great hope in the future., Father Columba Caffrey, the newest member of Mepkins monastic community who, at the age of 60, is also one of its youngest monks, was also cautiously optimistic. In December 2007, Mepkin announced on its website that it would phase out the egg production operation which had been its main income, citing the controversy and its disturbance of their monastic way of life. Its gardens are now known as the Mepkin Abbey Botanical Garden . Theres no work for guests to do, other than volunteering to shovel if you want. There were 57 manger scenes on display. The monastery grounds include a graveyard containing the ashes of Henry Laurens, as well as the graves of John Laurens, Clare Boothe Luce, and Henry Luce. Once several of the Boone Methodists processed out of their choir stalls and into the procession of monks for the liturgy. In recent months, the abbey, in response to its aging population and its lack of young novices, formed a committee for its future development and drew up a set of programs aimed at attracting a younger and more spiritually diverse group of people. Jason Byassee teaches homiletics and biblical hermeneutics at the Vancouver School of Theology in British Columbia. I led them all into the church, a dozen of us being as quiet as we could but still making a racket. Since Methodism is a revivalist sect, if were not reviving anybody, what are we doing? Please visit ourmembership pageto learn how you can invest in our work by subscribing to the magazine or making a donation. This intimate Spring wedding at Mepkin Abbey was EVERYTHING. The Holy Spirit was brooding in our midst, bringing healing and life where, on our own, there would be only sorrow. He asked his first question: What are they doing with their hands? The liturgies at Mepkin. map & directions The gift shop has a wide variety of items. Youre in church, but your entry and exit are separate from theirs, and you cant go past the divide. During the spring and early summer (before the heat and humidity), it is a wonderful place to visit or have a quiet picnic on the bluff surrounded by flowers and serenity. My wife, Jaylynn, has a photo from our wedding day by the side of our bed. It is a place you have to experience . Father Butter was there, 102 years old. I went out with two monks to shovel the chicken shit that they sold to local farmers for use as compost. They know what has long been called the whole David by heart. Interview: Whats it like to photograph Pope Francis? If youre already a subscriber or donor, thank you! What young people keep telling us, said Father Joe Tedesco, the chair of the committee for Mepkins future development, is that theyre interested in the spiritual life journey, but not in institutional religion. Check out some of our wedding photos from this place. Walking paths, benches overlooking the river. Todonate online, click here, or you may send a check to Mepkin Abbey, 1098 Mepkin Abbey Road, Moncks Corner, SC 29461. And for the past 73 years . Oh clement, oh loving, oh most sweet Virgin Mary. They sing it with such tenderness it nearly overwhelms my Protestant objections. .av_font_icon.av-js7ruq5v-ba8a02887e7fff03068ed916a24ed508 .av-icon-char{ Years later one of those monks, Brother Stan, became the monasterys abbot. In 1762 one of his descendants sold the land to Henry Laurens of Charleston. I learned that this failing is pardonable because, as Father Guerric told me, I did not snore and it happens.. While Trappists are an order in the Roman Catholic Church, everyone is welcome to visit and make Retreats here. During my first couple of weeks at the monastery, I felt immense gratitude nearly every day and nearly every hour of every day. As the other reviewers have stated, the word that best sums up this experience is, Peaceful.Quiet.Serene.Contemplative.A place for quiet introspection. This blog a journal about our lives, travels, fashion, and style. Address: 1098 Mepkin Abbey Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461. But its going to look different., And Mepkin Abbey, these monks present here we want to be part of shaping what the future will look like.. Only 13 monks remain, down from a peak of 55 in the mid-1950s. And while were in the confessional, I should fess up, as I did to Father Guerric, that I had dozed off a couple of times during the centering prayer session that he hosts at 5 a.m. each day. [1] The plantation, which was created from several smaller plantations, contained over 7200 acres when Luce bought the property for a reported $150,000. Look, he said, I cant get Catholic priests to come to this place. The truth is, I was becoming restless during my monastic stints. Bobbys reaction after Jessica teased him about not being surprised! Javascript must be enabled for Bookwhen to function properly. Feb 18, 2017 - Wedding Photos from Hope and Jarrod's wedding ceremony at Monck's Corner's Mepkin Abbey outside of Charleston South Carolina. The weather was perfect but this is such an enchanting place. Moncks Corner, SC 29461 Trappist monasteries in the United States are likely to consolidate, Father Stan said. Based in Charleston, SCContact me at catie@catherinehurtphotography.com. And I give her all the credit for getting me into weddings as well! I knew what you were thinking, Scott said. Many young people of the Roman Catholic tradition, Father Guerric added, will simply not be attracted to forms of monasticism that require celibacy and a lifetime commitment. Mepkins openness is in some ways related to its topography. I started counting the days until my departure. It is way off the beaten path Not a place for active kids. Were a very nonjudgmental and nonexclusive community, he said. I invited a few lay leaders and a few college students from the Methodist campus ministry, and away we went. [4] Furthering the controversy, it was discovered shortly after the release of the video that many scenes shown in the video, such as those of dead chickens of the floor, were actually shot at a separate facility rather than at Mepkin Abbey. 1098 Mepkin Abbey Rd. I was afraid theyd ruin it. If you login and register your print subscription number with your account, youll have unlimited access to the website. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Trappist monastery in Berkeley County, South Carolina, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Mepkin article on their new mushroom production replacing the egg production, St. Mary Help of Christians Church, Aiken, St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, Charleston, Cathedral of Saint John and Saint Finbar, Charleston, Cardinal Newman High School, Forest Acres, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mepkin_Abbey&oldid=1085714570, Trappist monasteries in the United States, Buildings and structures in Berkeley County, South Carolina, Tourist attractions in Berkeley County, South Carolina, Roman Catholic churches in South Carolina, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 May 2022, at 01:43. He stage-whispered to each one of us with inappropriate loudness, When youre 102, Ill come pray for you. Abbot Stan stood off in the corner, his shepherds crook beside him, and openly wept. What should I wear? I only had about an hour to spend here, but I cant wait to go back! One of them being a monument to The Charleston Nine, the brave 9 fireman that died trying to put out a fire. A monastery? Perhaps he should have addressed that. Ive known Jessica and Bobby for a few years now. But my Methodist friend Scott could hardly contain his smile. In this Oct. 30, 2013, Abbot Stan Gumula discusses recent additions at Mepkin Abbey during an interview at the abbey in Moncks Corner, S.C. Guided tours ($5 per person) are offered at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, except on any Friday designated a Desert Day . read more. That was better than a lot of what Im shoveling now, he quipped. Beautiful and Peaceful Gardens on the Banks of the Cooper River. Peaceful place to reflect. The alligators were swimming in the pond and even popped out before the ceremony to say hello! All the buildings have been built around the trees.. this helps us promote a safe and accountable online community, and allows us to update you when other commenters reply to your posts. Why are we unique? And the abbey, they say, is a repository of wisdom about the benefits of contemplative living. My nephew was married here the week before my mothers ashes were placed in their columbarium - she looks over the water with the oaks and magnolias seeping in between - the wooden statues and stations are moving as well as artfully magnificent. //-->. And we expect to be here for another thousand years, he said. ?--unless i missed it. So I made the rookie mistake of waving off further book recommendations. Your email address will not be published. A version of this article appears in the print edition under the title Revival at the monastery.,

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