Holy Cross Monastery

My first days of sabbatical were times of connecting with old friends. I spent 10 days re-connecting with one friend I hadn't seen in fifteen years (eek!) and another friend I've had for thirty-seven years (eek! eek!).

After paying my respects to a diocesan clergy gathering, I spent a few hours with my dear niece who is very busy in medical school but found the time to be with me for a morning. I taught her Cloud Hands in that early morning, and even have a photo of us doing it. However, it is not a flattering photo of either one of us so you will simply have to imagine us.

Next, I drove to Holy Cross Monastery in West Park, New York. Many people don't know that there are monks and nuns in the Episcopal Church but there are. When I was a teenager I became dear friends with a monk named Bede Mudge. Later, after having struggled in silence for a year with a call to ordained ministry, I went on a retreat at Bede's house (otherwise known as Holy Cross Monastery). It was there I first ever said the words out loud, "I think I am called to be a priest."
What a great delight, 20 years later, to be able to return to that place as priest and consider all that has happen in those two decades.

When I was planning my sabbatical, I of course contacted Bede. He told me he too was going to be on sabbatical at that time. So I was planning to go to the Monastery but was sad to be missing him. I was tickled pink to find him sitting in front of me during our first compline service! His sabbatical didn't start until June. It's easy to tell our friendship picked up right where it left off:


The monastery has a rough labyrinth in an upper parking lot. After walking it, I did my Cloud Hands:


The monastery also has this little shrine you pass each time you enter and leave the sanctuary. I was drawn to it and spent some time alone there several times a day. I thought it only fitting to offer Cloud Hands there before I left.