A retreat at Holy Resurrection Monastery

Recently we visited Holy Resurrection Monastery, an Eastern Catholic community of monks, in their new home in St. Nazianz, Wisconsin.  This village is named after one of the great Eastern saints, St. Gregory the Theologion (St. Gregory Nazianzen)!  In October of 2011, the monks moved to Wisconsin from their original location in California.  We were excited by the move because it meant that we could financially afford to make the trip to visit!

Father Maximos and Abbot Nicholas

We enjoyed seeing the historical sites of the village with Abbot Nicholas, entering into the monks' beautiful services, spending time in silence with our Bridegroom, partaking in Father Moses' delicious meals, and sharing in some conversation with our new brothers in Christ!  (We were also amused by watching Alberto, the peacock who decided to make his home on the grounds two weeks after the monks moved in!  Peacocks are symbolic of the Resurrection!)

It has been so life-giving for us to continue to build relationships with monastic and religious communities, especially in the Eastern Catholic and Orthodox Churches.  Each community lives out their vocation of union with Christ in a slightly different way and has practical and spiritual wisdom to teach us.  This is so important for us as our young community develops.

We thank all the monks for their warm hospitality and fatherly love for us!