St. Anselm's Abbey

I spent last weekend in Washington DC at a lovely place called St. Anselm's Abbey, a Benedictine monastery and school for young men grades six through twelve.   I was at the abbey to drop off one of my dearest and oldest friends for his journey into a new life of monastic living and ultimately, God willing the priesthood.  The weekend was enchanting and sad at the same time.




The abbey sits on forty or so acres in the north east section of the city. It is serene, secluded and much like Don Bosco College in Newton New Jersey was when attended summer camp there as a boy. The abbey like Don Bosco generated feelings of warmth and happiness in me. As a guest I was set aside from the monks in what had been at one time the original part of the monastery.  My room was simple but comfortable. More than anything, the place is quiet except for the occasional call to prayer which is done by buzzer or bell.


The monks allow guests who visit to do their own thing; I opted to participate in their monastic routine. This meant I was up at six for six twenty prayer, then breakfast, then mass, then midday prayer, then vespers and finally compline.  I didn't get to midday prayer because on Saturday I went to the National Gallery and on Sunday I left after mass.  I felt it was best if I let my friend Brian get on with it and that wasn't going to happen if he had to worry about me or think about me being there on site.


I found the prayers and the ritual lovely. The prayers were responsive and anyone present could participate. So there were cantors and then the choir and congregation responded and most of the prayers were Psalms which by the very nature of the poetry is beautiful.  I was especially struck during morning prayer that we started while outdoors it was night and by the time prayer concluded the sun had arisen. It was a very refreshing way to start a day.


The visit was bittersweet and as I left I felt a profound sense of loss in leaving my friend Brian there.  I think that this calling is going to work for him and I think the Benedictines of St. Anselm's Abbey are where he needs to be.  Brian is a very gentle and old soul and I'm not sure that the twenty first century world was a good place for him.  St. Anselm's offers him a place of silence, a big city for ministry, wonderful men to share the journey with and a lovely surrounding.