The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-09-19
aethsemane Abbey.
Nelson County, KY, Record ]


county of Nelson, State of Kentucky, is
the beautiful Abbey of Gethsemaue, Of
the Order of Our Lady of La Trappe-Dr
familiarly known as the Order of Trap
pist Monks.
This grand abbey-for grand it is-is
within one mile of the Knoxville extern
sion of the louisville and Nashville rail-
road, and is about thirteen miles from
Bardstown, the seat of the county, and /
the original seat of the diocese 0t the !
same name under the sanity Mgr. Flaget, |
and famous for its St. Joseph's College, |
Nazareth Female Academy, and other |
good Institutions of learning, bnt of less
celebrity.
The abbey buildings are large aud
commodious, amid surrounding scenery |
of great beauty and picturesqueness. The
monks are noted tor their hospitality,
kindness, generosity and charity, for the
| suavity of their manners, their cour
tesy, arising from religion, the gracious
benlgGity rvinced in their address and
relation with the world, which gives
character to their countenances, and is the
result of sanity meditation and holy
prayers.
This community emigrated from France
| in 1913, and through the instrumentaGty
of the venerable Bishop Flaget located at
Gethse mane, where formerly fl ,urished
a female school. They own n large area
of land, which had est its fertility by
the primitive mood of culture, but, mole
property speaking, it was like some land
| in Virginia spokva of 10y the great Ran
dolph-''rery poor at fret, and spoiled
by cultivation" BY cn!tivaJing grapes
aud fruits together with the cereals of
this latitude, which they grow tn a lin
lted extent, and having IL large and supe-
nor saw and merchant mill, they are en-
abed by prudence and the strictest
economy, to sustain their own community
and a'so TO share their frugal store most
bounteousIy with the poor traveller who
often seeks the shelter and hospitality OF
the abbey. A few years ago their mill
was accidentally burned, which to them
was a very severe lose and great lncon-
venience to numbers around, who were
dependent on it for manufacturing their
wheat into flour and saving their lumber.
At this sad juncture of affairs, as II by the
hand of God (and was it not Gods in
, terposition y the venerable and wealthy
Baron di Hodamont came TO their assist
f ance and gratuitously aided them in the
: rebuild ng Of their null and in many other
: ways. The Baron is venerable in years
t being over eighty, but is the picture o
l health and contentment, as seen in tis
!, self. imposed employment at the abbey
where he purposes to
, Finish the short pilgrimage of life,
Many persons both lay and clerical
} visit this monastery for the purpose o
3 making a spiritual retreat, which can no
! be done under less time than three days
and may extend to a further length o
Q time. Persons are permitted to board II
2 the monastery, but must strictly obey tn
;, rules governing boarders. l quote from
t St. Benedict in his Holy Rule, chapter So
!. "Let all guests arriving at the monaster.
. be received as Christ himself, and lie
}. due honor be paid to all. But let tben
q firstpray, because of the illusions of tn
9 enemy.
IL. fh0r znH h
Q him, shall sit with them, and they shai! b
v treated with all kinkness. A place sha
e be set apart for the guests SO that the
d may te entertained without annoy ance t
r the community. Let the apartment dea
:, tined for the guests be furnished with
sufficient number of beds for their &C
commodaton, and let a brother who fear
God he appointed to take charge of it, tha
IL the house of God may be wisely covered o.
= wise mrn. Let no brother, except he b
u commanded to do SO, either speak to or as
Is sociate with the guests"
: And it has also been determined by th
s HolS Fathers of Citeaux, OF which thi
u abney is branch house
e lst. Meat is never to be given to tn
$. guests, or anything prepared with lard
(In America there is a temporary dispen
Of sation, but in France there is no exceptio
Of to this rule but for the sick.)
le God. On fast days of the church tn
30 Guest Master should give nothing be
g. tween meals, and at collation. he serve
u only that which is allowed in the di"ces
~ 81 Silence is observed at the table of th
! guests, and it is proper that some piou
~ lecture he read.
.e Ali. When guest asks to see the hous
IS the Guest Master conducts him every
, where he knows the religious are nj
u. assembled. He informs them that the
IL must not speak in certain places nor
y y the religious whose work-rooms they ma
~ ~ visit.
le Ssh Strangers ought not in general
III remain more than three days in the gue
rooms, unless on retreat. Nevertheless
time has now introduced the custom
!. many monasteries to receive bOarders,
ID men in good health, who wish to retil
e from the world for while OF for goo'
lie But every boarder is duly informed tina
tt he must be content with the treatment b
l. receives and not disturb the monastery b
e, his unreasonable demands or complaint
at about the diet and the rules of the guet
ID department. To such bOarders we asl
~. n,