The Irish standard., 1914-09-05
MONKS WHO UYE
IN STRICT SILENCE
Their Monastery Near Dubuque, la.
House of Silence in which
They Suffer Physical
Humiliation.
Their Food Meagre. They Labor
from ? a. III. to 7 p. III.
Women Barred from Their Sight.
Die on Bed of Ashes. No
Coffin Allowed.

nest in a hollow tree of Brittany
in the twelfth century was RESPONSE
BILE for the name by which is known
the monastery that stands as {
twentieth century marvel among .ht
hills of the picturesque Mississippi
Valley just twelve miles south Of
Dubuque.
In striking contrast to the buzzins
bee hive the massive structure Of
stone is House of Silence, for here
the inhabitants never speak. They
are strangers to their own voices
The thirty-five men, wrapped il
coarse cloaks, their shaven heads
covered by cowls, who move slowly
about their work, have not spoken
aloud for half a century unless it be
to say "Frere il faute mourir'
brother, we must die).
Curious are the ways of these
strange monks. Among their &c.
centr:cities they
Neither speak nor sing nor laugh
Eat neither meat, eggs nor delica-
cies.
Labor from am. to z pm.
Sleep on hard board beds.
Shave their heads.
Mark out their own graves.
Die on a bed of ashes.
Are buried without coffin.
Never permit woman in the mon
astery.
These are the monks of New Mel
leray-the name tracing its origin
to the bee hive.
Hollow Tree First Shelter.
In the twelfth century a band of
monks wandered through Brittany in
search of a site for a monastery.
They were forced to tax refuge in
the forest because of the GOODNESS
with which they were received by in
habitants.
Refused even food by the country
folk and denied shelter by single
roof, they sought shelter in the hol-
low of a missive old tree. All their
needs were supplied, for within the
trunk was huge honeycomb that
furnished them the sustenance so
cruelty denied by inhospitable peas
ants. They believed this deliverance
to be an act by the hand of God.
From this incident was derived Mel
lis Alvearium, Mellearium, Melleray
name they gave their new abbey.
But so many Englishmen Joined
their ranks the French Government
became suspicious and they were ex-
PEELED from the country in 1881.
They went to Ireland and established
monastery at Mount Melleray,
county of Waterford. This soon be-
came overcrowded and the ground
proved too unproductive to supply
the needs of the inmates. There was
nowhere to turn but America. The
1S49. The monks came, with their
own hands building the House of
Silence. 1t is a great structure of
stone on the crest of hill, built in
the form of a cross, an uncompleted
cross, for one arm is not yet finished.
This strange building is surrounded
by 5000 acres of land securely en-
closed by pickets and wire. Here
the monks raise farm products and
livestock, principally sheep.
Few strangers travel to this
strange spot. Those who do are met
at the entrance by two monks who
fall PROSTATE on their faces. Hos
pital ty is never denied and the visi-
tor is courteously shown about the
place. Everything is plain and SIM
pie. Neither gold nor silver is to be
found on the altar.
Occasionally flowers will be found
there. Here it is that on every Holy
Thursday is observed the ceremony
of feet washing. On this occasion
the abbot with basin and towel wash
es the feet of the other monks to
designate his level with them.
The biblical commandment, "Thou
shalt eat thy bread by the sweat OF
thy brow" is enforced. The monks
rise at 2 am. Then they have Their
first meal, consisting of bread and
thin tea or water sweetened with
fruit juices. At 1880 they eat din
ner, which consists of thin soup OF
vegetables cooked in salt water. AT
$3.50 they partake of their last meal
which may be rice or vegetables
cooked in milk and dessert of fresh
or cooked fruit. Besides this each
is allowed twelve ounces of bread a
day.
When a monk is about to die he is
removed from his bed and is placed
on a bed of ashes. When he has
ceased to breath he is wrapped in his
own gown and carried to that little
patch of ground where may be seen
:everal simple white crosses mark
ng the graves Of other departed
'rothers. With silent prayers he is
4. Aha ella AYo -.