Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-16
FATHER ALBERTO TOLD
OF LIFE As TR4PPIST

When visiting relatives in this city in
January, 1919, James CARMEL Biddle.
then Father Alberto. told Of his life as a
Trappist monk
The following is the interview he
gnve at that time:
The monks retire 10 their dOrmitory
at : o'clock in the winter and at s in
summer. They rise at . O'Clock n. m.
and assemble in the abbey church for
prayer. The little Office Of the Blessed
Virgin Mary is recitod, followed by a
half hours meditation. the monks
kneeling in their stalls.
AT 3 o'clock the regular canonical
Livinc Office. composed " the Psalms Of
David. IL recit"d beginning with the
Ctfico of mathis, followed by lauds. Gen
crafty il ends about ! O'Clock
The Divine Office consists Of pas.
sages from the Holy Scriptures homi
lies by the fathers OF the church and
extracts from the lives Of the Christian
saintS-all sung in simple, plain Gre.
gOrian chant, as restored to its ancient
usage by Pope Plus y.
But this singing is done only on
SUNDAYS md the chief festivals Of the
year. On other days the otfic" is r"rited
During the day the offices Of prime
ticrce. SCXt. none, veSpers and c0mpIinC
are sung daily.
"Thc Intervals between prayer are
spent in reading. study and manual IA.
boy Gcrh.rmano Abbey vas about 1000
acrc> uf lnnd. Tn" manual labor for
nEat !, hnowu a. tn" choir religions
is from four ~ five hours daily. The
-. knr IL II hrr1nr fEpa (which
th"y Sav in private. The lay brothers
n.Su have longer hours Of Labor.
"Whil" every monk is supposed TO
earn hi, living By manual labor. accord o
ing ~ thn uld traditions Of St. Benedict,
St. Basil and the fathers of the desert,
tho Church hns required choir religions
,u devote considerable time 10 sacred
studios-th"ology aud tn" Scriptures.
"In summer. ON account Of the heat
and labor. the monks get what are called
two fun mHuls. consisting Of vegetables,
milk and butter. They get what is
,aIled monks coffee, made of ground
barley. with milk and sugar. In early
times This wa~ m" ordinary beverage Of
thc people. especially in England. II
-ourW hn' 'nSt"lrS- at first and NJ
tIe difficult :" get used 10. but one be
comes arcugtomcd to it and il is healthy.
In This country on account of the
"lrnat" "" nre granted what il called
mkt in III" morning, This consists Ut
about six ounces NJ br"nd with barley
coffee In winter We are granted one
! full meal, served At about II 80 a. m.
aud II small collation. in the evening. 1t
| j, extremely light not II quarter Of u
full mont.
"G"ncralIy sp"aking, this diet proves
4 hralthfu,. The monks, as rule. urr
pare, and among US yOu wouldn't find
/ any lazy looking ones. II it Il serene life.
| Thc rulr nf nusterity is perfectly Ob
served, but il is rather difficult to obtain
| new subjects, especially in this country,
. BECAUSE many have not sufficient
/ strength to observe the rule and iravr
| the uovitiat". The i'll are cared for by
al nhrWarlan.
"Pcrrrtual silence is observed oy-
rcpr ~ speak 10 tn" abbot or the prior
OF the monastery The master Of work
also mny give directions verbally when
necessary. This silence Is difirult. but
is necessary for life Of recollection and
prayer In cas-" Of great necessity thr
rule does not apply.
"a few years ago the building where
the monk, conduct u boys school caught
fire. \ monk. discovering the flames.
threw stones and smashed some Of the
windowJ by way Of warning. But he
kept silence"