Two New Observers
June 16th, 2010
Meet two of Mepkin’s observers:
Father Gerard Jonas Palmares and Ralph Karow
The Mepkin community has enjoyed the presence of Father Gerard Jonas Palmares of the Philippines for the past two months. Father Jonas had come to Mepkin as a monastic guest several years ago and initiated a dialogue regarding discernment of a call to Trappist life. A priest of the Archdiocese of Lipa, he has served most recently as the chancellor of the diocese for 11 years. With the permission of his archbishop he came to the US a year ago to visit monastic houses in North America in order to come to a better understanding of what he perceived to be a call from God to enter a monastery. We are pleased to have initiated the process of application with Father Jonas and ask you to keep him in your prayers.
For the past five years, Ralph Karow has been coming to Mepkin on retreat, praying to understand the invitation he believes God is offering to come apart and live a deeper relationship in faith. Originally from the borough of Queens in the city of NY, Ralph has been living and working in Manhattan up until very recently. Another man of computers, he has developed his interest in music, singing with the choir of Saint Ignatius Church. His musical interest has also led him to try his hand at composing. In the Spring Ralph called and asked to live with us for three months in order to give himself a more extended time sharing our life. Kindly remember him in your prayers as he endures the heat and humidity of life on the Cooper River with us during the summer months
Meet two of Mepkin’s observers
December 1st, 2009
At present Mepkin is pleased to have two men staying with us in blue shirts. A “blue shirt” signifies that a man, after a number of vocation discernment visits, following the proper course for determining that he wishes to enter, is now spending a lengthy time with the community and sharing our life of prayer, work study, eating with us, etc. This is the time when a man submits his formal application to join the community.
Jay Thornton, having spent three months with us in discernment earlier this year, has returned to make formal application. Jay comes to us from Maine. Having been educated as an attorney, he has worked in the field of education and most recently was living a secluded life in solitude up in Maine.
Matt Proia has been visiting Mepkin for four years. Originally from upstate New
York, he came to Charleston after graduating from college and slowly began to visit then retreat at Mepkin. His attraction to monastic life developed into a desire to explore the possibility of a vocation. And he has stayed with us for a lengthy time twice in the past. Matt has also begun formal application to enter.
Kindly remember these men in you prayers as well as the men who have been visiting to discern if God is calling them to enter Mepkin. At present we have nine other men at different stages of a discernment process.
Rodney Odom: Our Newest Observer
April 20th, 2009
Observer Rodney Odom
Rodney Odom has been with us for a month as an observer. Living in the Charlotte area of North Carolina now, he grew up and received his early education in Philadelphia. Rodney has served in the Navy, received a Bachelor of Science degree, operated his own business and is presently employed by Frito-Lay. His strong sense of a call to monastic life brought him to enter RCIA classes in his parish and he has been carefully reading to educate himself further in matters of faith and the church.
See the News item for June 16, 2010 — in which we rejoice that Rodney is now a Postulant, trading his Blue Shirt for a White one!!