Tara and Emma: Just completed the Monastic Guest Program.
Tara Griffith from Pittsburgh, PA and works in Cyber Security. After reading Thomas Merton’s “The Seven Storey Mountain” years ago, she was interested in a retreat at Gethsemani. Two years ago, she was able to go to Gethsemani for a week. Since then she has made retreats at several Trappist monasteries in the US and Europe, including Mepkin, and was looking for a more immersive and lengthy experience. She was excited to see openings at Mepkin for women as part of the Monastic Guest Program. She is looking forward to taking this time to draw closer to God in prayer and be part of the Mepkin Community.
The month went by so fast! I really enjoyed the whole experience: Liturgy of the Hours, Mass, personal prayer, work (fruitcakes 😊), and being part of the community.
Emma Kosnik from Louisville Ky. Spent two years working at L’Arche. As a young woman in the Catholic Church, monasteries who offer programas like this one to women give me hope for the future of the Church. I feel blessed and honored to have been welcomed into the community.
It felt comforting, encouraging to be listened to, validated and supported in my time at the monastery.