Monasteries

Good dvd.

This is a documentary about modern American monasteries. Ask an American if they would like to visit a monastery, and you might provoke laughter. Or you might find enthusiasm where you least expect it.We live in a very noisy society, and there is a real hunger for silence. This film portrays people who have found peace and silence, in a place where they can carry on the inner journey, the difficult road of the spirit. The joy that bubbles out of these people is infectious. Mr. Murphy visits ten North American monasteries, interviewing people who visit them, retire in them, or live their lives there. The film shows people working, eating, praying, and talking about their lives. All of these monasteries invite guests to come visit, joining the monks in their daily lives. Contact information is provided for each location.One monk, a former marine helicopter pilot, recommends that you should try this life of peace and freedom. If you feel the call to a life of contemplation, don't avoid it out of fear or prejudice. Better to try and fail than to spend your whole life in a place where you don't belong.This is a short film, and although it was produced on a low budget, the production is excellent. The photography is beautifully done; the interviews are brief and informative. I was inspired by this film, and felt the urge to visit several of the places profiled. I recommend it to everybody.Somehow God will get to our hearts. If you seek him, you will find him. When you find him, you will find peace.

Working under the assumption that everyone needs a spiritual break from time to time from this fast-paced world in which we live, host Jim Murphy offers a look at seven of North America's more than 200 monasteries, as well as one hermitage. According to Murphy and the monastics whom he interviews, monasticism as a way of life isn't for everyone. But retreats at monasteries for several or many days can be just what the spirit needs to refresh itself and remember its priorities.The monasteries Murphy visits are Indiana's colossal St. Meinrad Archabbey (Benedictine); Arizona's Holy Trinity Monastery (Benedictine and charismatic); Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery, an Orthodox monastery in the Romanian tradition located in Michigan; the Monastery of St. Clare in Indiana, a center for the Sisters of St. Clare; St. Augustine's House (Lutheran) outside Detroit, the nation's smallest monastic community; Assumption Abbey in Missouri (Benedictine), famous for its fruitcakes, of which it produces 23,000 annually; the Little Portion Hermitage in Arkansas, founded by musician John Michael Talbot, and eclectically combining elements from Benedictine, Franciscan, and desert spirituality;* and the Ontario hermitage of Fr. Patrick McNulty of Madonna House, who tells us that he lives in poustinia and constant prayer to bring God's mercy on the world.The photography is beautiful and the interviews, although short in this 48 minute film, offer glimpses into the monastic way of life. Contact information for each of the visited sites is also provided. All in all, a film well worth watching._________* Just this April (2008), a fire ravaged Little Portion Monastery, utterly destroying it.

I found my first copy of this video (vhs back then) while visiting in a monastery several years ago. I use it for personal reflection and show shorts clips when teaching classes on religion. I doubt that I have gone over six months at any one time without watching this video since I first purchased it way back when. My current copy is becoming worn and I was just looking on Amazon when I noticed only one review. This is an excellent introduction to monastic life. I have visited some of the monasteries depicted. This video might ignite your thirst to visit one of the retreat houses as well.

Good DVD that I often relax with