The roof is made of iron and rests above the entrance of the building that has a square concrete. But nevertheless, the most important thing is not to expect anything in particular. As I said, this would be other things aside from offering hospitality and answering the phone and paying the bills and all of those other things that are necessary for the function of the community. Its a little bit like a marriage, that it has to work together. Turn right at the stop sign. 3399 Rives Eaton Rd. As would be the case later, Mother Benedictas lifelong experience of monastic life brought to the Ellwood City community a wealth of knowledge based on the tradition of Romanian monasticism. The advice is that you take one verse, maybe, that you hear in the service, of the songs of the prayer, and meditate on it for a length of time until another verse and another word from what is read again touches your heart, and then meditate on that and pray. Then he was taken to prison, a Communist prison. Each monastic community is just a little different, by virtue of the size of the community, the work that the community does, the geographical area where the community is placed, those are little differences, and each one will have to find a community where one can fit in and is able to be part of it. I loved spending some time here in silence and solitude and reflecting on God's goodness. I did not know, but I knew I wanted to be there. I think those who come to work with us are those who understand that the work they offer extends to so many more people, that if they come to help with beautifying the place, there are so many other people who come and benefit from that, to find joy and spiritual delight in being at the monastery for a few hours or for a day or two. On August 15 of that year, at the feast of the Holy Dormition, Mother Gabriella was installed as the second abbess. It was just It was a life for me to learn and to explore and to grow into it. We visited Holy Dormition Monastery this year for our 14th annual mission trip. Exit at Berry Rd, turn right and follow until Berry Rd ends at Rives Eaton Rd. He would tell me, Say, Lord, have mercy during the day as often as you can think of it, as you play, if it comes to mind, just say, Lord, have mercy a few times. As a child, he told me, Say Our Father in the evening before you go to bed, and do twelve prostrationsjust twelveand then in the morning, if you can wake up in time before you go to school, do that again. Aren't the next few sweet photos? Is God calling you? The mission is to be there to offer hospitality and a place for the Christians to come, for the faithful to come, for keeping the liturgical cycle of prayers, to keep the flame of prayer burning for the good of the whole world, to provide that unity of Christ and the world. Paisios, with his guidance and his teaching, encouraging me to pray and to believe in God in these very simple ways, he told me to pray even as a child. The interior has three naves and baroque aspects. Paisios, who was the spiritual father of Fr. While they stayed in Terre Haute, they tried to resurrect a defunct Romanian Orthodox Church in town, but its survival was rather brief. Uh_Bubba and Jakob Smith faved this Paul Golm 16y A friend of mine just spent the her weekend at that monastery. Before his death, Fr. 'https:' : 'http:') + '//cse.google.com/cse.js?cx=' + cx; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(gcse, s); })(); Church Office: P.O. They keep this place so nice, it is truly a beautiful little getaway from all the LA madness :) Worth a visit for sure!! This is following the example of Christ, to have retreated in the wilderness, to pray and fast. Site Map | The entry into marble has three portals whose major center topped by a painted architrave. Church: Accessible entrances, curb cuts, ramps and parking near accessible entrances for churches with parking lots. The foundation of this monastery represents the unity of Orthodoxy and Faith and its continuity in this land. Thats the basic mission of every monastic community. And we had a friend of the family who had become a nun, and I met her that spring, as I was finishing high school. Work on the iconography of the Church continues. On August 7, 2005, Great Schema Nun Mother Benedicta fell asleep in the Lord, after a long illness. Line; to U.S. Rt. Divine Liturgy is served on Wednesdays at 7:00 AM. ], [Nuns chant in response: God is the Lord and has revealed himself to us. The construction of the Gate House and Bell Tower were started in Summer of 2005. ; to McCue Rd. Having an orchard, also; it helps with the food needed. Ear phones or audio loops that enhance the sound are available for people who are hard of hearing. In keeping with this tradition, and desiring to provide a means of spreading the teachings of the Church to Orthodox America, the HDM Press Publishing Co was founded in 1994 and received with enthusiasm. Roman Braga; a newly appointed hierodeacon; and the abbess of Holy Dormition, Mother Gabriella. What makes a good monastic is one who can bear in ones heart the joys and the sorrows of the world, is one who has reached that level of identifying oneself with the pain and the suffering of the world, with the needs of every Christian who lives in the world. Now, Orthodox monasticism, as I said, is an intense life of prayer and asceticism removed from the world, in order that we ourselves grow in a deeper relationship with God, in order to serve our fellow man better. The nuns never collect money in church or at the lunches; they invite all pilgrims to participate. Take Exit 138 (US127 North) toward Lansing. It is our hope and prayer that this holy place will grow, reaching the heights of all spiritual understanding. Know Gods call. Monasticism: a strange and distant life for most of us, but for the called, a life of prayer, chastity, poverty, all for the glory of God. There we had a spiritual father, one of the great monastics of Romania, though, again, as a child I did not realize that. They do not beg people, but they do pray to God. Finally, construction of the new church began in May 2010. Mother Gabriella: I hope that our monastic community here follows the model of monastic communities in general as regards to the work of every day. Personal blog. We celebrate all of you who stand behind our mission, and we give thanks to God always for you. Mother Gabriella: Again, this is a tradition in the Orthodox Church, of communities growing around the monasteries. Do we realize it or not? Two main events: one in March, one hundred days was an examination, to take a high school diploma, in which thousands of students from Abruzzo and Marche, arriving to the sanctuary, to pray for a Following the successful outcome, and in which the feathers are blessed; and another in the last week of August, it is celebrated the tent city during which hundreds of young people (but also not so young) camp for five days, giving life to a religious meeting. YouTube | Mother Gabriella: I dont think I had, although I had visited the monasteries as a pilgrim. With the blessing of His Grace, Bishop Nathaniel, the three nuns left Ellwood City in 1987 and went to Terre Haute, IN where they set the foundation for what was to become the Dormition of the Mother of God Orthodox Monastery. San Gabriel on the top bezel is between two archangels: Saint Gabriel and Saint Michael. In 1934 she received her PhD from Cornell University, and took a position as chair of the Department of English at the College of Saint Benedict, where she remained until 1958. From the North I was not very good at it, so every time when I went back to Fr. The renowned house organ Claudio Anselmi Tamburini was in charge of the work. At the side of the facade there are two buildings that house the Brotherhood of San Gabriel and cover the church proper. Information on Holy Dormition Monastery is available at their website, which is dormitionmonastery.com. [citation needed], Among authors whose work she respected were J. F. Powers and Flannery O'Connor;[1] She also introduced such writers as Frank O'Connor, Sean O'Faolain, Mary Lavin, and Bryan MacMahon to American audiences. Located in Rives Junction, Michigan, the monastery was founded in 1988 by three nuns who had emigrated from Romania. Our Monastery is located in south central Michigan, seven miles north of Jackson, in the small farming community of Rives Junction, on 200 acres of largely wooded land with an array of wildlife. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Weekdays, Monday to Thursday, 9 AM. Vigil Mass, Saturdays, 4:15 PM. And after he was tonsured a monk and ordained, he was taken to prison for five more years. It is also within three to four hours from Cleveland and Chicago. 1999 Spring - Completion of the expansion of St Nicholas house. So the first thing is to encourage the person to visit as much as possible before making the decision. Completion of the new guest house took place in November 2001. Perhaps this is some of its appeal to those who visit, who then find themselves transported back in time to the ancient Church or perhaps simply, to simpler times in general. 926); to Lambertown Rd. The church has a basilica plan with a monumental facade made up un.ripiano punctuated complaint double column group containing three each arranged in a triangle. There are many people today who rest in the beauty and tranquility of the cemetery. It was because Fr. The Sanctuary of St. Gabriel of Our Lady of Sorrows ( Italian: Santuario di San Gabriele dell'Addolorata) is located at the foot of the Gran Sasso, in the municipality of Isola del Gran Sasso, in Teramo province, Abruzzo region, Italy. In the Romanian traditions the monastic settings have always been the centers for education. The Romanian Church of SS Peter and Paul in Dearborn Heights donated the Iconostasis. We read the lives of the saints. [We] always refer to as our Fathers have taught us, as our spiritual mother who now lies in the cemetery has taught us to live. That gives the specific characteristic of each of the monastic communities, in the Orthodox Church, in the East, we refer to. Mother Gabriella: I grew up in a Christian home with a very pious mother, and I take this as a gift from God, since we dont choose where we are born, what place on earth or what kind of family. So in that respect I was very blessed to have those people around me. The sanctuary is made like a Greek cross with four slender arms, but that connect by way of amp fans each end of the other arm. Since 2002, the retreat has been hosted by Holy Dormition Monastery. By being separated from the world, becoming united with Christ Being united with Christ we are united with one another. Take Exit 138 (US127 North) toward Lansing. Mariella Gable, OSB (18981985) was an American academic, writer, and literary critic. Please SUBSCRIBE to our YOUTUBE channel.A Lenten Retreat with Mother Gabriella of the Dormition of the Mother of God Monastery in Rives Juction, Michigan.See. In 1809 the monastery was abandoned by the followers of Saint Francis, following the suppression of the religious orders of the Napoleonic period, and their place was taken in 1847 by Passionists. The Dormition of the Mother of God, or Holy Dormition, Monastery, is the home to eight nuns; plus two young novices; an aging and remarkable hieromonk, Fr. They can ask the spiritual father, the spiritual mother of the community for that advice, for a spiritual word. Box 709, Avondale, PA 19311 Business Manager: Silvia Lawrence Director of Religious Education: Bennett Schurr. When you choose to do something, God gives the grace, and its not so difficult, and obviously, its not impossible, but its not given for everyone to live this kind of life. Perhaps their most notable speaker was Matushka Juliana Schmemann. Eventually the pole barn was converted into a chapel, now dedicated to St. Andrew, which continued for 25 years to serve as the main church of the monastery. They left behind in Varatec Sister Alexandrina, a long time spiritual daughter of Mother Benedicta, who was able to join them in the US, only a year after her tonsuring in Varatec. As we know, Western monasticism today is quite different to Orthodox monasticism today. The monastery is approximately 1/4 mile on the left . Roman often came to encourage the clergy wives with a short word. Superior: Igumen Sergius (Bowyer). Cost ($15/person, $25/couple, $5/student) 55 1 comment 5 shares Share Site Map | And then is to explain what is expected of the person, what the schedule is, what the type of work that community does, and to try to form a relationship even before the person makes a commitment. Interviewing Mother Gabriella was Ancient Faith Radios Patricia Kushiner. 1988 - Sisterhood moves to Rives Junction, Michigan (present location). Posts. By 1992 three novices and a professed nun from Romania had joined the community, as well as three others already in the United States. Gable was born Mary Margaret Gable in Wisconsin, and received the name "Mariella" when she entered the Order of Saint Benedict at Saint Benedict's Monastery in St. Joseph, Minnesota, in 1916. [2] She is honored on campus with a residence hall[3] and a literary prize, both named in her honor.[4]. The architrave of the faade is styled Greek temple, with painted San Gabriel surround by angels. The monastery is approximately 1/4 mile on the left side. We began by going to visit the monastery of Holy Dormition, where we were greeted by Mother Gabriella and Mother Macrina, who impressed upon the pilgrims how we can take aspects of monastic life and implement it in the midst of the world. Mother Gabriella: We are brothers and sisters and Christ. Visitors and groups are welcome at the monastery for the day or for short overnight stays in our guest house. From December 2-3, 2011, St. Cyril Orthodox Christian Church in The Woodlands, Texas, hosted a symposium titled "Toward an American Orthodox Church." Following is a collection of lectures from that symposium. Of course, anyone, I would say, that has thought of entering a monastic community, we encourage them to pursue that, because theres so many people who dont even think of it, but if theres anyone out there who has that question within themselves, we encourage them to pursue that, find out why even the question is there. Email Newsletter, Terms of Use Privacy Policy Permissions Content Disclaimer. Rives Junction, MI 49277 US. Romanian Episcopate. Over the years, other projects have been accomplished including the construction of a large garage, a monastic prayer skete in the woods, and a monastic workshop with an iconography studio. For a complete list of upcoming services, please visit the Calendar page on the monastery website. Be quiet and listen. The steady growth of the monastery and the increasing interest in its well-being exhibited not only by Romanian Orthodox but by all ethnicities of the faith led the nuns to embark on a development plan. Mother Abbess Gabriella of Holy Dormition Monastery in Michigan will be giving an Advent Retreat for people in the Bluegrass area this Saturday, from 9am to 2pm at St. Andrew Orthodox Church in Lexington. I probably need to explain a little bit how this came about. The core principles that guide, unite, and sustain the monastery are nonetheless principles that find their source not in the innovations of the American Orthodox but in the traditions of the ancient Church and her fathers and mothers. Mother Cassiana. This is a monastery founded by Mother Alexandra, formerly Princess Ileana of Romania, who, understanding the need for monasticism in North America, came here from France to establish the first monastic community under the jurisdiction of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America. From East or West The experience will be their own. Konkle, Rev. Ms. Kushiner: So if a woman were interested in becoming part of this monastic community as a monastic, what would you say to her? As we make a little bit of effort and experience the joy and the reward that we receive from that, then one would like to make even more effort to experience greater joy. The establishment of the monastery at this particular location is not necessarily odd. We are an Orthodox monastic community under the omophorion of His Eminence Archbishop NATHANIEL of the Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of the Orthodox Church in America. Mother Gabriella continues this tradition of extending love and compassion to clergy families. This is how God works. Youre not a closed community in the sense that you dont work with laity, or with only just monastics. Accessibility Information: Church and Meeting Room: Church and meeting room are accessible with an accessible restroom. Rives Junction, Michigan 49277, Email: PO Box 128. Western monastics, they are more involved in the daily life of the people of the society in teaching, counseling, nursing, that aspect of life, working with the people, among the people. Mother Gabriella continues this tradition of extending love and compassion to clergy families. Can you describe what else nuns do during the day? The Dormition is one of the major holy days in Orthodoxy. The monastery is approximately 1/4 mile on the left side. Take exit 138 (Route 127 north) toward Lansing. So if we talk about a mission, Mother Alexandras mission was to establish a monastic community, an English-speaking monastic community, in the United States, to have this available for American-born women to come and learn and give the opportunity to become monastics. But nevertheless, that was the crucial moment. From North- Take US127 South. This is why there are some people who would like, if they had the possibility, to move closer physically to the monastery, where they could have a closer contact with monastic communities. Pope John Paul II opened the crypt and tomb 30 June 1985. Theyre inspired by the monastics, by their dedication to dedicate their lives to God more than others. From 1988 on the tiny community slowly but steadily began to establish itself. Berry Rd dead ends into Rives Eaton Rdturn right at the stop sign. Our particular community does a variety of things, although the community is small in numbers, we do some iconography, some mounting of icons that people buy for their own homes; we do some sewing of vestments and altar covers and cassocks for priests. She felt that fiction about religious and moral subjects should possess literary value, not merely serve as sentiment. ; to Woodview Rd. . Our monastery is built by the love, hard work and financial support of many pious and dedicated people, who fulfill the words of the Scriptures--doing everything in love, multiplying the talents and laying up treasures in heaven. Episodes May 9, 2008 Resurrection - part 2 The novices and the sisters, they know they have to be obedient to their superior, to their spiritual mother, but the abbess has to be obedient to everyone. They like to offer their time and effort and whatever talents they have to contribute to the work of the monastery, again, for the benefit of other people. The relationship, I think, is a very natural, normal relationship of fellow Christians. (Rt. St Barbara Monastery, Santa Barbara, California. On August 15 of that year, at the feast of the Holy Dormition, Mother Gabriella was installed as the second abbess. . Will I ever be filled, used to hold a body, for which I have been cut? Expansion began in 1995 with the construction of the new Trapeza (dining room and kitchen). The Monastery is 1/4 of a mile down the road on the left hand side. The urn containing the mortal remains of St. Gabriel, formerly preserved in the old church, has been translated into the new sanctuary. The 16th-century monastery is one of the three most sacred sites in Ukraine for Orthodox believers. I sit and wait. It was through this particular nun, whom I respected very much. So go and find out what it is. The Dormition of the Mother of God, or Holy Dormition, Monastery, is the home to eight nuns; plus two young novices; an aging and remarkable hieromonk, Fr. Reels. Roman is, give a little of his history, too?