The following comes from an Oct. 21 release from Religion News.
The isolation and beauty of Big Sur, California, attracted numerous artists and writers in the early to mid-20th century, including Robinson Jeffers, Henry Miller, Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Kerouac.
One of its biggest attractions now is the peace and tranquility provided by the New Camaldoli Hermitage, a community of Roman Catholic monks whose album, O Day of Resurrection, will be available Nov.4 from Jade Music via Alternative Distribution Alliance, the specialty arm of Warner Music Group.
The CD is a 27-track recording of the monks’ beautiful chants of the Liturgy of the Hours, a community prayer, with songs and readings at specified times during the day and night, according to the rule of St. Benedict. In addition to the Mass, the principle “hours” or “offices” are Vespers, Vigils and Lauds. The album was recorded in the chapel of the New Camaldoli Hermitage, and is available now for preorder at Amazon and iTunes.
….Camaldolese Benedictine monks trace their heritage to the 6th century monastic traditions of Saint Benedict, as further defined in the 11th century by their founder, Saint Romuald. The three elements of the Camaldolese charism are solitude for personal prayer and meditation; communal prayer and work within the monastery; and contemplative outreach.
In 1958, the Camaldolese established New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur. The monks’ labors include hospitality, retreats, running a book store, writing, and original art, pottery and music.
To read the original release, click here.
Their Hermitage is a beautiful spot to relax and retreat, I hope their new recording does well. I hope too by now that they have revamped their gift shop, replacing the icons of ‘saint’ Gandi and ‘saint’ Martin Luther King with real Catholic Saints. It has been a while since I was there last, perhaps things are different there now – I wish them blessings and success in their new endeavor.
First, the web site of this monastery features a homily extolling the virtue of samadhi, some Nirvana-like union with “the Divine” which is derived from the false religion of Hinduism. Second, I would point out that the monks are chanting the new Liturgy of the Hours instead of the traditional breviary. The new LOTH is a Bugnini hack-job, in which the objectionable verses of the psalms are removed. The psalms are prayers written by God, by way of inspiration of the authors. It takes incredible hubris to remove the parts that are difficult. There are a number of monasteries that still chant the traditional Office, I would recommend visiting their web sites instead. Big Sur is famous for New Age spirituality, and one wonders if the brothers have been drinking the water too much.
Guys this is just post Vatican II pagan stuff, in no way are they Roman Catholic monks period!! I see the “dinner table” smack in the middle and the “monks” wearing Novus Ordo robes, no TLM, Gregorian chant, they are old and still hanging on to the 60’s and 70’s.