Name of Church Holy Transfiguration Monastery
Address 17001 Tomki Road, Redwood Valley, CA 95470
Phone number (707) 485-8959
Website www.monksofmttabor.com
Divine Liturgy times The monks celebrate the Byzantine liturgy. Guests are welcome for retreats. Monday – Friday, Matins begins at 5:30 a.m., followed by Divine Liturgy (except Paustinia Day, usually Wednesday, when Divine Liturgy begins at 6:30 a.m.); Saturday, Matins and Divine Liturgy at 6 a.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. Divine Liturgy. There are many icons, which are considered windows to heaven, throughout the church.
Confessions Ask one of the priests.
Abbot Father Damian Higgins. He came to the community in 1988, and has since become a talented iconographer. Listen to him speak on iconography: Speech on Iconography from our Abbot.
Homilies The monks take turns preaching; the preaching is orthodox and reflects their traditional monastic life.
Location The monastery is located in the Diocese of Santa Rosa, five miles north of the town of Redwood Valley. The monastery overlooks the valley. The area is lush with many trees, as well as vineyards and wineries. Please remember to wear appropriate attire (e.g. no shorts or short dresses allowed). No talking at night during the Great Silence. (Historic note: Redwood Valley was once the home of the Jim Jones People’s Temple (1965-74). They relocated to South America and engaged in mass suicide in 1978.)
Additional observations Holy Transfiguration Monastery is a contemplative, Eastern Catholic monastery, part of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church under the leadership of Sviatoslav Shevchuk, primate of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. They are in union with the Pope. Although the church serves people of Ukrainian ancestry, all are welcome to attend. The monks arrived in California in 1974, led by a Belgium native, Father Boniface Luykx. The local bishop gave permission for them to begin their monastery. The monks spend several hours daily in the church in prayer and engage in monastic ascetic practices such as fasting and vigils. Guests are welcome to participate in the prayer life of the monks. Buildings include a chapel, outdoor chapel, retreat house, dining room, bookstore and residence for the monks (with private cells). There is an outdoor hiking trail. Buildings have the classic, onion-shaped domes and crosses, and are made of bare wood common to the region.
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Icons are considered windows to heaven.
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My wife and I have gone on retreat at this monastery and recommend it. It is not a luxurious retreat place. It is simple, and beautiful, and one eats the simple foods the monks eat. Yet, if you’re seeking silence and the opportunity to slow down and hear the voice of the Lord in your heart, this holy place is a good place to venture.
Nice
I have heard, from enthusiastic visitors to this monastery, that each monk has his own cell, and that they live in natural, more primitive conditions. How many monks live there? Do they train a monk for the priesthood? What are their cells and living conditions like? Do they have electricity and running water? What are their retreats like– and what do they charge?
Christ is risen!
You can find out more from their website at https://www.monksofmttabor.com/visit-us
They have electricity and running water. Like most monasteries, men there have discerned a vocation as a monastic. Some monks may be ordained priests as needed, but that is not their primary vocation. You’ll see their schedule and suggested donation on their website. I hope that helps.
Thanks, Deacon Anderson! I read the material on the website. But how many monks are there? And what did you and your wife like best about your retreat there?
I have admired many devout Orthodox Christians, as they seem less worldly, more practical with religious worship. They seem very involved individually, even as lay people, in their church’s ancient monastic, ascetic, and contemplative religious beliefs and practices, seeking and serving God– in a balanced, do-able way. Tough, long Lenten fasts, and other ascetic and contemplative practices, are not just for the monks.
I don’t know how many monks are there. I think still not a lot. Would that affect your attending? From the photos, it appears at least three are priests. (One of them is a priest I once served with, who later joined them.) We liked most the silence and praying with them. Being new to the Catholic East at the time, we didn’t know all the prayers. We encourage those not familiar with Byzantine/Greek Catholic liturgies to simply listen and pray along in one’s heart. Flipping pages can be a distraction. We’ve been praying this way for 1,400 to 1,600 years, so one doesn’t have to row at first, simply get in the boat and be blessed by the journey. It’s heavenly.
“It’s heavenly.” Others say that, too. The number of priests makes no difference. Are many young men interested? I also heard that many families have relocated nearby, to practice their Faith — with many converts. Many years ago, I attended the Divine Liturgy at a Catholic church– it was very holy, prayerful and beautiful. I was shown how to receive Holy Communion
by spoon, from the priest.
Monks like these bring so many graces to visitors and to the Church at large. Good for Cal Catholic to call attention to these devout souls.
This monastery seems to have some lovely incense, incense burners, tapers and other candles in its shop for a reasonable price, some of which can be used in the home.
What is an incense burger?
To the poster who asked me a question, put on your glasses (laughter) and read my post again. You misread it.
“What is an incense burger?”
C’mon – you gotta know its got a smokey flavor!