Among those stranded on the “island” of Big Sur are a group of Roman Catholic monks.
The New Camaldoli Hermitage is a community of monks that typically open their doors to visitors looking for a tranquil retreat. However, with the failing Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge to the north and Paul’s Slide to the south, they are completely cut off from civilization.
”This is part of living in a beautiful and wild place like Big Sur,” the group says on a GoFundMe page. “This ruggedness is why guests are so grateful to be here.”
But with impossible to traverse obstacles like road slip-outs, mudslides, and crumbling bridges, guests can’t even get to the already secluded monastery.
The GoFundMe campaign has so far raised $120,000.
“I have been working for non-profits in Los Angeles for 15 years for huge organizations, this is unheard of,” said Jill Gisselere, Director of Development for New Camaldoli Hermitage. “We received 135 gifts and had over 5,000 visitors to our site. It is really a testament to the good work we do.”
The hermitage’s goal is to raise $300,000; the estimated loss of hospitality income due to the closures in Big Sur.
In addition to the lost revenue, the repair costs for their entry road alone is estimated to be as high as $250,000. Repairing the road is the hermitage’s number one priority right now so that vital deliveries to 29 trapped monks and staff can be made.
One monk is convalescing and in deteriorating health. Another was airlifted out after falling and breaking his hip.
Staff says that one of the monks plans to go into San Luis Obispo for supplies as soon as Highway 1 south of Lucia opens but CalTrans still has no update on when that could happen.
Full story at SF Gate.
I visited the hermitage in 2009 and was taken aback by an Obama “HOPE” poster displayed in a front window. In the bookstore were books that promoted deviant, homosexual relationships. I decided then never to support that hermitage in any way whatsoever. I stuck around for evening prayer, which wasn’t impressive. Beautiful location; ugly spirituality.
That is disturbing. Makes one wonder what is really going on beneath the surface at the hermitage.
Thank you so much for that information. I was wondering how orthodox their order was and now I know. Funny how they show a picture of a monk in a habit hum…………..
This is stunning information; thanks to “Sawyer” for this. Remember to help label such False-Catholic orders when you can. Outing such groups is the only way to stop their misuse of the Faithful.
And there are many truly Traditional orders what would greatly benefit from sharing your treasure. Please check out (1) Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles; (2) Institute of Christ the Kind Sovereign Priest; (3) Our Lady of Clear Creek Abbey (OK); (4) Monks of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel (WY); (5) and, of course, the SSPX. Many other Traditional orders and apostolates exist and need financial help; go to them.
This religious order is not orthodox Catholic. They are very liberal, and ecumenical– yet lead a strict monastic life! Big Sur is beautiful– and full of liberal “goofballs,” too!
Didn’t the hermitage have an insurance policy to cover storm damage and resulting loss of operating revenue? If not, it was irresponsible of them not to. Why should people donate to pay the cost of repairing damages that could have easily been covered by a wise insurance policy?
The monks have an excellent insurance policy: God! He will and is providing for these holy men of God!
They are pro-homosexual lifestyle and pro-obama
Thank you for dating the photos; gives a time perspective. Given the apparent rough terrain, ad likely related high risks of natural disasters, I wonder if commercial insurance is available at any price.
one of their most famous members, bruno barnhart, recently died. checking up on him via his youtube videos, i noted that he was heavily influenced by teilhard de chardin and was very close to benedictine bede griffiths who seems to have gone full-fledge sanyasi as well as other hindu figures. centering prayer seems to be promoted. their theological formation center is at berkeley, not a good sign. they have 50 oblates per monk. with about 25 monks, that makes a rather committed resource base for a gofundme appeal. Teilhardians tend toward seeing the incarnation as extending into all of the cosmos, sounding very…
close to pantheism.
one radiantly bright spot that has emerged from contact with the camaldolese big sur community is writer paula huston. she sought solace there during a very difficult moment in her life and converted to catholicism. she later found herself writing and thinking from a more deeply catholic,traditional perspective, critiquing modern catholic spirituality for being too self-centered. check out her books online to see someone who finds more to agree with in st augustine than thomas keating et al. she might be a leaven for the monastery to return to its camadolese orthodoxy.
paulahuston.com will take you to her website listing her books.
Many of the comments I just read about the monk’s spirituality as non-orthodox are bogus. These guys are committed Christians who provide a place away for everybody to come and experience the silence, slow-down, reflect, and pray. No pressure to attend services, but all are welcome to attend. It is mostly sung scripture from the Bible. They are Roman Catholic, and are Benedictine – which means they follow the ancient monastic Rule for their life together written by Saint Benedict. It’s practical: time for community, time for ministry, and time for solitude. They spend time quietly listening for God’s still, small, voice. They offer a loving welcome to all and look for Christ is each person. That might be listening for what Christ can…
Amen!
They are evil and not traditional catholic monestary. The one true religion is the Roman Catholic Church!!!!!!!!!!!! No other religion is good or goes to God. Yoga is evil. If you want to go to a real monastery then go to the traditional ones. Evil liberals with evil intentions. Paganism is what you can really call them. They will be with Satan and his demons when they die.