3 - Singing like Weston Monks

Summary

Let us consider, then, how we ought to behave in the presence of God and his angels, and let us stand to sing the psalms in such a way that our minds are in harmony with our voices.

—Rule of Benedict, 19.6–7

We get up in the morning and we come together to sing. In the afternoon, we sing. In the evening, we sing. At night, the last thing we do is come together to sing.

—Brother John

It's all about the liturgy of the hours, returning each day to prayer.

—Brother Michael

The Kitchen and the Heart of the Monastery

The Weston kitchen was designed to sustain a large family. Stainless steel countertops, a high-speed sanitizing dishwasher, a deep restaurant-style sink, and a walk-in refrigerator lend something of an industrial look, while bright red countertops, pegboard-covered walls, rustic wood cabinets, and high windows lend warmth and a farmhouse style. Longer windows in the corner cast light on a built-in bookcase filled with cookbooks. In the opposite corner, a large walkin pantry holds cooking equipment and various pantry staple foods.

On a warm July afternoon following an equally warm morning spent weeding and watering the garden with brother Columba, brother Daniel, brother Michael, brother Richard, and three fellow guests, I arrived in the refectory to find lamb on the buffet table. “Oh, I love lamb, what a treat,” whispered the woman standing to my right. We could hear the sheep bleating outside as they sheltered from the July heat in whatever shade they could find. “Let's not tell them we’re eating lamb,” she said, with a little wry smile, cocking her head toward the sheep. I wondered if she knew that the lamb on the table was in fact from the brothers’ own sheep. I decided not to mention it. Whereas the brothers preferred to eat meat that they themselves raised in a caring, sustainable environment, guests were often a bit squeamish when they realized that the cute sheep were destined to be their dinner.