Truly one of the most amazing places I have ever traveled to is St. Joseph's Abbey in Covington, LA. A mere five hours or so from my residence, this may have been the first thin place that I encountered. And although it is different for me today, both physically and spiritually, it remains among the thinnest of places. Here the veil is truly drawn open.
St. Joseph's is a Benedictine monastery, nestled in the forest of the Northshore, north of Covington, north of Mandeville, north of New Orleans. Like the Isle of Iona, you don't accidentally arrive here, you have to have the intent of showing up at the Abbey. The grounds host a retreat center, the Abbey church, the monastery, a college and seminary. And while there is nothing unassuming about its church, it remains quite simple. None of the grandeur of limestone, it is constructed of brick and mortar, and the interior furnishings are constructed of the materials of grounds it sits on, the pews constructed of pine harvested from its forests.
To access the grounds, you have to cross a single track bridge, one lane, either going in or out, no opportunity for indecisiveness halfway across. Years ago, the abbey church and other structures were not visible from the bridge, towering oak and pine blocked the view, but those were wiped out by Hurricane Katrina, which not only redecorated the grounds, but changed the life of the monks.
I was drawn here many, many years ago, having the beauty of Benedictine traditions revealed to me through books I had read. It was here that my call to ordained ministry was affirmed. Affirmed by a monk whose own tradition would not ordain me. I include a few images to catch its beauty, and perhaps in small part its holiness.
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