Weston Priory is a community of

Benedictine , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , foun ...

monks who reside in Weston, Vermont, founded in 1953. The Priory is within the confines of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington The Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington ( la, Dioecesis Burlingtonensis) is a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the New England region of the United States, comprising the entire state of Vermont. The Diocese of Burlington was canonically e ...

, which encompasses the entirety of Vermont. They are particularly known for the songs they have contributed to

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

worship over the past 50 years, their connection to Latin America, and the crafts produced at the monastery.

History and mission

Weston Priory was founded by Abbot Leo A. Rudloff of

Dormition Abbey Abbey of the Dormition is a Catholic abbey belonging to the Benedictine Order in Jerusalem, on Mount Zion just outside the walls of the Old City near the Zion Gate. The Abbey is said to mark the spot where Mary, mother of Jesus, died. Between 1 ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

in 1953. He had the intention that some of those trained in Vermont would later assist the community at Dormition Abbey in Jerusalem. Abbot Leo also expressed the hope that the priory would become a community in its own right in the movement of monastic renewal. Today, the community is an independent or conventual priory. At the beginning, Abbot Leo considered locating the priory in Pennsylvania or a few other places, but the presence of other religious houses in those places required that he look elsewhere. With the help of Benedictine oblates Leon and Dorothea Smith, he located a suitable site in the Green Mountains of Vermont. The original building was an old abandoned farmhouse with an attached barn, a few miles from the village of Weston. The attached barn had been partially burned and was renovated to become the chapel. Abbot Leo engaged a Weston group to renovate the barn-chapel. A dilapidated chicken house behind the main house was renovated to become classroom, recreation room and dormitory for novices. In a small book titled ''The Silent Life'', published in 1957 Thomas Merton refers to Weston Priory as a new Benedictine foundation of "the Primitive Observance". The priory was in fact one of several North American monasteries in the renewal movement that preceded Vatican Council II. Thomas Merton considered Weston to be one of only a handful that was dedicated to Benedictine renewal, including the rediscovery of "choir monks," educated monks who prayed the full

Liturgy of the Hours The Liturgy of the Hours (Latin: ''Liturgia Horarum'') or Divine Office (Latin: ''Officium Divinum'') or ''Opus Dei'' ("Work of God") are a set of Catholic prayers comprising the canonical hours, often also referred to as the breviary, of the ...

, yet not being priests. The Weston community became increasingly dedicated to the peace and social justice movements. The abbey bonded with a group of Benedictine nuns in Mexico, establishing a retreat center in

Cuernavaca Cuernavaca (; nci-IPA, Cuauhnāhuac, kʷawˈnaːwak "near the woods", ) is the capital and largest city of the state of Morelos in Mexico. The city is located around a 90-minute drive south of Mexico City using the Federal Highway 95D. The na ...

to raise consciousness among North Americans of their southern neighbors. Through the monastery's relationships with senators

Patrick Leahy Patrick Joseph Leahy (; born March 31, 1940) is an American politician and attorney who is the senior United States senator from Vermont and serves as the president pro tempore of the United States Senate. A member of the Democratic Party, ...

and Bernie Sanders, they have tried to bring more attention to the plight of the poor in Mexico. The priory was, in the 1980s, one of several hundred churches and religious organizations that pledged to provide for refugees seeking homes in the United States.

Music and artwork

In the 1960s, the brothers of Weston Priory began writing their own music for liturgical use. Their music has become well known throughout the world. The monks maintain gardens, livestock, and a book store with items produced by the brothers. Several pieces of the pottery produced at the monastery are held by museums, such as the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

Notable members

Abbot Leo Rudloff, at that time Abbot of Dormition Abbey, was named to the pre-Vatican Council Commission that included the quest for reconciliation between Christians and Jews. When he retired as abbot in Jerusalem, the abbot journeyed to his foundation in Weston and was known as Brother Leo. Other well-known community members have included ceramic artist Brother Thomas ( Thomas Bezanson) and Gregory Norbet, the composer of much of the community's earlier music. Author

Tomie DePaola Thomas Anthony "Tomie" dePaola (; September 15, 1934 – March 30, 2020) was an American writer and illustrator who created more than 260 children's books, such as ''Strega Nona''. He received the Children's Literature Legacy Award for his lifetim ...

was briefly a member in 1956.

Awards

In July 1992, the Weston Priory Community was awarded the Peace Abbey Courage of Conscience Award in Sherborn, Massachusetts, for its reception of the Guatemalan Refugee family, Elena and Felipe Ixcot and their five children.

References

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External links