A Blog for Dallas Area Catholics

We had a great retreat at Clear Creek Monastery January 13, 2015

Many readers are likely already aware of Clear Creek Monastery in rural northeastern Oklahoma.  A good number have probably already been there.  But for those who have not, I cannot recommend scheduling a brief stop or a long retreat there enough.  Our retreat was relatively short, just a few days, but we hope very much to return.

Current monastery

The monastery is situated on approximately 1000 acres about 30 minutes from Wagoner, Oklahoma. It is pretty far from any civilization.  But the setting is quite picturesque, with many hills and extensive woods.  Clear Creek runs roughly through the middle of the property, and is a source of water year round (not sure if it remains in severe drought).  The monks have done a great deal of work clearing and cultivating the land.  They raise their own livestock of many types, have a large garden, and in general are working toward self-sufficiency or as near to that as they can get.  Ora et labora is much in evidence: the monks work and pray most hours of the day.  And the work they do is generally quite physical: carpentry, tending livestock and poultry, working fields in tractors, clearing brush, sawing wood, building up walls, etc.  They also make candles, honey, cheese, painted icons, hand-made rosaries, and other items to support themselves monetarily.

Benedictine hospitality was also very apparent.  Most male visitors are invited to eat at least once with the monks during their stay.  That was an experience for me in itself.  My hands were washed by Fr. Abbot Anderson prior to the meal, which takes place in complete silence save for the reading, which was from Chesterton’s history of the US.  I must say, being limited to eating only at meal time, with a total absence of conversation, would be a serious mortification for me in its own right.  I noticed as I sat there looking about, trying to soak in the experience, I was the only one doing so.  Custody of

Future plan

the eyes is part of the ongoing mortification these monks practice.  The meal I ate with the monks was dinner, about 1 pm, their main meal of the day.  There was a heavy cream soup (I have no idea what kind) with heavy bread made on site, a light salad of greens, and a main meal of hard boiled eggs in a rich tomato sauce.  The excellent cheese the monks make was also available.  Dessert was about the best orange I’ve ever eaten.

I was also given a brief tour of the cloister.  There are presently 43 monks in the monastery.  If I remember correctly, almost half are priests.  I did not rise early enough to assist at the early morning Low Mass where all the many monks are offering their daily Mass on the side altars.  All Masses were offered in the crypt, since the main church is incomplete and not yet heated.  It was quite cold during our visit, the temperature remaining in the 30s and a light mist falling most of the time.

There were also several men visiting the monastery while we were there.  I think some of them were discerning a vocation, while some may simply want a place to focus on spiritual matters while helping the monks out with odd jobs about the place.  Visits are encouraged.  There is a very comfortable cabin available for families.  It can sleep about 17 in good comfort.  There is also a bunkhouse for single men.

Daily activity obviously focuses on the Mass and the Divine Office.  Mass and the hours from Terce through Vespers are open to the public.  We assisted at most of the daily Hours while there.  The Breviary is a bit different from standard, the Benedictines have a slightly specialized form they use that doesn’t always align with the regular form of the prayers in the Breviary in every detail, although there is a great deal of overlap.  But they have little Breviary-ettes available so you can follow along if you desire, but I, for one, just enjoyed watching and listening to the monks pray in choir.

Another attraction is the well-equipped gift shop. I tell you, these monks make some fantastic cheese.  We bought about 6 lbs or more while we were there, and it didn’t last long.  They had gouda while we were there.  Just a note, their online gift shop does not contain many of the items available at the physical store. It also seems they don’t ship their cheese!  Dang it.  

For parents wondering if a visit to a monastery might be trying for the kids, our children really, really liked it.  Well before we even left they were asking if we could come back.  There is plenty of open space for the kids to run around and explore.  Our kids are hoping for a summer visit so they can play in the creek.  More importantly, our kids, especially the boy, were fascinated with the monks and the Office.  We pray Vespers and/or Compline at home, and there is Compline after Mass on Wednesday nights locally, but this was the first time the kids had seen it done “for real,” up close and personal.  They seemed to really enjoy the whole trip.

There is also a start up order of Benedictine nuns on the same large tract of land, but separated some distance, of course, from the monks.  Unfortunately, we did not have much time to visit with them and I haven’t got too much to report on, other than that they are praying very hard for badly needed vocations.

If you are ever in Oklahoma, or are really craving seeing religious life lived in the traditional way, I highly recommend a visit.  My only wish was that we could have stayed a day or two longer.  When we return, God willing, it will have to be for a bit longer visit.  We did Christmas retreats to Hanceville for a few years in a row, and found those very edifying and spiritually helpful. We had conflicts the past two years and could not go on retreat, and I really missed it.  I was very glad we made time to go this year, and pray we do so again!