This spring and summer have seen a lot of busyness in one particular corner of the monastery grounds … because we’ve started a vegetable garden!

With the help of our dear friend and Oblate, Anne Hagan, as well as a small army of volunteers, an impressive array of garden beds have sprung up and been filled with a wide variety of veggies. From tomatoes to potatoes, from green beans to pole beans, from cucumbers to zucchini, it seems we have a bit of everything!

The garden has been placed under the patronage of Bl. Isidore de Loor, CP, a Passionist laybrother who spent much of his own time in a monastery vegetable garden like our own. Through his intercession and the hard work of many people, we’re now seeing abundant fruits!

There is something about working the earth that resonates deeply with the monastic soul. For one thing, it puts us back in touch with our “roots,” so to speak — after all, the first man and woman were placed by God in the Garden of Eden! The simple, humble labor of maintaining a garden is also a blessed reminder of our dependence on the Lord. There are so many factors outside our control!

In addition, monks and nuns throughout the centuries have seen manual labor, such as planting, weeding, and watering, as an essential element of the contemplative life. It keeps us sane and balanced while still leaving the mind free for recollection and prayer. It also helps us to be more self-sufficient by providing some of our own food!

Finally, the satisfaction of the harvest — even if it be just a few zucchini or a handful of tomatoes — lifts the heart in joy and gratitude to God the provider. This is just one more blessing that we can bring to the Divine Office when we pray the Psalms of thanksgiving.

We hope you enjoy the “time-lapse” photos below of our garden construction and growth. Don’t forget to click and read the captions!