he Monastic Internship Program at the Abbey of Regina Laudis draws on the diverse expertise of members of the monastic community in collaboration with other qualified professionals to provide an educational environment that widens intellectual horizons, teaches practical skills and fosters personal self-discovery. The
educational environment made available through the Internship Program draws on three interrelated areas of study, which are open to the participation of the interns under the supervision of qualified monastic instructors.


ach intern has a unique program created in dialogue with members of the monastic community to reflect his or her particular interests as they evolve. Integration of various disciplines is a hallmark of the Abbey’s educational approach. Thus, an intern might learn to weave the wool of the sheep he or she has raised, develop the theological implications of cheese-making or discover the meaningof a Chant piece at the blacksmith’s forge.
Course content is dependent on the season and on the availability of individual faculty, but the range of experiences offered may include:

Land Stewardship: Animal Husbandry (beef and dairy cattle, oxen, sheep, swine), Beekeeping, Composting, Dairy Management and Dairy Products, including the celebrated Bethlehem Cheese; Ecological Initiatives; Hay Field and Pasture Management; Horticulture (vegetables, herbs, ornamentals, small fruits); Orchard and Tree Care; Woodlot Management

Monastic Arts: Bookbinding, Candle- making, Carpentry, Food Processing and Preserving, Leather Working, Pottery, Theater, Visual Arts, Weaving and Spinning

Monastic Studies: Gregorian Chant, Latin, Monastic History, Monastic Liturgy, Monastic Theology, Scripture Studies, Ritual and Creation, The Rule of St. Benedict

he Monastic Internship Program is open to men and women who are 18 years of age or older. Enrollment is limited. Acceptance is discerned through a process of personal interviews and time spent at the Abbey, as well as through a written application. The interns live in housing provided by the Abbey and are invited to share as guests in the rhythm of work and prayer that structures the life
of the community, though no religious affiliation is required. The Internship may begin at any time of the year,but requires a full year’s commitment. A shorter term introductory Monastic Practicum is also available. The Internship Program is certified to accept international students.

I can only say how different I am; how much I grew over the course of that year: I was a hungry houseplant brought out and into the air. I was nourished with the sunny warmth of love and with the vital rainfall of harder emotions. The soil into which I was trans-planted was very, very rich. Wonderful things grow at the Abbey, beautiful gardens and animals and the best food ever... food fresh off the land, the work of mine and others’ hands. It is sustaining like nothing else. I will not tell you that it is not hard. However, I will divulge a secret:all of that difficulty is the greatest joy of the program. You will find yourself stretched and shaped sore, without pause... and when the trial has passed, and fatigued calm does come, you will be made anew. By the sacrifice of your time and strength and patience you will come to live an active faith. You will swell with that indescribable joy of having poured yourself out and being filled with a greater power.

– Elsbet Servay, Intern 2002-2003 Art Student,
Nova Scotia School of Design

The two-year period I spent at Regina Laudis... was a turning point in my life. I came to the program midway through college, seeking clarity as to what direction to take in my studies and professional life.... The monastery provided a wonderful microcosm within which to explore my attractions and gifts through working with others in relation to the land, plants, and animals. I relished this opportunity and, through immersion in the rhythms of work and study in the program, discovered a solid grounding for my personal relationships and professional path in which I could trust and upon which I have relied ever since. I simply cannot imagine a richer experience for those seeking to establish a foundation upon which to build.
– Joel Beauvais, Intern 1992-1994 Attorney,
Washington, D.C.

The most unique and enriching year of my life was spent at the Abbey of Regina Laudis. Through this opportunity I was for the first time rooted in a place, relating to a community of persons whose lives are consciously dedicated to their faith.This Benedictine community taught me the need for the Incarnation and provided me with myriad opportunities to give body to what in the modern world is next to impossible: visiting the barn throughout the night during lambing season to see that no lambs were lost, clearing the land of trees for the building of a new church, and being able to work with other interns on a production of Sartre’s No Exit. The daily rhythm sustaining the life of the community brought into complement for me the relationship between the liturgical calendar and the organic cycles of the four seasons.

– Melora Mennesson, Intern 1991-1992,
Teacher, Connecticut

 

If you would like to inquire further into the
MONASTIC INTERNSHIP PROGRAM
at the Abbey of Regina Laudis,
please write to:

Monastic Internship Program
Abbey of Regina Laudis, O.S.B.
273 Flanders Rd.,
Bethlehem, CT
06751-2299