The Monastery in Our Midst

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By Ida Williams, Director of Marketing and Communications



Washington County, New York. Population 61,620 people, 49,807 cows, 2,071 sheep and goats, 7,234 egg-producing chickens, and 1,736 pigs. Home to 47 vegetable farms and 45 orchards. And amid the 831 square miles of rolling fields, orchards, vineyards, and livestock-dotted pastures is New Skete Monastery.
Washington County's Seal


 While it makes sense that a monastery would want to establish itself in a rural area like Washington County, an area free from traffic, noise, bright lights, and even traffic lights, it is surprising what having a monastery in our midst means to our county.


For some of us it means jobs. New Skete has fifteen year-round employees. Office, dog kennels, maintenance, and bakery all require skilled people from the area to help the monastery operate. The monasteries also hire local businesses for HVAC, construction, snow plowing, and printing, and the Nuns purchase supplies from a local distributor to make their delicious cheesecakes.


Having a monastery in our midst sends a ripple of hospitality throughout the county. The Monks and Nuns of New Skete host hundreds of guests every year. The reasons visitors journey to the monastery range from picking up a puppy to bringing a dog for training, attending an event, participating in a seminar, listening to a concert, staying on retreat, hiking the New Skete hiking trails, or just visiting for the sake of satisfying their own curiosity. When they visit, many stay at local inns and motels, eat at area restaurants, shop at locally owned shops, and purchase gas from the local stations. Overnight guests participate in other area activities such as visiting museums and historical sites, farm tours, and enjoying outdoor recreation venues.


The monks and nuns would deny this, but having New Skete in our midst brings a little bit of “celebrity” to the county. Lake George, New York, has Rachael Ray; Jamestown, New York, has Lucille Ball; and Washington County, New York, has the Monks and Nuns of New Skete. The brothers and sisters have worked hard to support their monasteries, and in the process they became famous. The monks’ books, available in multiple languages, have topped the best-seller lists. The monks are widely respected and sought after as dog experts. The nuns’ cheesecakes are shipped nationwide and valued for their taste and quality.


Having New Skete Monastery in our midst complements our religious and spiritual landscape. Each of the 17 towns in Washington County is dotted with a multitude of small churches. Each church works in support of one another and the surrounding community. Churches are integral to the social fabric of Washington County. Members of New Skete’s monastic communities and chapel community participate in ecumenical organizations and activities. The Loaves to Fishes Food Pantry and the Cambridge United Community Center are just two examples.

This monastery in our midst is also the monastery in our heart.

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