New Skete Monasteries News

  By Ralph Karow It’s hard to believe, but I’m actually coming up on my two-year anniversary of living at New Skete. I came in January 2020 as a Resident Volunteer to get some exposure to Orthodox music and liturgy before heading off to St Vladimir’s Seminary in September 2020. It was only supposed to be for three or four months. Then along came the quarantine, and Br Christopher asked me, “Why don't you  just stay?” Hopefully he's not now thinking, “Why don't you just leave?!” I'm joking, of course, but since I had and still have no intention of becoming a candidate here, it would be a valid question. For myself, I'm experiencing far more spiritual and theological growth than I could have ever expected or even hoped to attain in the seminary. Now that’s all well and good for me, but I have to wonder why the monks are willing to let me stay.             There are practical reasons for my being here … able-bodied worker...

 by Bonnie Moore Having just retired from 25 years of parish ministry as a United Church of Christ pastor, I jumped at the opportunity to spend five weeks at New Skete as a Volunteer Resident.  I wasn’t sure what I’d be doing after retirement, and I imagined that the time spent at the monastery might provide some solid time for discernment. I was assigned, primarily, to work in the puppy kennel.  At the end of my first day, after helping with the socialization, feeding, and (frequent) cleaning-up of ten puppies ranging in age from 3 to 7 weeks, as well as ensuring that the two adult females in heat were well exercised and that their kennels were kept clean, I was amazed to see that I had clocked over 18,000 steps!  After Vespers, supper, and helping to wash (humans’) dishes, I was ready for nothing more than to collapse in bed. Soon, however, I began to settle into the rhythm of the monastery.  Matins and Vespers bracketed each day, and fortified by a delicious ...

 By Sister Cecelia The ground hogs (woodchucks) had made numerous homes under the sloped handicap entrance to the nuns’ front door. As a result, there started appearing holes in the walkway where a wheelchair or a foot could get caught. After encouraging the groundhogs to find other homes the holes were filled and to prevent the holes in the future, it seemed a good idea to use cast cement pieces to line the walkway that would prevent the holes from reappearing again. Next the walkway was smoothed and ready for laying down the Pavers. The jagged edges would be made straight by cutting each piece with a special saw. A level entrance is completed for the walk up to the front door!

 By Sister Cecelia While the addition to the bakery was being done, the 25-year-old  shingles on the newer wing of the monastery needed to be replaced.   They dated from the early 1990s, so it was time to change them. A  rental lift got the shingles up to the roof. The old shingles were  removed and tossed into a waiting box, and the lift hauled them to the dumpsters. During a very hot summer the men were up on the roof attaching the new  shingles, so we are in good shape for the next 25 to 30 years!

  By Julia Gates Recently we lost our beloved Maverick at New Skete. Typically I do not write in the newsletter, but I thought a view I’ve expressed to most dog clients would help as you read about his passing. Maverick was brought into the world as a gift. He was a little special because he could not operate his legs when he was a young pup.   With much dedication and physical therapy and commitment from my family and our Battenkill Veterinary vet, he was able to make it to the breeding world and complete many of your homes and our monastery with much life that will continue through many years.   Maverick lived a great life with many dog companions throughout his lifetime.   He touched many children at the school with his therapy work in the reading program, as well as many veterans,   nursing homes, and others.   He was a true gift. I want to touch on the topic of dogs in general but using my own experiences throughout my work to continue the gift o...

By Sister Cecelia    The nuns realized that storage space had been reduced when a break room for the employees was set up in 2003. One of the rooms in the nuns’ bedroom area was used, but we knew we would eventually need a better solution.  So, in 2018 plans were drawn up to use the space between the bakery and the building next to it. A space 20 feet by 14 feet would be gained. Weather and COVID delayed progress, but gradually things were in order and a start was made.  “Pictures are worth a thousand words,” so these will help tell the story. The line on the wall is the angle for the new roof.  After removal of the plants, flowers, and bushes, the dirt was leveled in preparation for the cement sub-floor. The cement truck finally arrived. Some tree branches had to be removed so the backhoe could get close enough. See the pouring that took place in the above video. Mik Klaus working on the roof connection. Now the siding was removed carefully so the boards c...

  By Brother Marc Oak survivor I often do errands in Albany or Clifton Park but drive through the gentle hills and farmland south of New Skete rather than taking any major routes. It seems like I’m traveling on top of the world there, and both land and sky are fully visible from the road. The colorful rural scenery changes dramatically through all four seasons. A stark remnant of a magnificent old oak tree pictured here oversees the newly plowed slopes near where some of our chapel community members live. I imagine it is the last remnant of a great oak woodlot. Last year’s storms broke a huge limb from it, but the farmer-owner of the surrounding cornfield trimmed and saved the rest. This year most of the tree was damaged. I was saddened at the loss; the brave trunk is still a striking landmark even though it is probably not on the National Register of Champion Trees. Tiger swallowtail butterfly on Korean lilac Years ago, we planted a miniature Korean lilac bush near our now sixty...