Helping Hands
by Brother Gregory Years ago, when New Skete was founded in 1966, it was always stated that the Founder of New Skete was Fr. Laurence, but in the past 20 years or so this idea of there being just one Founder has changed. Keep in mind that Fr. Laurence did not walk up the mountain alone. With him were about 11 other young men who walked up the mountain with him. Today, we refer to all those young monks who walked up the mountain as the Founding Monks, and they are given a special place of honor, as they gave their lives to building a monastic community in Washington County, New York. In 1969, five former Poor Clare nuns built a monastery 3 miles from the monks’ monastery. A shared vision was formed, and today we are known as the Monks and Nuns of New Skete. Let’s not forget the foundation of Emmaus House, a third monastic community of New Skete made up of married monastic couples. Although that community closed in 2014, the Emmaus House building remains as a welcoming Guest House ...