What’s the most interesting local custom you’ve encountered?

Despised and resented the Irish monks that settled in Nunraw Abbey at the end of World War II were absolutely not welcome. 

Sancta Maria Abbey in Nunraw is a mile from the nearest village Garvald in East Lothian, Scotland. The Lammermuir hills provide a beautiful backdrop to the monks guest house for pilgrims and visitors and their working farm.  The monks perform a lot of manual labour to sustain their keep.  Producing amongst other things cheese, milk, wine, bread and wool.  Ora et Labora‘ or ‘pray and work’ is one of their guiding principles from St Benedict.

The hate, the shunning, the campaigning for their removal continued for quite a while after the monks arrived.  Catholics had to tread carefully in those days in Scotland but to be both Irish and Catholic was the pits. Despite this, the monks of Sancta Maria Abbey at Nunraw continued to pray and work.

Then came some very severe weather for that part of the world.  Snow blocked all the roads in and out of the area.  Supplies were getting short. Fear was spreading. One morning the worried locals woke to a surprise parcel on their doorsteps.  The monks had left them blankets previously woven from the wool from their sheep. Within those blankets was their farm produce with dairy essentials. The monks footsteps as they delivered door to door were silent on the crisp snow. Their love too was silent unconditional on the behaviour of those who despised them.

The custom of ‘love of neighbour as thy self’ is the best custom to encounter.  And the very, very hardest to practice. Sancta Maria monastery is still there, thriving.  A loved and integral part of Garvald and East Lothian. The love of neighbour the abbey embodied attracted international, national and local visitors. It became the go to place for many seeking peace.  For those wanting a catharsis of their past, to speak to the monks and relieve painful burdens. The monks welcomed people whether they were religious or secular, rich or poor.

Many years ago I stayed in the guest house with some female friends.  It was amazing. Even the homemade food felt like a spiritual detox with every bite.  There was laughter and tears.  None of the bigotry so bitter when the monks first arrived.

The only rumour that seemed to remain was that the monks had a black puma that roamed their land.  Like most rumours it was nonsensical until you walked through the woods to the Chapel for three am Mass.  The imagination runs wild at that time and removed from worldly distractions a puma seemed possible!

The Office of Readings with Mass at three o clock in the morning started the monks day and was sublime. Singing hooded monks in white robes and brown/black cloaks, Repeating this every night for amongst other things solidarity in prayer.  At the darkest hour of night, spiritual warfare benefits from low defences as most people sleep. The monks stand in solidarity with those around the world who are suffering or working against darkness or being killed by faceless drones. These monks, and all contemplatives around the world, are clearly our spiritual night watchmen.

Their Love is silent. They pray for all of Us.