Page 31 - Priorities #48 2011-January/February

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MONASTERY NEWS
by Tim Molak, Head-of-School
One of the highlights for Brother Edward and I when we attended the Benedictine conference in Germany was stopping in Hungary. We were hosted by Abbot Matthew who is the midst of a 3 month sabbatical and acted as our tour guide to visit Pannonhalma (mother Abbey of the Priory until 1975) and see the sights of Budapest and the surrounding countryside.
Our irst adventure was to the city of Gyor (pronounced Dure) where the Benedictines run a coed school for 400 students right in the center of this small city. Abbot Matthew was the main celebrant for the all school Mass (Abbot Matthew studied in Hungary and is luent in the language). It was celebrated in their beautiful Baroque church attachedrighttotheschool. AfterMasswejoined the Monks for mid day prayer and then a spe- cial lunch in their refectory. Father Thomas is the Headmaster and was the perfect model of Bene- dictine hospitality.
We left Gyor after lunch and made the short trip to Pannonhalma. This magniicent abbey, founded over a 1000 years ago, sits atop a hill and can be seen for miles. It houses one of the most beautiful libraries which would be the envy of many a major city. Pannonhalma has a school for 340 boy boarders who participate in an intensive academic program during the day and an equally enriching residential curriculum in the evening.
Brother Edward and I met with a group of 10 freshmen boys after dinner for tea and answered their questions about the Priory and living in the United States. We then attended a prayer service in their dormitory before they went to bed. It was obvious that the spirit of Saint Benedict lives in the minds and hearts of these young men. We also visited the crypt where Father Egon Javor, O.S.B., Father Christopher Hites, O.S.B., Father Emod Brunner, O.S.B. and Father Stanley Jaki, O.S.B. are laid to rest.
Archabbot Astrick received us in his ofice for aperitifs before dinner and showed us their plans for the remodel of their church as well as a tour of their impressive bio-mass heating plant that provides all the heating for the entire abbey. They have recently opened a winery and a tourist center – they are part of the United Nations World Heritage Sites and have visitors from all around the world daily. For their millen- nium anniversary the Pope came to Pannonhalma to celebrate Mass and honor the Benedictines for their tremendous service to the Hungarian Church over the centuries.