The wildfires that have burned approximately 40,000 acres and hundreds of homes in Southern California have also destroyed a historic Episcopal monastery set on a hill in Santa Barbara.
Nancy Bullock, guesthouse director for the Mount Calvary Monastery and Guesthouse, said because the 20,000-square-foot Spanish-style home was situated on a hill, residents could see the fire coming before it reached the monastery last Friday morning.
“We did not wait for a call from the fire department,” she said. “We evacuated before that.”
The 22 guests of the monastery were told to leave before the seven resident monks packed up the essentials. Bullock said the only painting saved was a portrait of the Virgin of Guadalupe that hung in the monastery’s chapel.
Read it all and you can see some pictures of what the facility used to look like here.
There are more pictures at St. Paul’s Ventura’s website:
http://www.stpaulsventura.org/
A member of the parish was on the fire fighting team that tried to save it and he took the pictures later.
I’m glad everyone got out safely, but it’s sad the history and art that was lost.
The overwhelming Peace of the Lord be with them in this time of crisis.
Jim Elliott <>< Florida
In the 70’s I knew a monk from the Mt. Calvary house. He did a Bible study at a summer camp I attended which resulted in my *reading* it for the first time. He has since died. I’ll always be grateful for knowing one or two Holy Cross monks. That was a long time ago; no idea how the order fares nowadays.
This was my favorite place for a personal retreat and I spent the first week of Advent here annually for almost ten years. The peace and quiet, the gorgeous sunrise/sunset, the holy worship, the hiking and beachcombing, and the library were a great blessing, as well as the homemade meals and delicious food. I am absolutely crushed that it was destroyed and spent the whole night Friday following the news on the internet. Please pray for the brothers and for the ability to rebuild. Their ministry of hospitality and prayer has deeply touched my life and ministry, and I’m sure touched thousands of others.
– The Rev. John Heidengren
Diocese of Pittsburgh
Was there three times on retreats. A beautiful, quiet, place, high up in the hills behind Santa Barbara. On a clear day you could see forever up and down the coast. A treasury of Anglo-Catholic spirituality.