Divine Canine on Animal Planet (Monks of New Skete)

[Khaleas]

http://animal.discovery.com/convergence/divine-canine/divine-canine.html

It's on Friday again....
http://animal.discovery.com/tv-schedules/series.html?paid=15.14728.119784.32445.x

[kamikat]

w00t! I'll set up the TIVO

[NyssaTheHobbit]

Hubby and I watched it. It was funny to see a monk jumping up and down in front of a dog!

[Mary of Bethany]

I watched is last night. Wish it were an hour instead of half hour, but it was good. They have a beautiful chapel. I loved the interviews with Brother Christopher in front of the Icons. :thumbsup:

Mary

[Vasya Davidovich]

[...]

[repentant]

Oh good it started.

Vasya, at least it's a show about Orthodox people.

[EricTheRed]

Well they are better people than I am so I will just not talk down about them.

[Vasya Davidovich]

Ah, I started something. And it seems that my peers would rather I didn't.

I was confused as to whether the OP and Kamikat were posting in approval or disapproval.

Sorry to have spoken. I'll shut up now.

-Vasya.

[Khaleas]

I watched part of it and minus the whole monk factor I just thought it was a bit cheesy. If I praise my dogs like that they think it's play time and would never sit still...

[EmperorConstantine]

Hopefully it will be rerun soon.

Then I can see it!

[Khaleas]

There are several...
Schedule:
http://animal.discovery.com/tv-schedules/series.html?paid=15.14728.119784.32445.x

[repentant]

Ok I am watching the show right now, and that is a very liberal Monastery. I have never seen a Monk out of his Monastic garb, nor have I ever heard them being reffered to as "brother".

Also something he said kind of turned me off...it was something like "if it wasn't for the dogs, we would just be some grumpy old men"..I was like..ok..

Edit: But they sure can train dogs..

[Shubunkin]

Oh, I just missed it. It'll be on again, though. :)

[ufonium2]

I have never seen a Monk out of his Monastic garb


I think they only wear their cassocks during services, in real life.

[repentant]

I think they only wear their cassocks during services, in real life.

No they wear a zostiko and a vest with the skoufo, always, and during services they put on the exoraso and the koukouli over that..but the latter is only for tonsured Monks...

Always..

http://orthodoxphotos.com/cgi-bin/photo.pl?path=Monastic_Obedience&file=14.jpg

During services...

http://orthodoxphotos.com/cgi-bin/photo.pl?path=Orthodox_Elders/Greek/Fr._Paisios&file=3.jpg

[ufonium2]

By "they" I meant New Skete, not monastics in general.

[repentant]

By "they" I meant New Skete, not monastics in general.

Oh ok, lol..my bad...yea but like I said..very liberal..

[Xpycoctomos]

Khaleas,

I was JUST going to post about this show! Anyhow, I thought it was neat. I am certainly in no place to make decisions as to how monasteries should be run and which canons are still important and relevant to these times. Maybe new skete is wrong for certain things... I have heard things that have shocked me, but at the same time, I would be moreinterested as to what monasteries like Dormition Monastery in Michigan have to say about this. I don't think they watch TV or cruise the Net, so such an opinion is proably impossible for me to obtain, but I am curious.

One thing I have always liked (not coveted, just liked) about Monasitic communities in the Catholic CHurch is the orders they have. They all have their own emphasis although they are all bound by certain aspects (prayer, celibacy and obedience). This isn't part of eastern tradition but anyone who has visited different monasteries know that there are differences between them. Some are intensly focused on hospitality to outisiders who need an oasis where they can focus on prayer and meditation (eg Dormition monastery). Some publish prayer books and other publications. Some make foods. I guess what I am trying to say is that perhaps there is room for greater differences. Perhaps New Skete isn't trying to say that this is how the other monasteries should be, but rather that this is what worked best for these people in their relationship with God. Perhaps it isn't "you are either supposed to be living like a regular lay person or like a monk on mount Athos" but rather that this is, again, what worked best for these people... people who wouldn't be pushed enough in regular lay life (where celibacy and a more intense prayer life is SOOO difficult to live out for many) but would be broken by a life like most monks. Who knows? I certainly don't. I am sure that there are things about New Skete that would shock me (I think I remember there were some things that kind of surprised me, but I don't remember what they were now) and perhaps it would be good if the Jurisdiction that they are under (who is that by the way, OCA?) were to do a little PR so that their faithful could understand... or at least question being completely informed on both sides of the issue.

EIther way, I thought it was totally cool to see an Orthodox Monastery on National TV and I am having a hard time caring that a Monk was jumping in front of a dog without a cassock on. Honestly, maybe I should care. Like someone else here said, I thought it was funny (and tasteful).

John

[Xpycoctomos]

By the way, in Romania, at Putna they referred to each other as Brother. I remember I met a very nice monk there whom I spent much of the day with and he spoke English. I mistakenly called him Father Danil and he corrected me and asked me to call he Brother Danil. Maybe it is just that he read English literature and realized that monks (who would have probalby been Catholic in the books or articles) were given the title Brother, but either way, he didn't feel it UNorthodox to recieve the title brother.

[Khaleas]

John, I totally hear you there! They have to stay alive somehow and unfortunately prayer and being hermits doesn't do it our world.
New-Valaam in Finland produces different kinds of berry wines, the mix and produce the wines used for communion in Finland (imported grapes), they have a hotel (some of the monks work at the reception), and there is a lay-academy (which is where I go for my embroidery class). It's all right there, concentrated and close together. The monks housing is maybe 40 yards from where we have classes. They all work with the other sections. I think that unless the main religion in a country is Orthodoxy (such as Greece) being able to have anything remotely close to an hermitage is quite difficult.
I'm sure we could dig up something 'scandalous' about just about every place if we really wanted to but who are we to judge. I'm sure we can dig up something scandalous (more so than the Monks of New Skete) in our own self.

[repentant]

I have nothing against them, I myself just prefer more traditional Monasticism. I am in no place to judge them, but at the same time, it wouldn't be a place I would go if I were to become a Monk..

And I have no problem with them training dog's by the way..my concern wasn't about the Monastic obedience they have..

[Rdr Iakovos]

New Skete is a very unusual monastic community, controversial in some respects. They have a small married monastic community. I know, I stayed there for a week a couple years back.

Here are some of their controversial issues:
1. They eat meat
2. They have icons of non- Eastern, non Saints in the Temple of Holy Wisdom (their new temple)
3. They have a married monastic community
4. There is one other issue so controversial I'd rather not bring it up.

I was deeply blessed by my time with the monastics there. Whether I concur with all of their practices or not is irrelevant- I was there to learn from them, and lean I did.

And yes, they shore kin train dem dawgs.

[Xpycoctomos]

I have nothing against them, I myself just prefer more traditional Monasticism. I am in no place to judge them, but at the same time, it wouldn't be a place I would go if I were to become a Monk..

And I have no problem with them training dog's by the way..my concern wasn't about the Monastic obedience they have..
I hear ya repentant. I went to their site and it didn't really meet my tastes for what I would be looking for if I were to go to a monastery. If there is anything wrong or not the best for the Church going on their, I pray that it would be addressed by the bishop and I am sure that if the brothers there are there out of love and in obedience they would comply in God's time.

John