Los Angeles – 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 early Friday (Nov. 14) 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.
Flames destroyed an antique gold altar from South America and a 17th-century painting depicting Jesus healing a paralytic, along with nearly everything else.
Brother Robert Sevensky, superior of the Order of the Holy Cross, the religious community to which the monastery belongs, is flying to the region to access the situation.
“We have had a lot of messages of love and support … but they haven’t discerned whether or not to rebuild,” Bullock said.
The monastery’s Web site, however, which now features an image of raging flames instead of the monastery itself, quotes Sevenksy as vowing, “We will rebuild.”
The monks are temporarily staying at St. Mary’s Retreat House, an Episcopal women’s religious community also located in Santa Barbara.
Penny Hurt, retreat coordinator for St. Mary’s, said the monks have been forced to go out and shop for clothes because they have nearly nothing left.
Mount Calvary has been in operation since 1948 and is one of four monastic communities belonging to the Order of the Holy Cross. The U.S.
and Canada are home to 23 distinct Anglican religious orders in all.
Making hospitality one of its principal ministries, Mount Calvary played host to more than 2,000 visitors each year.
“When I was in a significant personal crisis, the brothers `adopted’
me, giving me a community at a time when I felt lost,” writes Diana Butler Bass, an expert on American religion and a visitor to the monastery. “They have now lost their home.”
Lilly Fowler
Religion News Service
Copyright 2008 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
Beliefnet
Advertisement
posted November 18, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Truly a shame. Am somewhat glad that they retrieved the ‘Our Lady of Guadalupe’ painting as I rely on her heavily for intercession. Hopefully this will help strengthen the community as people pool their time and resources together to rebuild, as we desperately need to find silver lining in the clouds during these dark and perilous times.
posted November 18, 2008 at 6:45 pm
This entire area was affected by a “Sundowner”. They are especially deadly fires whipped by the winds with a gradient pressure between the hills, northwest winds. June is the worse time for them, but if the conditions are right they can appear any time of the year. The Gaviota area, back into Santa Yanez Valley and over to Santa Barbara area has the right conditions for this type of fire. What a shame the paintings couldn’t have been saved.
posted November 18, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Fortunately no one was hurt, and at least something was saved..the painting. Expect there will be much contemplation as to whether to try and rebuild. Considering the fires could occur again in the same area, rebuilding in the same place might not be a good idea. Perhaps they could find a “safer” site. It’s a shame when something beautiful and historic is destroyed.
posted November 18, 2008 at 9:57 pm
At least it’s not a family’s home and most of their possessions.
posted November 19, 2008 at 11:14 am
To revise a little scripture, “The rain falls on AND FIRE BURNS the just and the unjust.” I wonder of this is one of the areas where the fire started by an unquenched bond fire left by some partiers.
It is something to notice than areas burnt over often come back more glorious and lush than when they burned. I wonder if the same will be true for the displaced people and places as it will surely be for the flora and fauna.
posted November 19, 2008 at 11:29 am
You’re right jestrfyl, young adults went to the abandoned Tea Garden Estate and had a bonfire party on wed., they said they put the fire out before they left. Embers were still alive and when the sun set on thurs. the sundowner fire took off. The hills and canyons and the NW winds cause this type of fire. It took off and burned beautiful estates, homes, etc., hundreds of homes destroyed, 1,900 some acres, as well. A 98 yr. old man died because of it, moving him to another vicinity. The last time they had a sundowner was in 1990, it caused much destruction and hopped freeways like this one. The conditions have to be just right for this to happen, usually humans are at fault, like this time. They can rebuild. We lived in that area for 33 yrs. and it isn’t a frequent happening.
posted November 19, 2008 at 11:48 am
nnms, it was the home of the monks.
posted November 19, 2008 at 11:06 pm
I understand it was the home of the monks. I guess I assume a family loses a lot more when their home burns than a monk does.
posted November 20, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Nnmns,
It was a family’s home and all of their possessions.