My Summer at the Mount
A poem by Calista Robledo
Editors note: Calista is an MDiv student, entering into her third and final year at Boston College. She spent this past summer living at Mount St. Benedict Monastery while working with Monasteries of the Heart and the Inner-City Neighborhood Art House. She wrote an initial version of this poem as she was leading the art house kids in a prompt to write a poem about their summer.
drinking from the spiritual well that is near I pray with sisters and say hello to deer resting and creating in the quirky corner Erie
I’ve found God within me
and loved her fiercely
she’s also in the green of the trees
and waves of the lake
though I prefer the sea
the lake I’ll take
because I’ve opened the ear of my heart to all before me
especially in the monasteryI listen to stories galore and laughter even more from
women strong
women bold
women wise and ever gold
women hilarious
women holy
women welcoming and caring
women drummers
women musicians
women mimes and clowns
women preachers
women liturgical
women writers and presiders
women theologians
women leaders
women lovers
women seekerswhile I bask in their lives
I write
I teach
I preach
and ponder
the wandering of the spirit within me
and where she’ll guide me
maybe to the youth
or the empty pages before me
maybe to an unknown ministry
unsure and open
I fear not where
because our loving God is
e v e r y w h e r eand as I part from this well
of Benedictine richness
I part too of the mount’s sweetness
quenched and refreshed
understood and renewed
by inclusive language
and discussing the newsI simply say
“see you soon,”
with the bitterness
of coffee and
delight of ice cream
to this lavish
summer dream
AUTHOR:
Calista Robledo (she/her/hers) is a Chicana writer, dancer, liturgist, and student at Boston College Clough School of Theology and Ministry. Calista is working on her Masters in Divinity Degree and brings the arts into her ministry and ministry into her art. Calista grew up in South Texas and is a lover of liturgy, sunsets, and Tex-Mex food. Subscribe to her own Substack newsletter Theo-Poet Laureate.
INTERESTED IN YOUR OWN MONASTIC IMMERSION?
For women in your early 20s to early 30s, check out the Benedictine Peacemakers opportunity for a year long monastic immersion with the Erie Benedictines. Don’t fall into this demographic? Reach out to Michelle (mscully@eriebenedictines.org) for other opportunities.
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Such a delight to have met you at the mount! What an extraordinary expression of your experiences at the monastery! If each person you met were to write a sentence or two about their encounter with you, the transfer of blessings in the encounter would be two-fold! Blessings as you continue your life’s journey! 💞 Jackie
Your poem filled my heart- so poetic and beautiful your expression of summer at the Mount. Sounded like your heart was filled too! Thank you for sharing 🙏