Georgia monastery strives to become self-sufficient

Today, thousands of Catholics and non Catholics trek to the 2,300-acre  monastery in search of  a place for quiet reflection and prayer, and there's hope that in the future even more will come. Recently, the monastery broke ground on a new 17,000-square foot visitors center that will include a central garden, a cafe, an expanded Abbey store, a bonsai garden and a Monastic Center.

"The more people who come, the better for our economy," said Father Methodius, 82, who is in charge of the stained glass operations and well as being the monastery's prior.  It will also "introduce more people to monastery life and the life of prayer."

The monastery, part of the Arabia Mountain Heritage area,  is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Rockdale County, officials say.  Kelly Jordan, chairman of the Arabia Mountain Heritage Area Alliance, described it as the "spiritual gateway to the heritage area," which includes the historic city of Lithonia, Arabia Mountain and Panola Mountain State Park.

"This is an important milestone to connect the communities that are part of the heritage area," said Lithonia councilwoman Deborah A. Jackson.

So far, the  monastery's "Season of Renewal" fundraising campaign has raised about $3.7 million toward its $6.5 million goal.

The barn, which is still there, will be part of the new venture. It will be renovated as a replica of the original monastery. "We're basically taking what we have and trying to reuse it better," said Brother Callistus Crichlow, fundraising and development director.

Brother Callistus said the hope is that the monastery can become self-sufficient, which is one of the goals of the Order.

In recent years, the monastery has not been spared from economic realities.

"For the last five years or so, we have been falling short of our operational expenses," he said. "As a result, we reached out to our many friends and benefactors for help for what is hopefully, a temporary state." Through that help, he said, the monastery has remained in the black, but it doesn't want to depend on those donations.

Several years ago, a sustainability study pointed toward  tourism as a means of generating income.  The monastery currently receives the bulk of its income from sales at the gift store, the bonsai nursery and stained glass operation. Monks there also make fruitcake, fudge and cookies. The stained glass operation supplies products primarily for churches, even non Catholic.

"We want to try to take it up a notch," he said. The idea is that the enhancements will bring more visitors to the site and that they will spend more time, which results in spending more money. "You can't escape some elements of being commercial," he said. "We see this as part of the ministry, in a sense. When people come here, they want information. They can learn more about monasticism, even before the Christian experience."

The Conyers monastery belongs to the world-wide Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance, more commonly known as the Trappist. It was founded in 1944 after 21 monks moved to rural Georgia from Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky to begin a new community devoted to God. At the time of its founding, the area had one known Catholic family.

Today, there 1,800 families registered at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Rockdale County, according to the Atlanta archdiocese.