Westminster Abbey
by Sarah Gertzen
When one thinks of the word Monk, one might be inclined to entertain notions of quiet men in far-off lands residing in stone seminaries. To find a church beautiful in a majestic kind of way, we often think of cathedrals in Europe or in Eastern Canada. In the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, just outside Mission, you'll find The Church of Westminster Abbey - one of only two Benedictine seminaries in Canada.
The Church of Westminster Abbey received its first official residents in 1954. Over the years, as the Abbey grew, the building itself was renovated and enlarged to better provide the needs of a growing population. Although, in the beginning, there were Benedictine nuns to assist with the grounds, libraries and kitchen, there are now 30 monks residing in the Abbey and work is now done strictly by the Monks themselves. Teaching has always been a big part of what is accomplished here. The Abbey takes in both high school and college students – properly called Minors and Majors, respectively; Minors are high school students and Majors are college students. Classes are taught by volunteer teachers and the Monks themselves.
The Abbey is open to the public, both to view and to attend the church. The architecture alone is well worth the visit. The ornate pillars inside, tower high above you drawing your gaze up to magnificent archways that converge over the Chancel to create an intricate juxtaposition of foundation and support. The church is made of an off-white stone, clean cut and incredibly pure looking. The accents of deep red bricks and subtle hints of wood compel your eye to wander in search of more hidden beauty. A vast bank of stained glass windows encircle the entire church and, together with the massive skylights, on sunny days cast an unquestionably divine hue upon the aspect of the place. In the common room, in the seminary gallery, there are dozens of incredible bas reliefs – many of them life-size - and surrealist paintings created by Father Dunstan Massey, a Franciscan Monk who is gaining a world-wide reputation for his incredible works of art in many different mediums of creation.
The grounds surrounding the Abbey are reminiscent of traditional old English and Spanish gardens, incorporating vast fields, meadows, water features, trees and plants that give every impression of being as ancient and wise as the ground they come from.
The lifestyle of the Monk seems so simple and yet completely surreal. A person often wonders what draws these men into the world of the monastery. But when you go to the Abbey and experience the simplicity and the beauty there firsthand, you -for that moment- dream of being a part of it all: a little work and some prayer in exchange for some of the inner calmness that the place exudes.
As we know, Canada (especially British Columbia) is visited by people worldwide, to experience the vastness of the ocean, the majesty of the mountains, and to play in the many valleys and lakes. In British Columbia, the Abbey of Saint Joseph of Westminster is located in the Fraser Valley and stretches over 70 hectares of land. Perched atop one of the highest points in the Valley bottom, the Abbey looks out over the neighbouring farms and the Fraser River as it winds westward. Nothing could better showcase the beautiful world that God had intended for us to view.