Monk pays a visit

Posted by admin on Apr 2, 2008 in Community | 0 comments

An influential monk will be visiting the creative writing classes of Trinity Western University this week as a guest teacher. Brother Paul Quenon has been a Trappist monk for over 50 years, and lives in the Abbey of Gethsemani outside of Louisville, Kentucky. He will also be conducting a poetry reading on Thursday, April 3 in RNT 125 from 1-2:30 pm.
Quenon is a published author, poet, chef, singer, photographer and outdoorsman. His books include Terrors of Paradise, Laughter: My Purgatory and Monkswear. His unique poetry CD, Hooded Sentinals, features poetry read to live improvisational jazz music.
“Brother Paul is special because he is a fully integrated human being who is comfortable within the cloisters of the abbey and the secular world of art and thought,” said Lynn Szabo, chair of the English department.
Szabo became friends with Quenon when she visited the Abbey of Gesthsemani to study the works of acclaimed monk Thomas Merton. He is visiting B.C. as a guest of the Thomas Merton Society of Canada. Quenon is also famous for having studied under Merton at the Abbey of Gesthsemani.
Merton is a critically acclaimed monk who wrote 70 books and over 4,000 poems about the Christian life, Christian discipleship and mysticism which have been translated into over 50 languages. He is considered the most influential spiritual writer of the 20th century. Merton’s works have always held significance within the Catholic world, but his significance within the Protestant world is just now being recognized.
Quenon has traveled outside of the Abbey and is now renowned in his own right as a result of his works.
“He is very excited he’s coming to Trinity,” said Szabo. “He loves to meet young people and see their artistic gifts.”
Szabo has high expectations regarding Quenon’s visit. She wants students to see a writer whose faith is deeply important to his creativity and what God has done in his life.
“It is a unique possibility for a Protestant student body to meet a 21st century monk,” said Szabo.
Quenon is also interested in the Protestant religious education. TWU is unique, said Szabo, because there are very few private Christian schools that are not Catholic.