The Abbey: A Journey
St. John’s Abbey is located just a few miles north of Minneapolis/St. St. John’s Abbey is located in Minnesota’s rolling farmlands on 26 acres adjacent to Lake Sagatagan.
Arriving in late March with sideways snow, not much, but enough to know you were in Minnesota—driving into the Abbey along a sweeping drive, the emergence of the Abbey Church is startling.
A recent Oscar-winning movie has reopened the debate on brutalist architecture. Nothing could have prepared you for the massive cement testament of faith Marcel Breuer designed in the 1950s.
A “Bell Banner”, a collection of bells that chimes three times daily for prayer. You cannot miss it. Beautiful, raw and beckoning in its intent.
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A Monastery that Has a Hotel Within It
It was my mission to help all the Benedictine brothers improve their lives. hotel’s sales performance St. John’s Abbey has a stunning, spare thirty-room jewel box, called “Guest House”.
I’m not Catholic. You could describe me as a failed Episcopalian. All of this is irrelevant. What was important is that Brother Benedict, my host needed to turn at least a modest profit.
Brother Benedict served as my employer, guide and inspiration. He has a tough job; he must lead a Benedictine monastery and manage an impressive collection of Monks. In addition, he prays three times every day. Everyday.
The Monks at St. John’s Abbey number 90 today, whereas in 1950 they numbered 450. In the Catholic Church, we have many examples of the slings-and-arrows of outrageous luck. A Conclave that begins tomorrow is not a small matter.
Back to Brother Benedict. The man who has faith and a twinkle of joy in his eyes. The critical skills of running a charitable, endowment leveraged, joyful expression of monastic artists who produce Church pipe organs, milled from lumber they harvest on property built over three years at a selling price of three million dollars with minimal margin, or pottery that rivals the world’s best in class, or St. John’s Bibles of gargantuan size lovingly scripted and illustrated complete bibles, or curating a library repository of the worlds Benedictine aspirations—is no small feat.
He must also run a small hotel.
A Jewel Box Of Hospitality
This is done spectacularly by Brother Isidore. I call it jewel box, because that’s what it is. The Guest House has a minimalist design, Scandinavian in style, but Japanese with its accents on glass, carved block and windows to allow the light to refract.
Rooms are sparse, and designed to be quiet. There are no TVs. I did not miss it in three days. A huge window dominates their wall, facing the lake. The property looks immaculate after 14 years of “original equipment”. This property runs at close to 60% per year and 100% during the peak season.
The food was excellent. The staff was very attentive. Genuine hospitality is evident. The world can be a difficult place to minister when you are dealing with the poor, those who have been downtrodden and the seekers who, at times, cannot pay. It is a reality of Benedictine work: you have to offer comps. It is your duty.
Serving Souls, Serving Guests
The financial reality says, “Ah, within reason…”
On the final day, six men dressed in monastic garb sat with me and my flip chart. It was obvious that St. John’s Abbey Guest House would be profitable and successful with a few tweaks.
Brother Benedict drove me around St. Jo’s on a snowy Minnesota day, when I asked him to. He showed me the nearby St. John’s University (for women) and St. Benedict’s College, as well as some local eateries. It was like Ann Arbor.
With a whimsical smile that resembled a man “in this life, but not in it”, Br. Benedict would laugh when I asked young desk clerks for more information than they were supposed to about rates, clients and ADR. “You see many things that I wouldn’t know to look for!”
I would say yes.
Monastic Life: A Learning Experience
What I saw when I met Br. Benedict was open to the world and had faith in financial reality. He is a gentle genius because he doesn’t judge anything, he laughs loudly at consultants who are smarmy, and tries to save souls when they have nowhere else turn. Here are some lessons hotels can take from my experience:
- Three times a daily reflection on the events is beneficial.
- Each person’s faith is their business.
- Striking for perfection can be a long journey, even if it’s never achieved.
- Even monks enjoy laughing at the absurdities that surround us!
- Discipline brings its own rewards.
- A profit, even if a small one, makes the mission—
He asked me, as I was escorted to my car by Brother Benedict: “Do you suppose I could call?” “Especially if I’m stuck on something that I don’t understand about hotels?”
Sure, anytime. No charge.
