A little bit of 11th Century Italy is featured at The Monastery of the Risen Christ (between Questa College and Los Osos Valley Road on O’Connor Way) right here on the Central Coast.
Story and photo by Keith Pendleton
This Estero Bay News contributor and his son chose to get a spiritual dusting up to celebrate a birthday a couple of months back. Near Questa College can be found a spiritual retreat by the name of the Monastery of the Risen Christ (MRC).
As we attended church service in the Catholic tradition on Sunday, we learned that the Monastery Sanctuary was to receive a renovation makeover of its facade and interior with funds donated for that specific purpose.
The outside of the church sanctuary would soon resemble the original Camaldoli Monastery in Italy in the 11th Century tradition of St. Romauld for whom the nearby mountain, or cerro is named. Cerro Romualdo is one of the Central Coasts Nine Sisters of the Morro.
The monastery provides public services including Sunday church, daily guided prayer services, workshops and retreats. For details, go to mrcslo.com.
Since the founding of the Monastery in 1992, the monks have offered hospitality to those who wish to experience monastic life. “Hospitality is one of the hallmarks of our Monastic way of life, and an essential practice reflecting the ancient monastic tradition of welcoming guests, and especially from the point of view of our founder Saint Benedict, to welcome them as Christ” the MRC website states.
Members of the public may stay in one of three retreat rooms, each with a single bed (though one suite has two single beds). They are available, each for $120/night. See mrcslo.com/retreat-opportunities.
The remodel was completed by Reid Perkins and his son Ron, working for Cobalt Construction.
