People from the far reaches of northern Idaho and the Camas Prairie were drawn to the open house at the Center for Benedictine Life at the Monastery of St. Gertrude on October 11 and, for some, the event was an eye-opener.
“I’ve never been here before but I’ve known about it for years,” said Renee Kuehner from Potlatch, who attended the open house with her sister, Jennifer.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” she said. “I knew it was going to be old, something historic and, you know what, I thought there might be more sisters and members and I was surprised how small the community really is. It’s beautiful, though … and so I enjoyed myself. I’m trying to absorb it all.”
Kuehner was among about 100 people who were given a glimpse into some of the areas of the historic monastery the general public has rarely seen. Participants of this first-ever event were divided into small groups and guided through the monastery to view dining rooms, a kitchen, art rooms, the laundry, a beauty parlor, community rooms, office spaces, the chapel and even private bedrooms.
Sr. Betty Schumacher, one of the organizers of the open house, said this intimate view of the monastery has never been done before.
“I think it went very well,” Schumacher said. “People seem to be interested in what we’re showing them and what happens in each little room. This is probably the first time we’ve shown people our bedrooms and some of the other private areas, like our community room where we usually gather. 
“One of the reasons is to just let people know who we are; to, again, develop some relationships with people and kind of take away the mystique of who might be in the monastery. It’s ordinary people doing ordinary things.”
During the tour one of the more frequent questions of the tour guides was how many sisters live at the monastery. Schumacher said there are about 22 sisters living there full-time, along with three members of the Koinoinia group–which is an associate congregation–and longer-term volunteers and artists-in-residence.
Edrea Eisenhauer, one of the members of the Koinonia group, explained that in the future, when there are no more vowed members of the community (meaning nuns) groups such as the Koinonia and other associate members and volunteers will assume guidance of the monastery to assure that Benedictine spirituality continues to be available to the public in this area.
Kuehner said her impression of the tour “most definitely” will lead her to visit again.
“I would love to see your library a little longer,” she said. “This is a special place for spiritual growth. I think it’s the remoteness that lends itself to that; the beauty and the atmosphere in general. And, so far, everybody’s been very kind and that’s always a bonus.”
Dan Green of Hayden, Idaho, who attended the open house with his wife and friends, said he had no idea the monastery was open to visitors.
“It challenges me,” Green said, “because my wife and I are involved in our church and other outside philanthropies and to see this, it challenges me that there’s always more that we can do. And listening to the lives that you’ve chosen and the goals you’re set … We’ve traveled to the holy land and to Europe and it’s just fascinating to see something right here in Idaho.”
Green said because of the distance of travel he wasn’t sure he’d be back to visit the monastery, “but it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have you in my prayers on a regular basis and support you financially.”