Our Lady of the Annunciation Monastery of Clear Creek

There is a line from an old song that says "Everything old is new again." In this case, approximately 1500 years old. The old in this case is "The Rule of St. Benedict". The new is Our Lady of the Annunciation Monastery of Clear Creek, a Benedictine monastery.

The Benedictine Monastery is located near Hulbert, OK which is a part of the Diocese of Tulsa.

OK, so another monastery is starting up. What is so different about this group than most of the monasteries currently out here in the USA? A lot of them follow some form of the Rule. But most of them focus on some sort of service, running a school or other institution. In this case the aim is a bit diiferent. According to the prior, Fr. Phillip Anderson: "We wanted to build a community like the ancient monasteries, a place devoted to the contemplative life and prayer."

& that is exactly what they have done. In 1999, Fr. Anderson & some monks were sent by Benedictine Abbey of Notre Dame de Fontgombault in France to the US to start a new foundation. The monks were all members of the monastic community at Fontgombault, France, or of her daughterhouses Randol, Triors, and Gaussan. Bishop Edward J. Slattery of the Diocese of Tulsa gave them permission to buy over 1000 acres by Clear Creek. The land included a large rustic house which became their residence. They built some other modest buildings. But, they had a dream, to build a European-style monastery, constructed to last 1,000 years.

Now, the 1st part of that dream has been completed. The residence portion of the monastery was completed & on 2 January 2008 the monks moved into their new home. Next to their residence the foundation & lower level of the Church have also been completed. The residence has 36 cells for the monks, 30 are filled.

They also have some guest rooms when male visitors can stay. These rooms are seperate from the monks cells as they are a cloistered order. They have a seperate guesthouse where families & females can stay. This set up is in keeping with the requirements of St. Benedict's Rule. "This is to create an atmosphere conducive to prayer and communion with Christ," according to Fr. Anderson.

The Rule sets up requirements for the basic structure of a monk's day. Prayer (Mass & Divine Office), study (including Lectio Divina), & work (in this case,tending sheep, gardens and orchards & building furniture to provide for their needs). There are variations depending on whether the monk is a novice or a thelogical student.

With the approval of the Pontifical Commission ‘Ecclesia Dei’ and the consent of Bishop Slattery they use the 1962 Roman Missal with some Benedictine variations at High Mass. They also observe the complete Benedictine horarium (Liturgy of the Hours/Divine Liturgy).

In this day & age many of the religious orders, male & female, are dying out because they have abandoned their habits & the charism they were founded on. Here is another group like some others I have looked at that is willing to do things right. They are operating in the true Spirit of Vatican II & thus growing. They are faithful to the Magesterium & esp the Pope. Maybe those dying orders should quite "imagining" or "weaving" a new future, humble themselves & return to the vision God originally had for them.

If you are interested in helping them to complete their God-given dream you can donate on line or by mail. Make a check payable to Clear Creek Monastery & mail to:

Br.. Philip Anderson, Prior

Clear Creek Monastery

5804 W. Monastery Road

Hulbert, OK 74441-5698

Phone: (918) 772-2454

Fax: (918) 772-1044

(Source: A vision appearing)