The Episcopal News just announced a huge loss for the local Episcopal community from the Montecito fire:
The raging Montecito wildfire has destroyed historic Mount Calvary Retreat House, staff and Santa Barbara County officials have confirmed.
The resident brothers, members of the Order of the Holy Cross, and staff are safe following evacuation, said Nancy Bullock, program director for Mount Calvary, speaking by phone from All Saints by-the-Sea Church in Montecito.
Bullock said that All Saints is currently working to determine if any parishioners have lost homes in the blaze, which has claimed more than 100 residences across 2,500 acres. Bullock's husband, Jeff, is rector of the parish.
Bishop J. Jon Bruno, who is in close telephone contact with clergy leaders in the Santa Barbara area, asks the prayers of the diocesan community for all those affected by the fire.
-- Martha Groves
I'm so sorry you lost your home. I loved that place.
Michael
I spent three wonderful days at that monastery in 1970. I would like to come back to the rebuilt monastery.
David Korn
I spent a very spiritual time on a youth retreat there in 1967 or early 1968, I returned about 5 years later to walk the gardens once more. Yesterday, I attempted to locate the retreat house again, but failed. Today, I googled it and found it gone. My intense sadness is impossible to relate. The memory of the sleeping quarters, the meeting room, and the time spent in prayer and meditation on the bench on the hill overlooking the mountains. These are memories that are still vivid, priceless and will stay with me forever. The setting was so perfect, I hope that plans are being formulated to rebuild on the site. Was anything saved? What a tragic loss. My prayers are with you all.
I am sadden by the lost of such a peaceful, holy and spiritual retreat home. I went there many times with my college youth group. the silent retreats, meals with the brothers, mountains, hikes, and fellowship will always be a part of my walk with the Lord.
I am honestly so very sorry to read about the loss of your beautiful home, and a place where I spent many hours visiting and feeling perhaps as fine within as I have ever known ... and in the process, by the time I (always regrettably) would leave, I felt somehow revitalized in my "regular" everyday life. The single consolation I am left with-and it is a most significant one-is that it appears no one from the monastery was hurt or, God forbid, worse. My deepest consolation and sympathies to you all. I trust that you are all comfortable and content with your current living arrangements, and (dare I?) look forward to the rebuilding of one of the most spiritual, pleasing, and truly life-affirming environments I have ever had the excellent good fortune to experience.
I experienced so much closeness to God, the power of the Holy Spirit there, and accelerated growth in my limited times there, that I'm sad to see it go. Yet the closeness of the Holy Spirit I experienced in newer and deeper remains and grows still.
The recollection of those times is still with me. My heart will be full always in those memories and experienced. The seeds planted therein are blossoming and flourishing in a manner that cannot be taken away.
I'm looking forward to my upcoming retreat at the new location, I thank God for the old place, and for their witness and service. Truly, the Holy Spirit will be there as well, and I'm longing for the freshness and insights that God will have for me to experience and share with others as I return to my regular home in Long Beach.
My prayers go out for those who lost their home enjoyed and worked at and prayed in so long. But I'm also confident that God has ever greater things to do through the Order, and that this new home will take up the slack and heal the hurts of significant loss, and i look forward to continuing these times of spiritual growth as I've experienced with the gentle guidance and faithful service of the Order of the Holy Cross, confident that God will provide all their needs as they continue the task of serving Christ in our torn and confused world.