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Project 3171 - Purchase of livestock

Benedictine monks of Shantivanam (Tamil Nadu, India)

The monastery of Shantivanam was founded in 1950 by two Frenchmen, Fr Jules Monchanin (a diocesan priest) and Fr Henri Le Saux (monk of Kergonan). Their purpose was to integrate Benedictine monachism with the traditional way of life of an Indian Ashram.

In 1953 François Mahieu (monk of Scourmont, Belgium), later known as Francis Acharya, joined the ashram, soon followed by Bede Griffiths (monk of Prinknash, England). The last two, more drawn to a cenobitic life, founded the monastery of Kurisumala in 1958.

Fr Monchanin died in 1957, and Henri Le Saux, more attracted to solitude, set himself up in a hermitage at the sources of the Ganges. Bede Griffiths returned to Shantivanam in 1968, where he became Prior.

In 1982 Bede Griffiths arranged the affiliation of the monastery to the Benedictine Camaldolese Congregation – a Congregation which favours the eremitical life.

The present community comprises fourteen monks, of whom four are in temporary vows.

Request

Because of the fame of Bede Griffiths many Europeans came to spend time at Shantivanam and left a gift behind them. Bede Griffiths encouraged the monks to use these gifts not for the monastery but for the poor of the region (education, a house of welcome, various gifts). The monastery has only a small farm and some fields.

After the death of Bede Griffiths these gifts dried up, and the monks satisfied their needs by farming. At the present time, with less resources and mounting costs, the community would like to increase their present herd by twenty milch-cows, in order to produce milk for sale. This requires also the renovation of a building in which to put them.

Requested amount: € 12,400

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