Below is The Monastery, a five-part video series, made by Chester Dent in 2006. All five episodes are embedded below. The series was inspired by the 2005 BBC series of the same name, but — instead of the English Benedictine monastery featured in the latter series — the majestic desert location chosen in this case was the Monastery of Christ in the Desert (Primitive Benedictine) near Abiquiu, New Mexico, along the banks of the Chama River (their website can be found here). Having lived in NM myself for some years (where spirituality comes almost naturally), I was immediately attracted to the setting of this series when I came across it recently.
The format is simple enough: five men (a recovering addict, an ex-con, a battle-scarred Marine, a cynic, and a former Satanist) spend forty days and forty nights participating in the daily life and practice of the monks. Each man’s evolving response to the experience is the focus, of course, and the result makes for an engaging documentary. (This may be the first time, incidentally, that I’ve recommended a “reality TV” show, something I usually avoid like the plague.)
About Christ in the Desert, the monastery’s website has this to say:
Christ in the Desert is located in the strikingly beautiful Chama Canyon wilderness in northwestern New Mexico, about 75 miles north of Santa Fe, and about 53 miles south of Chama. We live thirteen miles down a dirt and gravel road off US route 84… Along the way are remarkable formations, cliffs, tree-covered mountains and the Chama River wending is way through the midst of the valley. The Monastery is surrounded by miles of government-protected wilderness, thus assuring and promoting solitude and quiet for the cenobitic monastic life. The chief architect of the original monastery with its church, convento, cells, and guesthouse was George Nakashima, the famous Japanese-American woodworker and designer. Much of the energy source for electricity and water pumping at the monastery is solar-powered, as sunshine is plentiful throughout the year. The monastery is quite committed to sustainable stewardship in managing its daily operational needs…
At the Monastery of Christ in the Desert there lives a community of monks each of whom and as a community seek to be in union with God. This is a quest to answer the call to holiness that is deeply rooted in biblical faith. God is called the Holy Being par excellence for the biblical God is the only foundation of true holiness as He himself stated: “Be holy, because I am holy” (Lev.11.44, 45; 1 Peter 1:16). Personal holiness for the monk is best sought in the Church, of which the community of this Monastery is a part officially and by its traditions. Accordingly, the monastic community cherishes the Eucharistic encounter with persons where each is accepted, as both other and different. This stands as a living image and model for the world where mutual acceptance is sorely needed regardless of qualifications or disqualifications like sinfulness, morality, sex or age. Everyone is called to be a saint and according to the thought of the ancient Fathers of the Church, such a seeker always needs both the Other and the other.
An anonymous monk once wrote that the monastic religious life intercedes with God on behalf of those humans suffering in so many ways in the world of today, whether by poverty, famine, handicaps, sickness, loneliness, mental illnesses, and all too frequently, a loss of hope. But the same monk also wrote that it is a particular task for a monk in the desert to bring to God all those who know not their God, who are lost in self-seeking, who have turned away from truth and love. On behalf of all people but especially those who are so separated from God, the monks of this monastery endeavor to hold all in need before the face of the God of Holiness, asking for mercy and healing by passionate prayer.
About Chester Dent, the filmmaker:
Chester Dent is a top producer/director from the UK with prime-time credits for the BBC, Channel 4 and DCI. Originally trained as a director of actors under Mike Leigh and Stephen Frears at the UK National Film & Television School, Chester has directed big-budget television drama as well as music videos and commercials. His short film “Revolver” was shown at more than forty festivals internationally and in competition at Cannes. After a brief sojourn into New Media at Apple in the mid-1990s, he re-invented himself as an observational documentarian with two acclaimed films for BBC2’s “Trouble at the Top” series. After the success of their BBC hit series "The Monastery" Chester was hired by Tiger Aspect to direct the US version for TLC. Chester's core strength is finding intimate character-led stories and following through those narratives in post. A superb self-shooter and a sharp editorial mind with casting, structuring and writing skills. With his wide experience in drama, actuality and authored docs, Chester is familiar with working with teams large and small and brings clear well thought-out leadership built on solid experience and expertise.
Addison, is this the same monastery featured in an emergence magazine documentary about Thomas Merton’s journey west?
I'm visiting NM currently, just passed through Abiquiu visiting artist Jim Baker's studio. He highly recommended a visit to this monastery