Eating within the Priory

Long ago, when this building was used as a religious priory, the monks ate their meals in what we now call the "stone room." In monastic lingo, it would have been called the "refectory."  This is the most ancient part of the complex of buildings; it was built in the 9th century!  The room is so named because it was built entirely of stone.  It is a large space that was once used for worship, prayer, and meals. When a chapel was later built, the monks used the stone room only for eating purposes.

After the Franciscan Order took over these buildings, and now as they are under lease to Saint Francis University, the entire complex has undergone many renovations. We now have a proper kitchen and dining room. According to John, the Faculty Assistant on this trip who went on the Semester Abroad program in the Fall of 2008, when he was first here, the kitchen and dining room were the same room!  Everyone used to eat there, in what is now, thankfully, a separate dining room.

Food is a way of bringing people together. Monks once came together in the stone room to share food, but not words!  Being a member of religious order, they would have taken a vow of silence.  Despite this vow, they were still able to enjoy each others company and friendship. Today, in the priory, we cannot go a meal without talking!  If there is a silence at our meals, it is because we are very hungry and/or we are really enjoying the food that our wonderful chef Bernard has prepared for us. We are always talking!  But there was one unusual dinner when silence prevailed... when we were encouraged to speak only French at the dinner table.  I was sick that evening and so did not come to the dinner. But Deb Lynch, who is over here in France with us, was there, and recalls now that she chose to remain silent during this dinner. She said that she wanted to respect the rule and, because she could not speak French, she did not talk.  These circumstances of eating in silence are quite different, but both are of a voluntary nature, and done out of respect.

Another way that food brings people together is holidays. This November, on the American holiday of Thanksgiving, we invited some of our French friends to celebrate it with us. We all started out in the stone room with some appetizers and wine. This was a way of bringing everyone together, talking and enjoying each others company. We, the Americans, knew that once we everyone was seated in the dining room, that all would 'dig in' and consequently there would not be much talking, but instead lots of eating!  Now, for our French guests who do not celebrate Thanksgiving, this was a new holiday and maybe a new tradition for them.

Food is a mechanism for bringing people together and has been for thousands of years. At the priory in Ambialet, it has provided an opportunity for monks to come together to enjoy each others fellowship in silence. More recently, it has been a means of bringing students and professors together throughout our time here in France. It has also been a way for us to come together with our wonderful French hosts, who have shown us much kindness during our stay in Ambialet.  This has been an amazing trip and I will miss this place very much. Meals at Torvian will never be able to compare to this. Every meal here is a family dinner. We sit around one large table and talk about our day, about what we have been up to, and of our plans for the next. For Americans who are always 'on the go,' there are very few family dinners where everyone sits down to enjoy a meal together.  It is nice to have a family dinner here every night. That is one thing that I will really miss once I am back in Loretto. I will have a quick meal at Torvian everyday and it will not compare to this.

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