ARCHIVES: MONASTIC POWER!

ARCHIVES: MONASTIC POWER! St. Benedict in his Rule desired that monasteries might be self-supporting. Even today many monasteries across the world have gardens for food and tea; bees for honey and wax; farms with cattle, pigs, chickens, rabbits, sheep, and lamas; lakes for cultivating fish; solar, wind, and hydrothermal power for energy production; and produce a range of products for commercial sale. At Subiaco we have produced our own water from our three lakes and jointly work with the city for waste reclamation. Over 100 years ago our Abbey also produced its own electricity with what was known as a “dynamo.” In 1910 the old boiler for the steam heating plant was moved from what is the present kitchen, to an entirely new building that serves even today as our boiler house. Our iconic chimney made of brick and stone ashlar by John Friese stills remains today. The monks had purchased a 25-kilowat electric dynamo that was steam powered. It was brought to Subiaco by the new railroad line that the Abbey had worked to arrange. By October 1912 the new building was completed, the dynamo was moved in with the boiler, the monastery had been wired for electricity, and the switch was flipped. The dynamo did not come completely to life, so Fr. Gregory Kehres had the idea of using salt water. Yes, he took a bucket of salt water and dipped the terminals of the wires into the bucket with fluid of moderate resistance. Slowly the dynamo came to life! On October 18, 1912, Subiaco Abbey was fully electrified. This new electricity would serve alongside gas lights for a number of years. UIOGD!