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May 3, 2021OUR FIRST VIRAL PHOTOS: It was September of 1948 when Abbot Paul Nahlen set out to pick some cotton with the priests, brothers, and students of the Abbey boarding school. For two decades the Abbey had been trying to raise money to build a new Church, and Abbot Paul desperately wanted to see it completed. Many photos were taken that day, but two would become somewhat famous. By the time it was fully syndicated, the single photo of the Abbot picking cotton had spread to 84 countries and had been viewed by millions. The accompanying photo of the Abbot with the students was seen in the newspapers of 62 countries. Why did these become viral? The answer can be seen in a hallmark of what we "country monks" hold dear to our heart at Subiaco... namely, that every monk --no matter his status-- will undertake manual labor as part of our communal life. While the headline in an American paper simply read "Who's Pickin' Cotton?", the headline in a French newspaper read, "A Prelate Doing Manual Labour?" Another American paper pointed out that the Abbey would sell the cotton to raise money for the Academy and the construction of the new Church. A Spanish newspaper became concerned and asked that money be immediately sent to the Abbey for the Church project because they simply could not imagine an Abbot stooping to work in the cotton fields. A Belgian newspaper wrote that, "While our European abbots use their hands to raise a glass of wine to their lips, this American Abbot uses his hands to do manual labour." A German newspaper wrote, "Maybe this American Abbot will inspire our German abbots to get their hands dirty for once!" So, these are our first "viral" photos well before social media! UIOGD!
