Abbot Philip

Abbot Philip Lawrence was born Chester Homer Lawrence in the small town of Buckley, Wash.  His father was an electrician and his mother, a housewife.  He was the third of five children and the oldest of the sons. 
 
When he was 13 years old, Chester took an entrance exam for a seminary and, for the first time, discovered that monks really existed.  From his first contact with monks, Chester was drawn to this vocation by the beauty of chant, the orderly life and the seeking of God. Chester entered the seminary at age 14.  He entered monastic life at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon in 1964, when he was 20. In 1968, Chester made his final vows to leading a monastic life and, at this time, was given his name in religion, "Philip." 
 
Abbot Philip earned a bachelor of arts in philosophy and a master's in theology with a specialization in scripture.  He has also done some graduate studies in philosophy.
 
In 1974, he entered the Monastery of Christ in the Desert as an experiment for one year and has been there ever since.  In 1976, he became the superior of that community, and in 1996, he became its first abbot.
 
The Monastery of Christ in the Desert is a Benedictine community affiliated with the international Subiaco Benedictine Congregation.

Favorites:
Movie:  I love comedies, especially hilarious and subtle comedies.  When I was younger, I liked Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis.  I really enjoyed City Slickers ,especially since it was filmed very near the monastery.

Food:   Food is difficult, because I eat everything and love it!  If it were my last meal on Earth, I would probably have pasta amatricia with a nice red wine.

Animal: My favorite animal is the horse. My favorite pet is Greta, a chocolate Labrador who lives here at the monastery.

TV Show:  When I grew up, probably my favorite show was Jackie Gleason. I also liked Father Knows Best.  Since I entered a seminary in 1958, and then the monastery in 1964, there was very little television watching.  But I love watching sports and news.  Here, at Christ in the Desert, we don't have TV and so it is only when I am out of the monastery that I watch.

Book: I love detective novels, especially those of Martha Grimes.  I love poetry.  I love The Human Comedy, by William Saroyan.  I love the short stories of Flannery O'Connor.

Prior Christian

Prior Christian was born in Portland, Ore. He was raised Catholic and attended a Catholic grade school. He started at a public high school, but spent his last two years at a school run by Benedictine monks. He joined the monastery right after graduation.  In 1977, Prior Christian’s desire for a smaller, more contemplative monastic life led him to the Monastery of Christ in the Desert, where he's been a member ever since.

Prior Christian has served in several positions at Christ in the Desert, including novice master, cellarer and assistant to the abbot (his current role). On occasion, he has assisted at the two monasteries in Mexico that are dependent on Christ in the Desert. Over the years, Prior Christian has given numerous lectures at spiritual retreats throughout the monastic communities within the United States. In 2007, he will host a week of conferences for Benedictine nuns who have a convent inside the Vatican gardens.

He has traveled the world, studying icon painting in Italy and France and theology in Rome. He speaks Italian, Spanish and English.

Favorites:
Movie:  Remains of the Day
Food:    Pasta
Animal: Horse
TV Show: Joan of Arcadia 

Father Joseph Gabriel

Brother Joseph Gabriel was born in Buffalo, N.Y. He earned his bachelor of arts in philosophy and psychology at the University of Buffalo in 1971. Following graduation, he entered the Congregation of the Passion (a.k.a. "the Passionists") and professed his vows in 1972. He continued his theology studies at St. John's University in Jamaica, N.Y., simultaneously earning a master's in moral theology and a master's of divinity in 1976.
 
In 1976, he was ordained a priest at the Passionist Monastery in Jamaica, N.Y., where he worked as a preacher of missions until 1984. Brother Joseph Gabriel then moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., where he worked as a public relations officer, development director and strategic planner for a variety of health care and educational organizations. In 2000, he began a process of discernment to return to religious life by working in a mission in Haiti. He entered the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in 2001, and made a solemn profession as a monk in 2005. 
 
Most recently, after the completion of filming The Monastery, Brother Joseph Gabriel was appointed prior administrator of St. Benedict's Abbey in Petersburg, South Africa. He is now referred to as "Father Joseph Gabriel."

Favorites:
Movie:  Old - Sunset Boulevard and All About Eve  Modern - (sort of) Fried Green Tomatoes and Steel Magnolias

Food:    Pasta, what else!  And Brother Rodrigo's enchiladas.

Animal: The Airedale terrier.

TV Show: I never was much of a serious TV watcher but I was sort of hooked on Falcon Crest  and All in the Family.

Books: By P.D. James; John Grisham and Anita Shreve.

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