A monastery in Hawkes Bay

Sunday, 13 February 2011: Southern Star

A smart twist on a centuries-old tradition of hospitality and refuge is providing a new lease of life for a community of Cistercian monks at a monastery in Hawkes Bay. They're reaching out to formally include lay people in the daily life of the abbey, but don't be fooled into thinking it's a holiday. Monastic life has challenges the everyday person can scarcely imagine. Justin Gregory investigates.