Abbey of Gethsemani The Hermitage

In 1960, the monks of Gethsemani gave Fr. Louis (Thomas Merton) a gift he had yearned for for decades. They built him a hermitage. For the first five years, it was a place of retreat for him, but in 1965, he moved up there full-time. The hermitage was completed in early 1968 with the addition of indoor plumbing and a small chapel.

The hermitage is still in use by members of the community. We can request a private retreat of one week each year, to be spent there. It is a place where we can reconnect with our vocation, and listen more closely for the voice of God.

This short movie attempts to capture the experience of one monk on retreat at the hermitage.

The film also gives a glimpse inside the hermitage for those who are curious about it. Because the hermitage is part of the secluded area of the monastery, reserved for the use of the monks, those who visit the monastery for retreats cannot see it. We hope that this will be an intimate look inside for all the people who have visited us, who will visit us, and who wish that they might visit us some day.