Do Monks Use Air Conditioning?

[TimothyH]

Anyone know if Benedictine or Cistercian monks will generally use air conditioning, or is it consdidered a luxury?

-Tim-

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

My monks do not (they are in a cool climate, though).

I do know that the Olivetan Monastery (our “home” Monastery) in Siena has no heating. I doubt they have A/C.

 

[AlwaysCurious]

The Benedictine monastery I’ve visited several times uses AC. Several of the monks are older and have various medical issues that would probably be exacerbated if they tried to endure the typical NC summer heat/humidity.

 

[DaveBj]

St. Bernard’s Monastery (Benedictine) here in Cullman uses it.

 

[L_Marshall]

I would imagine a lot of it depends on the climate. For instance, if there is a monastery in New England, summers may be very uncomfortable, but the heat would not be detrimental unless there were additional factors (e.g.: illness) that could effect it. However, if there is a monastery in the deserts of California or Arizona, where it could easily be 110+°F on a summer day, air conditioning might be a necessity to stop heat stroke, dehydration, &c.

 

[ATeutonicKnight]

From what I can tell they do, but there may be a few extreme Monasteries like Carthusians that don’t. I do know the Franciscan Friars use them most of the time, thank goodness. I hate the heat and I wouldn’t want God to leave me in a Friary with no air conditioning!

 

[Captain_America]

interesting. The past few years, in the interest of energy conservation and in the interest of maintaining my toughness, I’ve done with less heating in the winter and less (or no) cooling in the summer. It works; you just have to work up to it.