Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 19, 1994 TAG: 9407190047
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated PresS
DATELINE: BERRYVILLE LENGTH: Medium
A Northern Virginia businessman thinks it's only natural that the late 20th century heir to this tradition involve computers.
Ed Leonard introduced the Cistercian monks of Holy Cross Abbey in Berryville to computers a few years ago, when he designed a streamlined production and distribution system for the fruitcake the monks bake as their chief moneymaker.
Seeing how easily the monks adapted to computers made him wonder whether the keyboard, not the kitchen, might be their most promising source of income.
Leonard quit his job as an executive for a computer equipment maker and two years ago founded the Electronic Scriptorium, a Sterling-based business that farms out data-entry work to monasteries across the country. Most of the work involves creating electronic card catalogues for school and university libraries.
``The response has been overwhelming,'' Leonard said. ``The monastic community has embraced us. Right now, I have more monks than projects for them.''
Several monks say such work not only helps pay their monasteries' bills, but also fits into a long monastic tradition. They point out that monks were the first librarians, responsible for the manuscript transcriptions through which important writings were copied and distributed in medieval times.
``Our work with the Scriptorium is very much in line with the tradition that made monasteries communication centers,'' said Brother Benedict Simmonds of the Berryville monastery. ``This work is part of the evolution of monastic usefulness. If you get it, it's an idea that's so right it goes on like a light bulb.''
At the Monastery of the Holy Cross of Jerusalem in Chicago, monks were working odd jobs - even bagging groceries at a supermarket - before they hooked up with Leonard in January. Since then, they have computerized several library card catalogues.
The Rev. Thomas Baxter, who runs the Chicago monastery, said the monks enter the data at their own pace, between song and prayer, and now have more time than they used to for meditation.
But some monasteries have ruled that such work is not in keeping with their austere regimen. Others have balked at contracts with certain companies on moral grounds.
For example, Leonard has a contract with Martin Marietta Corp., a defense contractor, but several monasteries have said they are not interested in any work related to the military.
After accepting two contracts from the Scriptorium, the Berryville monastery has decided to decline further work, based on members' objections that it is not the simple, physical labor their order requires.
by CNB