BROTHER HENRY by Morgan Owens

BROTHER HENRY
Morgan Owens
1994

My name is Morgan Owens, but everyone in the monastery calls me Brother Henry. I entered Durham when I was about six years old. Forced to become a monk because of my thieving, I learned the ways of the monastery very fast. I excelled at my studies and could sing quite well. After many years of hard work and dedication to the monastery I was elected for the position of Prior. This diary contains all of the events that were special to me in this monastery, and although very illegal in our strict ways, I'm glad it was started.

September 4, 642
Today is my birthday. I just turned seven years old and have been in this cell for over eight months. Brother Robert is always hanging over my shoulder to make sure I'm doing everything right. Just yesterday morning, I was reading part of St. Benedict's Rules and than Brother Robert came over to me and said that I should be working and not reading. Some of the rules in this place are just crazy. They expect me to wake up at midnight on the dot, act all happy and then sing some songs! Oh well, anyway Brother Thomas another elder asked me why I came to the monastery. I told him that I came into the monastery because wanted to be a monk all my life. He was satisfied with the answer but something inside me didn't feel right.

December 25, 642
Today is Christmas in the monastery and everyone seems to be jolly to one another. I noticed the common people from the tower today and even they seem to be acting friendly to one another. I don't really remember a Christmas in my old life, but the monks are making me feel very welcome here. I talked to Brother Thomas about a month ago why I really came to the monastery. He smiled and said that although I had sinned, God had forgiven me by giving me the wisdom to apologize. Of course I still got a good lashing and my back hurts just thinking about it. After our Christmas dinner I went outside into the courtyard and picked up a stick. I took it into my room and started whittling, and after about 30 minutes I had a little fish. I picked up the whittling idea after I saw a common folk doing it. I don't know if it's against the rules but to be on the safe side I've done it in my room and put the figures in a hole behind the kitchen.

September 4, 650
15 years old now and still growing strong. It's been awhile since I picked up this old book. I didn't think I'd ever pick up this book again but I needed a friend to talk to. Brother Robert passed away just a month ago, although he had been a very strict teacher he was also the best I'd ever had. Brother Robert taught me how to stand and sit in the right places in the church. He also taught me how to serve at meals and to read aloud. 2 years ago I became a priest and it has been my job to become the bursar. I find it kind of ironic how I came to the monastery for stealing money, now they trust me with all of their money. Well maybe not all of their money. Another tutor or supervisor is here with me now, Brother John. He is a good instructor and I hope to take his place after he retires. Durham has an awesome amount of money coming through it and it's my job to make sure we stay in business. Kind of funny how I always thought the church just had enough to get by. Maybe that's how they want it to look?

August 21, 654
Brother John is still helping me with all of the money going in and out of this monastery. He is coming down with a cold and I hope he will get better soon. He's coughing up blood and has a hard time breathing, but he says he'll be fine. Today in High Mass I sung with all of the monks but their minds seemed to be elsewhere. When I asked Brother Thomas what all the commotion was about he told me that a monk from Ripon had decided to come and study from our great library. That didn't seem so important to me but when Brother Thomas said the name Cuthbert my mouth almost hit the floor. Hopefully I can get to meet him.

December 24, 665
11 years have passed since I last wrote in this book. Many things have happened so let's start from the beginning. Cuthbert truly was a great student, and although I never got to meet him stories of his studying went like wildfire through the monastery. He left about 8 years ago, it was also the year that Brother John passed away. I was but 21 when the Prior himself asked me if I knew how to handle the moneys well enough to do the job by myself. Eagerly I said yes but I regret that choice now. Everyone in the monastery was upset about the death of Brother John and hardly anyone trusted me. Accusations of theft immediately began to start and I was ready to quit. Well, we had a good talk in Chapter about it and immediately the accusations stopped. To this day it amazes me how people can hurt each other just by saying things to one another. Anyway, Brother Thomas passed away last year in August and the death of such a close friend has left a gouge in my heart. But the real reason I picked up the journal today was to announce that I have been elected for the position of Third Prior. I'm very excited about it and I hope I can make this monastery a better one.

November 8, 687
What a day! We heard from a messenger today that St. Cuthbert had passed away. The whole day was devoted to praying for this wonderful man. Tears were dripping from even the toughest monks faces, and the prayers were too beautiful to say in just a few words. And to make things even more confusing yesterday the Prior passed away and I was nominated for Prior of this monastery. The timing for this is just horrible. Everyone in Durham is in shambles and no one seems to be thinking clearly. The election will be held in about a month and as of now I have no one to run against. Isn't God tricky in the ways he spins our lives? But than again if he doesn't weave it well it would all come apart.