Our journey began bright and early on Saturday morning as the choir and brave parent chaperones boarded the bus at 8:30am. Our drive to Bloomington flew by with only a short restroom break in Grissom, IN. We had a picnic outside a SUBWAY, the choir’s ‘favorite’ restaurant, for lunch and then we drove to the retreat center to check-in and meet our choir families. The retreat center is outside Bloomington in a rural valley surrounded by cattle farms and tall grassy hills, which block cell-phone reception, but are beautiful as the sun sets.
At about 3pm we dressed for our Evensong service at Trinity Episcopal Church and boarded the bus to head into downtown Bloomington; Trinity Church is just down the street from Indiana University Bloomington. When we arrived, Juan Mesa and our string quartet were already preparing for the service. We warmed up briefly, put on our robes, and sang our hearts out for a hearty congregation.
After the service we walked to Farm, a restaurant that specializes in farm to table food. We had a two-course meal of fresh greens (with amazing ranch dressing!) and roasted chicken, smashed potatoes, green beans (pasta for our vegetarian singers), and then walked to Hartzel’s Ice Cream for dessert (all homemade flavors!). 
After arriving back at the retreat center last night, we held an evening prayer service where we had a moment to voice our joys and concerns about the day. There were many highs, the singing, the food, the friendships strengthened, new friends formed, but many of us were sad to leave home and the family and friends we hold so dearly. There were a few teary eyes, but we sang, prayed, and hugged each other before going to bed, which helped us feel at home in our big choir-family. We are at peace as the sun dips down below the hillside.
We were soooooo tired after a day of traveling, singing, and feasting, that most of us went right to sleep (after a little bit of chatting after lights out!). Breakfast arrives early at the retreat center: 7:15-8:00am! And Sunday mass/services will be a time for worship and fellowship.
We miss our families, our friends, pets, and loved ones, but we are healthy, playful, and singing mightily! We are excited for Sunday’s adventure to St. Louis.
Much love to all our parents!
After services, we had a filling lunch, and then returned to the courtyard where we found a baby bird that had fallen from its nest. We nestled it in the shade, without touching it, until it recovered its breath to try and fly again.
Afterward, we boarded the bus once more and began our journey homeward. We stopped for pizza and glowsticks and held one final evening prayer. Zach, our youngest singer, summed up the experience for many when he said, “It is an honor to be in this choir and it is an honor to sing with all of you.” To which everyone else heartily agreed!
We could not be more proud of our choristers, the beautiful music they continue to make, and the spiritual and social depths they reach when they are together. We are grateful to our families and friends who support us in our music and travels and most especially to our chaperones who traveled with us and kept us happy, safe, and healthy.
While there were many tearful goodbyes as we arrived in South Bend, everyone is excited for what lies in store next year, including our 2017 summer tour!
Our lunch on Saturday included all you can eat tacos, salad, fruit, and sandwiches. After lunch and before our next recording sessions the singers explored the adjacent courtyard where Mrs. Duffy led the singers in a cartwheel contest. While Anthony won with an impressive display of flips and jumps, Dr. Doerries attempted his first cartwheel only to wipe-out in the grass (his big toe was a pretty black and blue later that day!).
Despite our food coma after lunch, the afternoon recording session was incredibly efficient and we recorded six hymns including Notre Dame Our Mother, the Alma Mater. We attended Vespers for a second night. The first night we sang a little too loudly and drowned out the monk’s beautiful Gregorian chant. This evening we adopted a new technique of listening louder than we sang. The choir understood that this was a prayer service unlike any other they had ever witnessed, one that was communal, personal, and private all simultaneously.
After Vespers, we had a fabulous dinner of crab cakes, fish, and chicken entrees and pumpkin bread for dessert, though this was only the beginning of our dessert course. After a brief Compline service with the Monks at 7pm, this is the final communal prayer service for the monks each day (Monastic Midnight is 10pm!), we boarded the bus for the Frostop in Tell City. We each had ice cream before hitting the pool before our choir evening-prayer service.
It was a full day of singing, prayer, eating, swimming, and fun. A few singers felt the affects of passing illnesses, but most had recovered by the end of the day. The middle day of any choir trip is the most demanding physically and emotionally. Despite sore throats and a few hurt feelings throughout the day, our singers rallied and came together as a choir and as friends to sing beautiful music.
By 10:30pm we were all in bed to get ready for our final day of singing!
After climbing back aboard the bus, we were starving and wolfed down subway sandwich dinners and began the journey to our hotel in Tell City, IN. A series of Pixar movies ensued, which began with Big Hero 6 and concluded with Monsters Inc. We took a quick restroom stop at a Wal-Mart in Carmel, IN where singers loaded up on snacks for the remainder of the trip. As the hours passed, we drifted off to sleep with Julie Andrews singing to us in Mary Poppins. Because it was a late arrival to our hotel, we held our evening prayer on the bus and went right to our rooms for bed.
Saint Meinrad Archabbey sits on a hill surrounded by pasture and farmland with the steeples and bell towers visible from miles away. As we approached the century-old abbey, singers remarked that it looked like a castle from a storybook. The Archabbey has a lively reverberation, is spacious, and full of sunlight pouring in through beautiful stained-glass windows. At the rear of the church is a rose window and at its center is a dove that symbolizes the Holy Spirit, which is also the logo for the NDCC!
We recorded three hymns in morning and four in the afternoon. Although still a little sleepy from our late night, the choir sang beautifully. (Visit our Facebook page to hear a clip from today’s recording).
After the recording, Brother Jean took us on a tour of the Abbey. He gave us a history of the Abbey (built in 1902), an idea of what it is like to live there as a monk, and the spiritual journey of the brothers. We concluded the tour by participating in Vespers with the monks, who sang Gregorian chant and allowed us to join in. The monks pray together five times a day using chant in what is both a communal and personal worship.
After a dinner of all-you-can eat pasta, salad, pumpkin break, garlic bread, and more, we set out to explore the lakes and fields of Saint Meinrad. The choir filled the fields with bubbles, tossed the football, threw Frisbees, and created chalk drawings. After a short bus ride, everyone took a dip in the hotel pool and is now preparing for evening prayer and a good night’s rest.
We send love and warm hugs to our family and friends in South Bend! We are having a great time and look forward to a full day of singing and more exploring!