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Irma Lake deal dead without million-dollar ‘monk miracle'

By Carole Cloudwalker


This document was published online on Wednesday, February 13, 2008

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Father Daniel Schneider (middle), Brother Peter Joseph (right) and Brother Simon Mary prepare to speak to the county P&Z board last November. (Photo by Ken Blackbird)

Nine Carmelite monks from Clark will not be moving to the $9.75 million Irma Lake Lodge property on the South Fork.

“They weren't able to get financing,” said Doug Hart of Clark, who was the listing broker with Hall and Hall on the sale.

He worked with property owner Roger Hollander and the monks on the sale, which was to have been completed with the aid of a “financial arm of the Catholic Church that does all the business for the church in the U.S.”

Hart speculated the financial group, possibly concerned about the large amount of money expended by the church in settling pedophile priest lawsuits in other parts of the country, decided not to support the Wyoming sale.

“I don't think the sale is coming back,” Hart said Wednesday.

He said the purchase of the fabled, 500-acre South Fork ranch by the Carmel of the Immaculate Heart of Mary monastery in Clark apparently fell apart in December.

The monks already had approached the Park County Planning and Zoning Commission and county commissioners about making the move, and received permission to transfer their monastery and mail-order coffee business to the new location.

County planners said they had no information about the deal falling through.

They said if county permits are approved and not used, they simply expire within one year.

Hart described the monks' Catholic backers as “Wall Street types” and “sharp Wall Street traders.”

He said the Carmelites are “nice young men ... bright young guys who would like to have a monastery” in a different location.”

“These guys are real monks,” Hart added. “They raise chickens and they grind some coffee.”

They had a backer, but without financial support, but they likely will have difficulty relocating, Hart added.

“But I'm sure those boys are looking to expand into a better situation,” he said.

The Irma Lake property is still listed for $9.75 million, Hart added.

That apparently has given hope to the monks, who stated in a winter 2008 newsletter that friends should “unite your prayers to our own for a miracle and to assist us in our holy resolve to preserve and protect our life.

“Ask your children to pray for our monastery and our monks; beg our Lady to open up the means for us to acquire this mountain property,” the newsletter continues.

The newsletter item, signed by “Father Daniel Mary and the Brothers,” also asks that if readers “know of anyone, regardless of how unlikely, who might be found well disposed toward us,” to “please help us get in contact with him” to aid in their “three-fold vision of a monastery of monks, a monastery of nuns and a retreat center.”

A spokesman for the Carmelites said nine monks live at the Clark facility.

A Cody real estate agent who also worked on the sale had no comment about the collapse of the deal.

The monks were not available for comment. They may be reached at P.O. Box 2747, Cody.
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Reader Comments

Dan Hunter wrote on Nov 5, 2008 12:58 PM:

" God bless the monks of Carmel.

They have prayed for my family in the past and their prayers are working.
Also they use a Traditional Catholic Rite of the Holy Sacrifice of Mass, which is very similar to the awesome and edifying Tridentine Mass.

Let us pray that these holy men get Irma Lake.
My wife and I have donated money to them.
I hope others will as well.
Their address is:

Carmelite Monastery
PO Box 2747
Cody, WY 82414-2747

God bless you. "

ron wrote on Feb 18, 2008 11:20 AM:

" Rob,

If you had a good point to make, it was lost in the ignorant and gramatically incoherent statement you "wrote". I am also curious that you make no reference to the long standing SEX scandals of protestant denominations like those of the Baptist, Lutheran, Evangelical, Presbyterian, Methodist, "The Way", and the list goes on and on and on, including the Mormons, and on and on and on and on. The point you make is not a point at all, as this is a condition of humanity...not of Catholicism.

To The Enterprise:

I would encourage the staff and the Editor of the "Cody Enterprise" to research their "facts" regarding the finances and circumstances behind the move, not engage a thid party on conjecture. "

Ryan wrote on Feb 15, 2008 8:16 PM:

" You'd think a journalist would think before printing hearsay. Carole, what does a real estate broker know about the finances of the largest church in the world? I'm sure a few "pedophile" cases is not going to break the bank of the Catholic church.

What a poor statement to print... "

Jay wrote on Feb 15, 2008 7:37 PM:

" God is worth way more than $9.75 Million. This monastery is God's and would help encourage Christians everywhere, not to mention being a great help to the Cody culture. Do you want it to be used by locals forever or bought and sold every 7 years by rich snobs through Doug Hart? For Doug it is a dollar sign but for the rest of us, it is our homeland. Go monks! "

Rob wrote on Feb 15, 2008 1:36 PM:

" I don't think Doug Hart's comment about pedofile cases is anti-Catholic,it just may be the truth. Catholics have never enjoyed hearing the truth about there religion. Maybe they really wanted the ranch as a hideaway for all the pedofile priests like the one in New mexico. "

Lori wrote on Feb 15, 2008 10:30 AM:

" $9.75 Million? Are you kidding me? I struggle to keep my head above water & a church (A non-profit entity) can even think about financing that boat load of cash? I always thought that the plate being passed around during services was to help those in the community that couldn't help themselves, not finance an estate!!! "

Nick wrote on Feb 14, 2008 10:30 AM:

" Dear Carole,
As a friend of the monastery, it seems important to clarify that the men who were trying to purchase the property did NOT terminate because of pedophile cases. What a rude, obnoxious, anti-Catholic comment, which is not rooted in the truth! Your readers expect better. This is offensive to Catholics in WY and across the country. As a newspaper, I thought you would know the facts before going to press. "

Jay wrote on Feb 14, 2008 10:12 AM:

" Wow. Those monks are magnanimous and courageous. I feel for them. I think they will get their miracle and Doug Hart will eat humble pie. "

 

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