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Even monks need to pay the freight Monks may be committed to prayer cantly limits the workday.” and good works but their monasterAccordingly, St. Joseph’s has ies don’t pay for themselves. Since capped output at 10,000 barrels a someone has to pay the bills, more and more monasteries are getting into artisanal businesses. “Keeping a religious community fed, clothed and operational is costly, and it’s common to find American Sarah French and Mary Fehr aren’t monks running enterprises in a your typical 20-somethings — nor variety of industries,” writes Jacob is their upcoming adventure. Both Davidson in Money magazine. As an recently served as MEDA interns: example he cites the Trappists at St. Sarah on an agriculture project in Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Mass., Nicaragua, Mary on a health project who operate a 36,000 square-foot in Tanzania. brewery. After seeing the impact of helpDavidson says there is an eleing women get out of poverty and ment of hipness to the monks’ oflive healthier ferings, like gourmet coffee lives, they wanted made by Carmelite monks to get more in Wyoming and a South involved. In May Carolina Abbey that sells the pair will trendy dried mushrooms to embark on a fourfancy restaurants. Monks in month bike ride Louisiana make coffins and across Canada to Benedictines in Missouri sell raise $150,000 for greeting cards. Intrepid interns: Cyclists MEDA’s GROW He notes that monks Sarah French (left) and project in Ghana have to operate within cerMary Fehr. (Greater Rural Optain theological constraints, such as being careful not to make too portunities for Women). “The GROW project is assisting much money. One governing body 20,000 women farmers and their insists output be produced by the families to sustainably emerge from monks themselves and income must poverty,” says French. “Mary and be proportionate to the needs of the I wanted to support a project that monastery and its charities. focused on women because we saw “That means if Spencer Trappist the gender inequalities while on our Ale started flying off the shelves,” says Davidson, “St. Joseph’s couldn’t own internships. It couldn’t be more manufacture more beer unless it first symbolic: Two women cycling across Canada representing independent, recruited a bunch of new monks to self-sufficient women.” work at the brewery — monks are Bike to GROW began in mid-May the only people allowed to oversee in Victoria, B.C. and will conclude in operations — and vastly expanded early September in Leamington, Ont. its charitable activities in proportion On the way, the bikers will stop at to the increase in revenue. Even if MEDA chapters, churches and comnone of those restrictions existed, munity centres to talk about MEDA, production would still be limited by the monastic schedule, which signifi- the GROW project and their experience.
year. It makes up for some slack with premium prices, selling a four-pack for up to $16.99. ◆
Former MEDA interns cycling for a cause
The Marketplace May June 2015
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“I love to take on a challenge and prove to myself that absolutely anything is possible with willpower and determination,” Fehr says, adding that they are biking on behalf of MEDA, its supporters and the women and families in Ghana. GROW is helping women soybean farmers in northern Ghana increase agricultural production, strengthen links to markets, diversify the food they produce and understand more about nutrition. Funded by Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD), the six-year project aims to improve the incomes and food security of 20,000 women and their families. “We’re so blessed and honored that women like Sarah and Mary want to support our efforts to empower women as entrepreneurs here in Ghana,” says Catherine Sobrevega, GROW country project manager. “These women work hard and persevere every day to provide for their families. You can see their smiles when they learn new things, produce a good harvest and have income because of our support. It’s exciting to know their life-changing stories are going to be shared across Canada.” To follow the bikers’ experiences visit www.biketogrow.com. ◆ Would you like to comment on anything in this magazine, or on any other matters relating to business and faith? Send your thoughts to wkroeker@meda.org
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