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Cathedral of the Pines a place to remember, ‘catch your breath’
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| Administrator Patrice Petry sits at Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge. |
The agency
Cathedral of the Pines
10 Hale Hill Road
Rindge 03461
899-3300
www.cathedralofthepines.org
Particulars
Executive director: Allen Clapp
Board president: Edward C. Brummer 2
Administrator: Patrice A. Petry
Founded: 1945
Service area: Entire Monadnock Region; visitors come from throughout the U.S. and around the world
Annual budget: $253,700
Staff: 4 full-time, 6 part-time, 27 volunteers
Mission
A natural sanctuary that welcomes all to seek spiritual renewal; to honor the men and women who have protected our freedoms; and to promote the cause of peace.
Each year from May through October thousands of people from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds visit Rindge’s Cathedral of the Pines for prayer, meditation and reflection, or just to relax in its natural beauty.
The 200 acre ecumenical outdoor spiritual sanctuary and national war memorial was founded more than 60 years ago by Douglas and Sibyl Sloane on their farmland in memory of their son Sandy, an Air Force pilot who lost his life in World War II. Today its natural tranquility remains undisturbed except for the melodic, periodic toll of carillons and steel bells from the site’s entryway, the Women’s Bell Tower.
Dedicated in 1967 as the nation’s first monument to honor the wartime contributions and sacrifices of enlisted and civilian women, the 55-foot tall stone structure has four arches, each displaying a bronze, bas-relief plaque designed by Norman Rockwell and sculpted by his son Peter to depict actual women from different periods in the country’s wartime history.
Lorraine Hill, the founders’ personal secretary, posed for a design of a pioneer woman. She later became the foundation’s first and only female executive director in its history.
Beyond in a tall pine grove is the open air chapel — a popular site for private reflection, memorials and weddings, as well as for worship services by a variety of faiths.
“It’s a deeply spiritual place,” said administrator Patrice Petry. “It’s surrounded by 100 year old white pines. The Iroquois Indians called the white pine a peace tree. They used to bury their tomahawks at the base of white pines to signify that they wouldn’t war with their enemies.”
There, before a dramatic view of Mount Monadnock, stands the stone Altar of the Nation, denoted by Congress in 1957 as a national memorial to American war casualties. Every American president since Harry Truman has donated a tribute stone to the altar, as have the commanders of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Stones also were given by all U.S. states except for Louisiana, which instead contributed a cannonball from the War of 1812. That donation is displayed along with a similar relic from the Revolutionary War Battle of Bennington in New York.
The altar is topped by marble from a quarry on the Mason/Dixon line, the boundary between the northern and southern states during the Civil War. It’s divided into three sections that represent the North, the South and the Union. Sand from Israel holds it in place.
Surrounding the cathedral are a number of walking paths lined with a series of beautiful gardens and chapels. There’s also a museum with artifacts and relics from around the world, as well as a cremation cemetery. Just outside the perimeter is Sandy Sloane’s burial site, marked by an American flag.
The cathedral is open to the public daily from May through October. About 20,000 people annually visit the place. Admission is free to individuals and families; bus tours are fee-based.
“We invite the public to come to this spiritual sanctuary to discover themselves,” said Petry. “We’re true to the founders who wanted an inclusive spiritual sanctuary. Someone might not have a formal religious affiliation but may be on a spiritual path. We want them here.”
“People talk today about how children disconnect from the natural world,” she said. “Here is where they should be — walking around, taking in the air, the views, the scenery. It’s a natural sanctuary that has just a peaceful energy.”
Also welcome, by reservation, are groups from schools, camps, civic clubs, community organizations and the like. Guided tours are available as well as alternative activities. For example, in May, more than 100 Boy Scouts camped for a weekend at the site.
Regular varied public events are held throughout the season. Recently, a Buddhist monk discussed his faith and led community members in guided meditation. Upcoming events include a service to recognize Jewish war veterans at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3 and the annual cathedral garden plant sale on Saturday, Aug. 9. Also on the agenda: an antique car show Aug. 23. Details and complete season schedule are available at the organization’s Web site: www.cathedralofthepines.org.
“What we offer that’s unique to us is this spiritual place,” said Petry. “Anyone — whether they’re an individual, a group or an organization — is welcome to come enjoy this, to be peaceful and to catch your breath.”
~ Joan Geary
“Making a Difference,” a weekly feature, is a collaborative project of The Keene Sentinel and Giving Monadnock, which seeks to raise public awareness of the role of nonprofit agencies in the Monadnock Region. For more information, e-mail info@givingmonadnock.org or call 357-7171.
The 200 acre ecumenical outdoor spiritual sanctuary and national war memorial was founded more than 60 years ago by Douglas and Sibyl Sloane on their farmland in memory of their son Sandy, an Air Force pilot who lost his life in World War II. Today its natural tranquility remains undisturbed except for the melodic, periodic toll of carillons and steel bells from the site’s entryway, the Women’s Bell Tower.
Dedicated in 1967 as the nation’s first monument to honor the wartime contributions and sacrifices of enlisted and civilian women, the 55-foot tall stone structure has four arches, each displaying a bronze, bas-relief plaque designed by Norman Rockwell and sculpted by his son Peter to depict actual women from different periods in the country’s wartime history.
Lorraine Hill, the founders’ personal secretary, posed for a design of a pioneer woman. She later became the foundation’s first and only female executive director in its history.
Beyond in a tall pine grove is the open air chapel — a popular site for private reflection, memorials and weddings, as well as for worship services by a variety of faiths.
“It’s a deeply spiritual place,” said administrator Patrice Petry. “It’s surrounded by 100 year old white pines. The Iroquois Indians called the white pine a peace tree. They used to bury their tomahawks at the base of white pines to signify that they wouldn’t war with their enemies.”
There, before a dramatic view of Mount Monadnock, stands the stone Altar of the Nation, denoted by Congress in 1957 as a national memorial to American war casualties. Every American president since Harry Truman has donated a tribute stone to the altar, as have the commanders of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Stones also were given by all U.S. states except for Louisiana, which instead contributed a cannonball from the War of 1812. That donation is displayed along with a similar relic from the Revolutionary War Battle of Bennington in New York.
The altar is topped by marble from a quarry on the Mason/Dixon line, the boundary between the northern and southern states during the Civil War. It’s divided into three sections that represent the North, the South and the Union. Sand from Israel holds it in place.
Surrounding the cathedral are a number of walking paths lined with a series of beautiful gardens and chapels. There’s also a museum with artifacts and relics from around the world, as well as a cremation cemetery. Just outside the perimeter is Sandy Sloane’s burial site, marked by an American flag.
The cathedral is open to the public daily from May through October. About 20,000 people annually visit the place. Admission is free to individuals and families; bus tours are fee-based.
“We invite the public to come to this spiritual sanctuary to discover themselves,” said Petry. “We’re true to the founders who wanted an inclusive spiritual sanctuary. Someone might not have a formal religious affiliation but may be on a spiritual path. We want them here.”
“People talk today about how children disconnect from the natural world,” she said. “Here is where they should be — walking around, taking in the air, the views, the scenery. It’s a natural sanctuary that has just a peaceful energy.”
Also welcome, by reservation, are groups from schools, camps, civic clubs, community organizations and the like. Guided tours are available as well as alternative activities. For example, in May, more than 100 Boy Scouts camped for a weekend at the site.
Regular varied public events are held throughout the season. Recently, a Buddhist monk discussed his faith and led community members in guided meditation. Upcoming events include a service to recognize Jewish war veterans at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 3 and the annual cathedral garden plant sale on Saturday, Aug. 9. Also on the agenda: an antique car show Aug. 23. Details and complete season schedule are available at the organization’s Web site: www.cathedralofthepines.org.
“What we offer that’s unique to us is this spiritual place,” said Petry. “Anyone — whether they’re an individual, a group or an organization — is welcome to come enjoy this, to be peaceful and to catch your breath.”
~ Joan Geary
“Making a Difference,” a weekly feature, is a collaborative project of The Keene Sentinel and Giving Monadnock, which seeks to raise public awareness of the role of nonprofit agencies in the Monadnock Region. For more information, e-mail info@givingmonadnock.org or call 357-7171.
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