A while back, I noticed someone sharing their selfie with a nun. The person wasn't Catholic but shared the photo because this person has never seen a nun before and didn't know that they still exist. It made me a little sad to think about what this person stated. It is true, though. People of religious orders wearing their habits are rare these days. I've only seen them at church now, from time to time.
When I was growing up, I used to see nuns, monks, and priests around town. I used to know friends with family members who were a part of these communities. Nowadays, that is not common anymore. I try to introduce my children to the different religious orders through books and whenever I see them at church as best as I can. As a child, I was truly touched by the Brothers' and Sisters' prayer life. It has inspired me over the years, and I pray that more people will consider Holy Orders when praying and contemplating on their vocations in life.
With all that said, I try to support these communities whenever I can. Today, I'd like to introduce Monk's Bread. They're run by the Trappists Monks in New York.
Obvious from the name, they bake bread, but they also have other items like biscotti, jams, fruitcakes, and more. I've purchased from them before and have tried the bread, biscotti, jam, and fruitcake. I was initially worried about the shipping and concerned that my bread would not arrive in good shape, but so far it's been good. They really try to package it well. My favorite bread is the genesee rye, but the other bread are delicious as well. My entire family have enjoyed them.
I've also tried their fruitcakes and have sent it as Christmas presents too. For fruitcakes, they're actually tasty, but I think fruitcakes are an acquired taste. We didn't have any left over if that means anything. My family ate it up. These are seasonal items, so be sure to check back from time to time. Looks like they have a bundle for St. Valentine's Day that I may have to try. If you've never heard of Monks' Bread, I encourage you to check them out.
...and by the way, Happy St. Valentine's Day!