Helicopter flies TV dish to monks
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: UK
Posts: 5,197
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Helicopter flies TV dish to monks
BBC News:
The monks of Caldey Island have had a satellite dish delivered by helicopter after bad weather threw plans to watch the Pope's funeral on TV into doubt.
A boat had been due to deliver the equipment to allow the brothers, who generally do not watch TV, to follow the historic service in Rome.
But the trip was foiled by the rough seas on Thursday.
A helicopter made two journeys to carry the dish and an installer to the island, off the Pembrokeshire coast.
The helicopter flew from its base in Haverfordwest
The near-silent order will return the device after watching Friday's service.
Brother Francis said the Cistercian monks did not watch TV but it was a "one-off event".
They do own a television set, although it has not been watched for some time, and the satellite is needed because the height of the monastery's walls makes the signal difficult to pick up.
A television engineer explains to a monk how the the digital TV works
Installer Lyn Roberts, who is based in Llandybie near Ammanford, has provided the dish for free and was flown to the island on Thursday afternoon to set it up.
"The reception on the island isn't very good so we're fitting a a satellite dish temporarily so the monks can watch the pope's funeral," said Mr Roberts.
The Caldey Island order was founded in 1929 and it funds itself by making chocolate and perfume.
Members observe a strict no-speaking rule between 1900 BST and 0700 BST. In the day time, they work alone and tend to only speak when necessary.
The monks also take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience when joining the monastery.
Caldey Island is off the Pembrokeshire Coast, near Tenby.
Monks first lived on the island in the 6th Century.
Helicopter flies TV dish to monks
The monks of Caldey Island have had a satellite dish delivered by helicopter after bad weather threw plans to watch the Pope's funeral on TV into doubt.
A boat had been due to deliver the equipment to allow the brothers, who generally do not watch TV, to follow the historic service in Rome.
But the trip was foiled by the rough seas on Thursday.
A helicopter made two journeys to carry the dish and an installer to the island, off the Pembrokeshire coast.
The helicopter flew from its base in Haverfordwest
The near-silent order will return the device after watching Friday's service.
Brother Francis said the Cistercian monks did not watch TV but it was a "one-off event".
They do own a television set, although it has not been watched for some time, and the satellite is needed because the height of the monastery's walls makes the signal difficult to pick up.
A television engineer explains to a monk how the the digital TV works
Installer Lyn Roberts, who is based in Llandybie near Ammanford, has provided the dish for free and was flown to the island on Thursday afternoon to set it up.
"The reception on the island isn't very good so we're fitting a a satellite dish temporarily so the monks can watch the pope's funeral," said Mr Roberts.
The Caldey Island order was founded in 1929 and it funds itself by making chocolate and perfume.
Members observe a strict no-speaking rule between 1900 BST and 0700 BST. In the day time, they work alone and tend to only speak when necessary.
The monks also take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience when joining the monastery.
Monks first lived on the island in the 6th Century.
