Mystic Monk – Father Daniel Mary
Father Daniel Mary has a vision of transforming the small brother-wood of monks into a big monastery. With more than 500 inquiries from young men considering becoming a Wyoming Carmelite, Father Daniel knows his monastery does not have a vocation shortage rather, it has a housing shortage. While targeting the Irma Lake listed for 8.9 million thus making it barely affordable, Father Daniel believes God can do anything. The number of candidates showing an interest in the community must be one of the strongest indicators of God’s providence at work. The vision of building a 500 acre Monastery, a Gothic church, a convent, and a retreat center for lay visitors at the Irma Lake might pose opposition. This is a request that will impact property values, affect wildlife migration corridors in a manner that can never be recaptured. It can also further limit ranching opportunities in the community or erode existing landscapes and Western traditions. Father Daniel on the other hand wants to recover the monastic and agrarian way of life. At this spiritual oasis at Irma Lake, the monks will be able to truly live their apostolate of spiritual fatherhood by offering retreats on prayer and the deep wellsprings of Carmelite spirituality.
The monks mostly provide for themselves through sales of their increasingly well-known Mystic Monk Coffee but that doesn’t generate the kind of cash flow to pay for Wyoming mountain property. Even though they have start-up funding of 250,000 dollars from donations, Father Daniel will still have some challenges. In regards to their mystic monk coffee; the monks have to figure out the right product for the right market and also getting the right mix of flavored and regular coffees and streamlining their shipping policy and system. Another major issue is the monk’s involvement in affiliate programs. Affiliate programs eat into profit margins. One of the big hidden costs of an affiliate program is that the monks loose a little control over the way their coffee is promoted. Not everyone will promote their coffee in the same way they do. The monks should not only focus on U.S catholic as their target market. 150 million Americans consume coffee and targeting only 69 million is less than half the population drinking coffee.
It is understandable why Father Daniel will choose the Irma Lake for his vision. The Carmelite Monks feel that the mountains are God’s natural cathedral.