Mystery in a Remote Island Monastery

 

                                                                                Justin Evans

How is this for a premise for a mystery series? We'll set it on a remote island off the coast of Scotland in a somewhat secretive and controversial monastery called Golgotha. A young monk goes missing without a trace and the thorough search of land and sea by authorities brings no results. Is this suicide, misadventure,,,or murder? 

Sadly, this is an actual recent news story rather than fiction. The monk who disappeared from Papa Stronsay was 24-year-old Justin Evans, also know as Brother Ignatius. An early comment from Golgotha stated that  "It is believed he came to harm in conditions involving the sea."

An article in the Scottish Daily Express offers: 

A message sent out to members of the order said Mr Evans had left his "monastic cell" shortly before midnight on Saturday and had been missing since. The vicar general of the monastery, Father Anthony Mary said he had been the last one to speak to Mr Evans hours before and he had been "fortified with confession" the night before. "We have no explanation of why this happened," the message said.

Then the plot thickens: 

In July 2024, the Catholic Bishop of Christchurch [New Zealand] asked the religious order to leave the diocese after a Vatican investigation into claims of ritualistic abuse including holding prolonged, unsanctioned exorcisms. Father Christopher Longhurst, the leader of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), said the allegations included children being told they were possessed by Satan, people having lengthy exorcisms performed on them without prior medical examination and isolation of parents from their children.

Yikes. Over the years I visited a fair number of monasteries, convents, and secluded retreat centres. Sometimes I was the only guest but I never feared for my safety other than an ill-advised icy hike on a mountain trail and a stay in cougar country. No exorcisms were performed. 

When Evans went missing in early April there were no clues about where he'd gone. On May 6th his body was retrieved from the sea and police said there were no suspicious circumstances. No doubt this is a tremendous loss for his family and friends. They may never know what transpired. Sometimes the truth in life is stranger than six fictional episodes.

                                                                   Golgotha Monastery