This goal is not a simple “Yes, God is here, God is there, God is everywhere!” kind of notion; the seeking of God means to use every opportunity to deepen the monk’s relationship with Him.  Prayer then is essentially what the monk uses as his main tool in the spiritual craft.  The members of the monastic community support one another in this goal by sharing knowledge, caring for the needs of each other, bearing with one another’s faults and unique characteristics and serving each other in various ways.

PRAYER
     Since monasticism is about seeking God, prayer is essential for the vitality of the life of the monk and the monastic community.  A prayerful atmosphere allows the monk to grow in his relationship with the Lord, to humbly seek the perfection of Christian virtue.  The entirety of the monk’s life is meant to be encompassed by prayer, the recognition of God’s loving presence.  Monastic prayer has two forms:  communal and individual prayer.

     The community supports and shares their common faith primarily through the liturgy of the hours and the celebration of the Eucharist. God’s Word in Scripture challenges, beckons, admonishes, affirms, invites and comforts the believer.  The community prays the Psalms (Liturgy of the hours) in praise of God, for their own personal growth in the spiritual life, and to unite the monks to the experiences of those in the world who suffer and those who rejoice.  The Eucharist is the daily bread which feeds the spiritual life of the community.  It is the central focus of the monastic life because it is God’s enduring presence.  The monk’s private prayer consists in lectio divina (meditation on the Word), private devotions and other forms of prayer.  The individual private prayer furnishes and strengthens the communal prayer and vice versa.