“Let us get up, at long last, for the Scriptures rouse us when they say:  It is high time for us to arise from sleep (Rom. 13:11).  Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God, and our ears to the voice from heaven that every day calls out this charge:  If you hear his voice today, do not harden your hearts (Ps. 94: 8)”.

- Prologue of the Rule of St. Benedict
 
 

Think You Have a Monastic Vocation?


     Everyone has a vocation that God has placed in our hearts.  It is up to us to respond positively to His specific calling in our lives. Whether it be the vocation to the priesthood, married life or a vowed religious community, it is directly related to our salvation because it is our way of saying “yes” to the Lord's will.  This is why praying to God and asking Him to guide you is so important.  He speaks, but we need to be attentive at all times.  His voice could be in an attraction to a life that is dedicated to seeking God, a simple curiosity about monastic life, the suggestion of a friend or even a hunger to find a deeper meaning to life.  It is our responsibility and obligation to obey the Lord's will!

     "The monk, like the good servant waiting for his Lord perseveringly in the monastery intent upon the tools of the spiritual craft, hastens to the Kingdom's joys, which he experiences in the world, in anticipation through faith.  Making use of this world as though he were not using it, living in the world but at the same time practicing flight from the world, the monk becomes a sign of witness in the Church and in the world of the coming of the Reign of God” (Declarations, Chapter 5, nos. 88&89).

Qualifications

     To become a monk does not have a specific academic requirement (besides a high school diploma or GED), but a level of maturity and character suited for life in a religious community is necessary.   A candidate must be a fully initiated Catholic (having received the sacraments of baptism, Eucharist and confirmation) and have a desire to serve God through work and prayer in the context of a supportive community.  The candidate must be free from financial debt (or have a viable plan to alleviate it) and other legal obligations before beginning the formal stages of religious formation in our community.  Most importantly, he must have a deep-seated desire to seek the Lord through the monastic life.  Being guided by his confreres, he will be able to begin the life-long task of seeking perfection in the monastic life.

   If you believe that God might be calling you to our monastic way of life, feel free to fill out our Initial Vocations Inquiry Form (it is not an application and holds no obligations) to begin a process of discernment with our community.  Also, you may find the answers to "Burning Questions" and "Monastic Journeys" helpful in discerning a vocation.