If
you have a question concerning monastic life or prayer, feel free to
send
us an e-mail and we will send an answer
back
to you as soon as we can. To avoid redundancy, we will be posting
some of the most interesting questions we receive. In respect of
your privacy, we will not post the names or e-mail addresses of those
who
send us questions. Before you send in a question, we recommend
that
you check to see if the answer is already provided on this page
below.
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- Monasticism
and Presumption
- Spirituality
and Celibacy
- Death and Monasticism
- Scriptures and
Celibacy
- Monks and
Priesthood
- Pre-requisits
Q. Isn't it wrong for a person to presume that God wants him or her to be celibate for his entire life?
A.
Yes it would be presumptuous for anyone to assume anything about
another's
will. For example, it would be wrong for a young person to
presume
that she will be given enough money by her parents to make a first
payment
on a car without first consulting her parents. The same can be
said
about the vocation to religious life. No one can presume anything
about the will of God concerning a vocation unless God Himself reveals
this to them. This is why discernment (listening to the voice of
God) is so important in the preparation for religious life, both for
the
individual entering a community and the community itself. If God
reveals to someone that He wants him or her to live a particular
vocation,
that person is obligated to follow it. Along with discernment,
trust
in God's for support is also very important.
Q. If achieving a sense of continued prayer (union with God) is possible for all people which in turn will lead to true happiness, why is it necessary for some men and women to join communities which require them to live in a celibate state?
A. The essence of your question calls to mind the fact that there are different ways to serve the Lord. For some people it is in the married state, for others it may be a life without a spouse. As Christians we offer ourselves to the Lord through our vocation, that is why the sacrament of Matrimony is celebrated in a church. The vocation is a gift from God that He has chosen for us. Whether it is in the married state or not, a person must follow it. God’s call is God’s call, it is improper for anyone to say that one is more important than the other or even one is more holy than the other. The two different vocations are supposed to be an offering of one’s life to God and both can lead to true happiness. It is up to us to discover the call that God has placed in our hearts through prayer and discernment. The Christian example of the laity in and of itself is a form of Gospel witness. The Church recognized this fact in the Second Vatican Council, “The Council then, makes to all the laity an earnest appeal in the Lord to give a willing, noble and enthusiastic response to the voice of Christ, who at this hour is summoning them more pressingly, and to the urging of the Holy Spirit” (Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People, no. 33).
Q. Why is it that monks often associate themselves with death and things that relate to death? For example, I have seen paintings of saints with a skull next to them. Is this to scare a person to become holy?
A. Often comic books, television and movies depict monks as having an obsession with the dead or that monastic life is an occult type lifestyle which focuses on the dead. Like many other things these media represent, the reality is often distorted. Monks respect their loved ones who have died like anyone else. They also view death in a more positive light than many other people. In chapter 5 of his Rule St. Benedict tells us, “Yearn for everlasting life with holy desire. Day by day remind yourself that you are going to die. Hour by hour keep careful watch over all you do, aware that God’s gaze is upon you, wherever you may be.” St. Benedict does not want anyone to think of death as a means of scaring the “Hell” out of the monk. This statement is not meant to invoke fear, but to bring about a spirit of preparedness for entry into paradise; the way for the Christian to be prepared is by constantly seeking the Lord and obeying His commands. Chapter 49 of the Rule states, “The life of the monk should be a continuous Lent.” Christians prepare for Easter through various observances which may at times seem difficult. The monk looks at life in a similar fashion: A preparation for Heaven. If a person goes through Lent in complete misery, he or she is missing the point of the liturgical season. The same can be said about monastic life. The monk has to keep in mind (for his own sanity) that the discipline and structure of his life are a way of pleasing the Lord and perfecting the soul. Monks are not obsessed with death, they never have been. They often remind themselves of the reality of death as a means of realizing that the life on earth is not the entire picture. If this notion is accepted correctly, life should be filled with joy and longing for Heaven instead of misery and fear.
Q. How can the Catholic Church impose celibacy on priests, nuns and monks when forbidding marriage is against what 1 Timothy 4:2-5 teaches Christians?
A.
This Scripture passage condemns those who impose celibacy on
others.
The Church does not force people to live celibately, this is contrary
to
Scriptures and Catholic moral theology. The commitment to
celibacy
it is a choice that is made before a man or a woman joins a religious
community
or a man is ordained to the priesthood. The Church only imposes
responsibility
to keep the religious commitment made to God and His
people.
Also the vow is only valid if the one making it is of sound mind, fully
aware of the ramifications of the vows and not coerced into making the
choice. By their very nature the vows should be motivated out of
love for God and His people, it gives one more freedom to love and to
dedicate
themselves to God’s work in a broader sense than a person who is
married.
The Church recognizes the fact that all Christians are not called to
live
as celibates, but those who make the vows do so by the inspiration of
God.
It is a special calling, but the calling itself does not automatically
make the person more holy than someone who is married. Making the
choice to live one’s life in a celibate state is not condemned by the
Scriptures;
there are examples in the Scriptures where celibacy is encouraged and
affirmed
(refer to 1 Corinthians chapter 7). It is very important that
everyone
reflect on and pray that the Holy Spirit will guide them in following
the
call of God in their lives, whether it be as married persons or
religious
and priests.
Monks
and Priesthood
Q. Can a man who is a monk become a priest? Can a priest become a monk? If so how is his ministry lived out?
A. Anytime after the novitiate, with the Superior's permission a monk can begin studies at a Seminary. When someone begins his formation in the monastery his goal is primarily to become a monk. Usually studies for the priesthood (as well as all other academic studies) begin after the Simple profession of monastic vows.
A diocesan priest can also join a monastery with the permission of his bishop. Like all other candidates for the monastic life, a priest is required to go through the initial stages of monastic formation (postulancy, novitiate, simple profession and solemn profession).
A monk/priest's first duty is to minister to the monks of his monastery
(especially with the celebration of the Eucharist). The priest
can
also assist the pastors of local parishes or even pastor a church.
Q. What are the
requirements for becoming a monk?
Actually, a man does not become a monk as soon as he arrives at the
monastery. He must first complete the formation process.
There are requirements that must be met before the candidate officially
beings his training. They can be found on the vocations page.
St.
Benedict Monastery
2711
E. Drahner Rd.
Oxford,
Mi 48370