Any Monasteries still have Lay Brothers?

[DL82]

It is my understanding that since the Council, the distinctions between priest monks and non ordained monks, or laybrothers that made absolutely no sense were eliminated. Therefore, Brothers were trained to chant the liturgy of the hours, were allowed to do all tasks in the monastery not reserved to priestly ordination, were not simply consigned to the most menial tasks, were allowed to upgrade their educations, and, very importantly, were given votes in chapter, so that they could elect abbots.

This is what I’m looking for though.

I want to believe I’m called to something else, yet I can’t escape the fact that I’m happiest when cleaning the church, serving soup at the Legion of Mary centre, and busy with a million little organisational tasks.

Maybe I’m just called to be a stay-at-home dad, that would be similar I guess, but my window of opportunity for that closed when my ex left me.

 

[nightwalker]

This is what I’m looking for though.

I want to believe I’m called to something else, yet I can’t escape the fact that I’m happiest when cleaning the church, serving soup at the Legion of Mary centre, and busy with a million little organisational tasks.

Maybe I’m just called to be a stay-at-home dad, that would be similar I guess, but my window of opportunity for that closed when my ex left me.

There are contemplative orders that support themselves, usual by more mundane tasks. Trappists work at everything from jams to coffins (yes, really). Cartusians are heavier on the solitude and silence, but (IIRC) still maintain some physical labor. I am not sure what the specific apostolate of the Friars of the Primitive Observance is, but I know they have lay brothers (as in non-ordained).

 

[Morwenna]

Hi DL,

The Marians of the Immaculate Conception have a Brotherhood. Some of the Brothers have served in that capacity for 20 - 40+ years, so it does seem to be a permanent division (as opposed to simply ‘priests-in-training’).

Here is a link to their vocations page:

marian.org/vocations/

And here is a link where you can “Meet the Brothers” (virtually, of course ) to learn about their lives (just click on the individual names):

marian.org/marians/brothers.php

And lastly, here is a link to their UK section:

marian.org/marians/worldwide/country.php?id=18

May God bless you on your journey, wherever He may lead you

 

[lagenda]

A number of monasteries and religious houses in the UK have lay brothers but their number has diminished greatly over the years. As the old brothers died they could not be replaced from the small numbers passing through the novitiate. Many of those who made temporary professions did not go on to make final vows. My own former Jesuit parish was reduced to one elderly lay brother. They brought in lay help to do the domestic work that was formerly done by the brothers. Many of the older orders like the Carthusians, Benedictines and cistercians etc have given the lay brothers the full habit like the choir monks and more access to things like the daily conventual High Mass and the Divine Office in choir as well as being able to vote in chapter. Many feel that this has been a move in the right direction in order to attract an interest in the vocation to the religious life as a non priest.

 

[anonymous_in_fl]

I have to “second” the mention of the Discalced Carmelite friars.
They are all friars---- some go on to study for the priesthood.

If you are interested in their spirituality, they focus contemplative prayer. Try reading St John of the Cross or St Teresa of Avila.

 

[bardegaulois]

I don’t know if you’re thinking of something peculiarly monastic, but the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and the Capuchins struck me as institutes that still strongly focus on the vocation of the lay-brother.