I have been discening Religious Life for almost a year now, and I’m starting to take an interest in Benedictine Monks. The ones that I’ve found at
snowmass.org/ really interest me, but I wanted to know if there was any others similar? I’m looking for ones that live in solitude, but definitely not complete solitude like a Carmelite Hermit would. I would like a community that is very active within its property. In other words: I don’t want to basically live in silence 99% of the time. I’d like to work, have pleasant conversations with the Monks daily, study, etc, while still allowing family to visit, like the ones I mention above. I know I’m being nit-picky here, but I’d like an Order that lives a Monastic life without having the extemities of, let’s say, fifth century Monks. Am I being unreasonable, or is there more than one Benedictine Community (Or another Order entirely) like the ones at Snow Mass?
Another has mentioned the Cistercians, also called the Trappists.
Please understand that the history of Benedictine monasticism is one of constant renewal and constant reform. Ongoing conversion is in fact, one of their vows. St. Benedict set it up that way. It is not a revolt or a revolution for one community to change or reform itself. Ongoing conversion and ongoing renewal are part of the Benedictine way of life for both individual Brother’s during their own lives and for Benedictine monasticism throughout the centuries.
I am very familiar with the Cistercian community at the Monsastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Georgia. If I don’t become a deacon some day, I will likey become an oblate to this community. I am too old to join as a full member of the community as I have children and will be past the age of admittance when my children are old enough to live on their own.
But the Cistercians at this community live in community and practice “Grand silence” from after Compline until after Mass the next morning, unless charity demands that they speak. Prayer (both privately and in community AKA the hours), Lectio and work are the three pillars of the community. They eat and work in community and run several industries including a stained glass window factory and factories which make fudge and fruitcake.
Just be aware that one does not join a Benedictine or Cistercian/Trappist community to become a priest. One is a brother first, and a priest only if the community has that need and as a servant of the community. You will not be able to tell who is and isn’t a priest other than seeing who vests for Mass. A priest scraped off my dirty dishes when I was on retreat. That’s the way it is.
I highly recommend the following:
Watch this wonderful video.
The Call. The second man in the video is Br. Elias, the Novice Director.
Contact Brother Michael, the first one in the video, using the form
here. He is the vocations director at The Monastery of the Holy Spirit. Not that you are joining this particular monastery, but let him know that you are thinking about Benedictine monasticism in general and simply ask if he would be open to a conversation. Include your phone number and I wouldn’t be surprised if he calls. He is a wonderful man and the first one in the video above.
You should definitely go on a vocations retreat at a Benedictine or Cistercian monastery. I went for three days, woke up at 3:45 to pray and stood in the choir stalls between two of the Brothers and chanted the liturgy with them, ate in the refectory with them, met the Abbot and the Novice Director and spent time with a 99 1/2 year old Brother. The experience totally changed my life. Two of the men on retreat with me stayed for a one week observership and one has since become a novice.
I will recommend that you read, “
The Cistercian Way” by Andre Louf. This is a wonderful book which covers the history of Cistercian/Benedictine monasticism from it’s roots in the dester fathers up through the refors of Citeaux to the present day post Vatican II communites and covers Cistercian spirituality and living in community. I also recommend that you read “
Praying with Benedict” by Korneel Vermeiren. The latter was only available used when I bought it. If you are serious about it, I will send you copies of both. Just send me a PM with your address and I’ll get them out to you - Just get yourself to heaven and we will call it an even trade.
The monastery at Snowmass is an amazing space, nestled in the mountains as it is. They are also Trappist. I would be very jealous if you wind up there.
Praying for you…
-Tim-
