Benedictine Monks

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Oneofthewomen said:
TK is a kid, only 15! šŸ˜ƒ
Ah, to be so young againā€¦ LOL

And yes, I have to agree with Ringl here, TK, you are really all over the place. In November, you were already considering yourself a Franciscan, then you wanted to be a diocesean priest, then a couple of days ago, you were convinced that you belonged with the FSSP, and now you think your are called to the Benedictines. :whacky:

Not to say that learning about each order is not important, I just think that you are spending too much time looking for what you think is going to be a ā€œperfectā€ fit for what you want.

Sorry to have to be the one to tell you this, my friend, but ā€œperfectā€ does not exsist.

You are in my prayers-
please find a spiritual director who can help you out with all this stuff.
And contact your vocations office- thatā€™s what they are there for!!! šŸ˜ƒ
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A distinction must be made. I was discerning with Benedicyines since the very beginning, and then I disregarded the idea. I do not feel as though Iā€™m absolutely called to this. Rather, I am simply interested. I really, really like the FSSP, and my friend Father Pascal thinks they are perfect for me. However, I still like many other Communities.
 
At the moment, Iā€™m very interested in the ones at Clear Creek. They seem to fit the bill of being almost perfect. As OneOfTheWomen stated, there is no such thing as perfect. But it appears that doesnā€™t seem to daunt the Monks at Clear Creek, whom strive for perfection. šŸ˜›
 
The Swiss-American
Benedictine Congregation , the American-Cassinese Congregation , Anglican Benedictines GOOGLE ALL THESE congreations you will find many abbeys that are different from each, vigils times work times and the food you will eat and recreation time sum are stricter then others the Cistercians benediction from what i seen and talked to others are less active then all the others up here and more for prayer and solitude and silence
 
Try the benedictine monks of St. Meinrad in Southern Indiana, sounds alot like the ones you were describing. I know from personal expirence that they are a fantastic group of men. They barely spend time in silence. And they run a seminary, but most monks do other work as well, such as building their own caskets. Shoes ect. They also work in parishes.

I absolutely loved my stay their this summer at their liturgical conference.

They also allow you to go out of the monastery, though you cannot spend the night other places during the noviate.

saintmeinrad.edu/
 
And I will add that although 15 is a young age, but it is important to look around and see what is available. it was around 15 when I first began discerning, it seems like yesterday. And it has been a wild ride. I still am not settled, but now that I am approaching 20, I am almost ready to make a decision.

It goes quick, but keep in mind it is not what we want. But listen to what God wants. That is where we are going to be most happiest.
 
Wow, 15! God bless you!

Donā€™t listen to the haters! Discern both religious life and priesthood while youā€™re young and more importantly independent and probably not fiscally bound to much. Make several monastery visits. If you are also looking at FSSP, there are many monasteries you probably would not fit in well with; there are many monasteries you would. You could visit ANY monastery and get a feel if you are called to be a monk. It sounds like you would fit best in a Benedictan community; Trappists and Cistercians are more rigorous and silent (though not like a Carthusian).

You probably will not be able to enter religious life or diocesan priesthood until you are 18; the FSSP tends to not take men till 20ā€™s. Bottom line is, you have tons of time, and more importantly the rest of your teenage years (ugh).

Fr Joseph Lee, who I believe is the vocations director for the FSSP, entered Clear Creek Monastery before entering seminary. Maybe contact him and ask for his $0.02?
 
Thereā€™s a nice Benedictine Abbey located in Newark, NJ. Itā€™s called Newark Abbey.
They run a school there, St. Benedictā€™s Prep, which I attend. The monks there are always on property and are either alone in prayer, or with the students.

Hope this helps! šŸ™‚
 
BrandonO said:
Thereā€™s a nice Benedictine Abbey located in Newark, NJ. Itā€™s called Newark Abbey.
They run a school there, St. Benedictā€™s Prep, which I attend. The monks there are always on property and are either alone in prayer, or with the students.

Hope this helps! šŸ™‚
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Thanks, but I donā€™t want a teaching Order. I like to give people advice and to preach, but not in a classroom.
 
ATeutonicKnight said:
Thanks, but I donā€™t want a teaching Order. I like to give people advice and to preach, but not in a classroom.
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There is the Benedictine Monastery of Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, CA -just north of San Diego (Founded in 1958).

When they were welcomed into the diocese, the bishop asked two things; 1) That they help to supply parishes on Sundays (sending priests out to parishes, when needed, to celebrate Masses on Sundays). And, 2) That the monks could not publicly ask for funds to build their Abbey. Their superior countered that they would do Sunday supply only to those parishes that were near enough so as to allow a monk to return in time for Vespers (Evening Prayers) -so that a monk would not be away from the Abbey a full day. (It is amazing that the Abbey was completely built with ā€œword of mouthā€ donations.)

What made Prince of Peace so unique at that time (and I suppose still ā€¦among OF) was that they were the only male branch of Benedictines in the U.S. who wanted to reach back into their history, as monks, and not run a high school or college, but rather, wanted to live a more cloistered life. So they support themselves by running a retreat house. This might fit nicely into what you were saying in your above quote.

I am not particularly fond of modern architecture, but the Abbey buildings at Prince of Peace are built solidly and simply, using simple materials; 4" x 4" grey cinder block, 8" x 8" charcoal grey Spanish tile floors, dark charcoal grey granite is used for the solid altar, and the stations of the cross throughout the Abbey Church, and solid teak for the choir stalls and pews. The roofs of the Abbey Church, Library, Refectory, Monk Cells, ect, are of a highly glazed, cobalt-blue, Spanish tiles (a reference to Our Lady, as well as the city of Oceanside).

What I also found of interest is that most of the monks worked side by side with the construction workers hired to build the Abbey (a 20 year project) as several of the monks have different skills in construction. electrical, plumbing, ect. Even the stained glass windows were designed and made by a former monk!

The monks work and pray the full office -they are serious about the Office! They do wear the habit. They are conservative, and use some Latin, but the Office is in English, and Mass is not EF.

I hope this is of help to you. Let us keep our vocations in our prayers.

May God bless you, and your every good endeavor.
 
Are you an Oblate there (you obviously do not have to answer)?
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
Are you an Oblate there (you obviously do not have to answer)?
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Iā€™m not sure if you were addressing your question to me -and apologize if Iā€™m jumping in on an on-going conversation with another individual.

But if your question was directed to me; No, Iā€™m not an Oblate at Prince of Peace Abbey. Though I have visited the Abbey often over the course of some years, making personal retreats to consider my vocation as a monk to that monastery.

I can also add that I am very pleased by Clear Creekā€™s foundation and growth. And if I were younger and stronger, I might pursue my vocation there (I had considered Fontgombault, and even wrote them back in the early '80s. But I had no French, and the answer I received from them suggested it would prove too difficult for me).

I have no difficulty in recommending Prince of Peace to those seeking their vocation within the OF. And Clear Creek to those seeking their vocation within the EF.
 
RoderickA said:
Iā€™m not sure if you were addressing your question to me -and apologize if Iā€™m jumping in on an on-going conversation with another individual.

But if your question was directed to me; No, Iā€™m not an Oblate at Prince of Peace Abbey. Though I have visited the Abbey often over the course of some years, making personal retreats to consider my vocation as a monk to that monastery.

I can also add that I am very pleased by Clear Creekā€™s foundation and growth. And if I were younger and stronger, I might pursue my vocation there (I had considered Fontgombault, and even wrote them back in the '90s. But I had no French, and the answer I received from them suggested it would prove too difficult for me).
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Random question but so does Clear Creek require aspirants to speak French? I know their Congregation is French but I know the communities here in the UK donā€™t require French though I think they learn some in the novitiate.
 
RoderickA said:
Iā€™m not sure if you were addressing your question to me -and apologize if Iā€™m jumping in on an on-going conversation with another individual.

But if your question was directed to me; No, Iā€™m not an Oblate at Prince of Peace Abbey. Though I have visited the Abbey often over the course of some years, making personal retreats to consider my vocation as a monk to that monastery.

I can also add that I am very pleased by Clear Creekā€™s foundation and growth. And if I were younger and stronger, I might pursue my vocation there (I had considered Fontgombault, and even wrote them back in the early '80s. But I had no French, and the answer I received from them suggested it would prove too difficult for me).

I have no difficulty in recommending Prince of Peace to those seeking their vocation within the OF. And Clear Creek to those seeking their vocation within the EF.
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Yup: directed at you. Thank you for your answer. You might consider becoming an Oblate. Beautiful vocation šŸ™‚
 
PerfectTiming said:
Random question but so does Clear Creek require aspirants to speak French? I know their Congregation is French but I know the communities here in the UK donā€™t require French though I think they learn some in the novitiate.
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You are correct, and the answer is yes, Clear Creek does not require their aspirants to speak French.

My comment, about if I were younger and stronger, has everything to do first; about my age; I doubt Clear Creek would accept anyone my age. And secondly; my physical and mental capabilities.

In 2001 I was diagnosed, while in college, with learning disabilities. Philosophy being an abstract subject would be most difficult for me, and learning Latin (which I love) would be easier ā€¦over time. And in 2002 I had the first of 5 back surgeries for spinal stenosis (all successful -thank God!). So I am not as strong as would be required by Clear Creek.

It is not that I am looking for an easier way, certainly not. But am trying to follow where God is calling.

I hope that is clearer for you.
 
RoderickA said:
You are correct, and the answer is yes, Clear Creek does not require their aspirants to speak French.

My comment, about if I were younger and stronger, has everything to do first; about my age; I doubt Clear Creek would accept anyone my age. And secondly; my physical and mental capabilities.

In 2001 I was diagnosed, while in college, with learning disabilities. Philosophy being an abstract subject would be most difficult for me, and learning Latin (which I love) would be easier ā€¦over time. And in 2002 I had the first of 5 back surgeries for spinal stenosis (all successful -thank God!). So I am not as strong as would be required by Clear Creek.

It is not that I am looking for an easier way, certainly not. But am trying to follow where God is calling.

I hope that is clearer for you.
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To PerfectTiming,

I was running out the door for an appointment when I was finishing up my reply. Upon my return I decided to reread it and found my last sentence comes off rude -not at all they way I meant it. I was only trying to find a closing.

Suffice to say I am searching out my vocation while coming to accept the limitations God has given me.
 
Luigi_Daniele said:
Yup: directed at you. Thank you for your answer. You might consider becoming an Oblate. Beautiful vocation šŸ™‚
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Sorry, hadnā€™t seen your response til now.

The vocation to be an Oblate is a beautiful, and important, one. But I must admit Iā€™m still on the monk track, as it were, in terms of vocation.

Keep me in your prayers?
 
RoderickA said:
Sorry, hadnā€™t seen your response til now.

The vocation to be an Oblate is a beautiful, and important, one. But I must admit Iā€™m still on the monk track, as it were, in terms of vocation.

Keep me in your prayers?
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Absolutely Roderick! Good luck.šŸ‘
 
Well, if youā€™re not drawn to the contemplative life at all, then Iā€™m not sure what attracts you to the Benedictines. Itā€™s my understanding that even the more active monasteriesā€“the ones that teach school or run businessesā€“still have many hours a day devoted to silence, prayer, and lectio divina. The Dominicans, Franciscans, FSSP, Jesuits, etc. seem to have more interaction with the world than most Benedictine monasteries Iā€™ve visited.

Of course, youā€™re young and should explore all your options, so itā€™s good that youā€™re looking into the Benedictines. šŸ™‚ I highly recommend this monastery in Chicago. They celebrate a very reverent, chanted OF; they donā€™t teach in a classroom setting; their church is pretty (though itā€™s not the elaborate Gothic setting youā€™re looking for); they run a bed and breakfast (so your family and friends could definitely visit); and they have a pretty active intellectual life, with oblates and local university students often visiting to hear the prior lecture.

chicagomonk.org/
 
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