Guest in a Monestary - Long Term

  • Thread starter Thread starter CHCatholic
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

CHCatholic

Guest
I’m thinking once high schools done I need a retreat, a private, spiritual retreat, to know where I’m going, and I’m so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, God’s kind of getting shunned, so I think I want to spend some time as a guest in a monestary, what with all the silence, solitude and liturgy, how could one not want to go? I know many monasteries have guest houses, but is it possible to stay at one long-term, like 6 months to a year? I particularily would like to go to a monastary in Europe if possible.

Thanks for your (name removed by moderator)ut.:cool:
 
Interesting. Are you contemplating a monastic vocation?

I am certain that most monasteries have limits as to the time that guests can spend there, both minimums and maximums. Minimums in order to avoid “weekenders” looking for cheap alternatives to hotel accomodations (especially if they are in scenic or historic areas–this is the case in Europe especially) and maximums to avoid deadbeats taking advantage of the monks’ hospitality.

I rather doubt any monastery would permit a retreatant to remain for as much as 6-12 months if they weren’t a postulant in the community. That would make you a resident of the place, not a guest! 😉

Hospitality is a monastic charism, but it shouldn’t be abused. Food, electricity, water, heat, cleaning all cost money, and then there is the question of possible disruption of the community’s life by the presence of outsiders not fully bound by the rule of the monastery. I would consider a week-long retreat first, perhaps two at the most and then take it from there.

I am a strong believer in monastic retreats, btw , but the question I have here is, even with your stated objective of seeking silence and working on our relationship with God, why do you think that you need such a long period of time for a monastic retreat?
 
CHCatholic said:
to know where I’m going, and I’m so caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, God’s kind of getting shunned
Click to expand...
I don’t think you need 6-12 months in a monastery to know where you are going. That would be time enough for postulancy, as the last poster said. I think you could look for retreat opportunities which are open to everyone in monasteries in your country (from your signature pic and post, I take it you are European, but your location is Vancouver … ?) OR, why not look for an Ignatian retreat in a Jesuit house? (That’s what I am planning at the moment - Hungarian here, BTW) Check out the websites of dioceses, or the website of the Catholic Church of your country, retreat opportunities are usually advertised in some form.
 
our monastery welcomes guests, long term and short term. There is an established fee schedule, which varies according to your circumstances. For instance, we have Winter Texans who stay on the grounds in their RV because they have been building the chapel. Oblates have stayed for longer or shorter periods for retreats or private study, and a fee is negotiated based on their need. The nuns have no outside source of income other than donations so some fee is necessary to cover expenses. If we stay for the weekend we bring our own linens and food, or bring food for everyone. However at any given time they also have guests who are women discerning a vocation, or nuns of various orders on extended retreat or sabattical.

Whether we are oblates on a short stay or long term residents everyone does some kind of volunteer work while in residence. The nuns are getting older (one just celebrated her golden jubilee) and don’t have on-site help so everyone living there has to pitch in. We also do things like newsletter mailings, preparing for special events, photocopying. One oblate does the archives and maintains the library, another stays while working on the garden and grounds etc. Another lady set up their computer system, accounting, newsletter etc. while she was there.

Just ask around some monasteries have a procedure for long term visitors.
 
It may not be quite what you’re looking for, but I think I remember hearing that the brothers in Taize welcome guests for up to a year? I’m not 100% sure, but it may be worth checking out.
www.taize.fr
 
If you are just finishing high school and want to have a long-term stay in a monastic environment, why not think about going to a College run by a monastic order, and living according to the rule of the brothers.

The only one I know of in the UK that meets that description is St Benet’s at Oxford, which is a tiny college of Oxford University run by the Benedictine monks. The vast majority of their students are theology students, though in theory they’ll take anyone studying anything at Oxford. You’d need to meet the high academic standards needed to study at Oxford first. I’m sure there are other colleges less demanding in Europe and America though.
 
If you’re thinking about something longterm, maybe you ought to actually consider becoming a postulant and trying the lifestyle of that community on for size.

If you simply want an extended retreat with a period of meditative silence, try something Ignatian.
 
thanks for ye (name removed by moderator)ut all.
Im not really looking to be a free-loiting guest, I guess postulancy is more at what I’m looking at. I want to work with the brothers, help out, etc, but I don’t want to be a monk for life, I just want to do it for a bit to get my spiritual life intact, and experience something interesting, who knows, maybe its God calling me to a religious life, or He’s just sick of how I’m living and needs me to straighten up. Either way, I’d put what I’m looking for at half retreat, half postulancy, I guess.
 
Perhaps some community has a “helpers” program which would enable you to live with them and help out in the way you are drawn to.
 
Downside Abbey near Bath, in England takes ‘longer term’ guests, and is very nice, my husband has been on retreats there and our parish priest has his spiritual advisor there… You could e-mail Dom Philip at domphilip@ukonline.co.uk and tell him what you propose to do, and well…at worst he’ll say ‘No’😉

Anna x
 
Check out New Melleray Abbey in Peosta(Dubuque), IA

newmelleray.org/index.asp?menu=guests

They are a good group of guys and have what is call the Monastic Center. You go for at least a few days and longer if you wish. Also a few of the other Trappist monasteries in the US offer a similar experience.
 
CHCatholic said:
. Either way, I’d put what I’m looking for at half retreat, half postulancy, I guess.
Click to expand...
Although you prefer a European monastery, I happen to know that Blue Cloud Abbey, in South Dakota, has a Lay Associate program where you can stay for up to two months. And if you stay an extra month you could qualify for their Novitiate. bluecloud.org/assoc-cand.html

Perhaps other monasteries have similar programs. You might want to check with particular monasteries in your preferred location. The Order of Saint Benedict has a handy online atlas which lists their monasteries around the world - just click on the region you want, then on the country you want, etc.
atlas.osb-international.info/atlas/geo/WORLD/NameCat/1/en.html

Of course you can’t go wrong with the Cistercians (Trappists) either!
 
CHCatholic said:
thanks for ye (name removed by moderator)ut all.
I want to work with the brothers, help out, etc, but I don’t want to be a monk for life,…
Click to expand...
Heh heh…that’s what you think 😛 I shall pray for your discernment 👍
God bless!!
 
I notice you’re in vancouver. If it’s Vancouver, BC I’d strongly recommend visiting the Benedictines at Westminster Abbey and seeking some direction (both spiritual and in terms of “what should I do if I want to discern a vocation to monastic life?”). Though you may feel you want to discern a vocation to monastic life, you can’t simply do that on your own. You need some guidance. If you just want to get your “spiritual life intact” you could use some guidance for that too. Either way, I’d recommend getting in touch with them. If you need contact info, send me a message.
 
A friend and two of his acquaintances spent a summer with the Benedictines at Norcia in Italy, where St. Benedict was born. I believe he gave a donation at the end of the summer to help with costs. He really enjoyed it; they are English-speaking–American, possibly, I think. If you are very interested I will give you his email as I am quite certain that this is the kind of thing on which he would love to give help and advice. 👍
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top