I think God is calling me to a Monastic Life

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Semper_Fi_1

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I am 24 years old, male. I have always been in pursuit of knowledge, and will never be satisfied with money or worldly obligations. I try to take care of my responsibilities, but sometimes they just get to be too much for me to handle. Due to family circumstances, I have had to put off my college education but I am going back to pursue a degree in Philosophy. I have 2 blocks this semester in Intro Philosophy and Ethics that I can’t wait to begin.

It is just so much of a struggle for daily life in the world, and monetary objects, jobs, cars and that sort of thing just do not seem to concern me. For the past 6 months or so, I have been really considering speaking with a formations director at one of the Benedictine monasteries. I really have no clue how an interview for such a life changing event should go, though.

I am really drawn to a Benedictine life, and a life of prayer and contemplation. If this world is so out of control as it is now, then it only seems to reason logically that the more individuals that give their life up to God for the service of His people, that He will be calling more to the life of Christ when His warriors pray. It is the way of a communal life and an inner self-conciousness focued on the Awesome God-Almighty and His Holy Trinity that can possibly lead more people to Him.

Where do I go? Do I need to have completed my formal college education before I begin the process? I do not wish to be a secular priest, I want to live in a community with others focused on Him. It doesn’t matter if I am a Priest or a Brother, I can wait for ordination till later in life.

The Rule of St. Benedict is the one I want to make my own.

I am in Denver, Colorado and would love to be at a monastery near the Rocky Mountains.
 
The best thing you could do would be to call up a monastery and talk to the vocation director. He’ll be able to answer your questions and give you some direction. He’ll probably also invite you to come and visit the monastery to get a feel for it.

You may want to visit a few monasteries whether or not they’re in the mountains just to get a feel for them and to see what’s similar and what’s different in different places. Keep in mind that Trappists and Cistercians also follow the Rule so may be worth taking a look at.

You can see where various Benedictine monasteries are located by going to atlas.osb-international.info/atlas/geo/WORLD/NameCat/1/en.html

Prayers as you discern where God is calling you.
 
I’m very happy for you!

I know there’s a trappist monastery somewhere in Aspen, but I don’t think there are many others in Colorado.
 
SuscipeMeDomine said:
The best thing you could do would be to call up a monastery and talk to the vocation director. He’ll be able to answer your questions and give you some direction. He’ll probably also invite you to come and visit the monastery to get a feel for it.

You may want to visit a few monasteries whether or not they’re in the mountains just to get a feel for them and to see what’s similar and what’s different in different places. Keep in mind that Trappists and Cistercians also follow the Rule so may be worth taking a look at.

You can see where various Benedictine monasteries are located by going to atlas.osb-international.info/atlas/geo/WORLD/NameCat/1/en.html

Prayers as you discern where God is calling you.
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All this is great but you should also get a spiritual director.
 
The Trappist monastery at Snowmass would be a great place for a retreat, perhaps this fall.

www.snowmass.org

They were having a hard time with vocations in the past, but have had a few recently and appear to be a stable community. I am sure that you could receive guidance there, in addition to the views.
 
Others are:

1)–in Jerome, Utah

idahomonks.org/index02.htm

Small and aging, it looks as if it could use vocations. This is also ‘missionary’ land.

2)–an Olivetan congregation in St. David’s Arizona–unique with lots of support and help from Oblates, some of whom live on the property in RV’s (!), active with retreats, arts & crafts, etc.

holytrinitymonastery.org/

Not many in this part of the world.
 
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