Is there such a thing as being a monk that prays the whole day

[ninjaguy]

Is there a calling to be able to be in a monastery or church and just pray and read catholic books the whole day? Or will I still have to do other work like do laundry?

What order are those monks who lock themselves underneath the Vatican and pray all day for world peace and only come out when a new pope is elected? Is there such a occupation of constant prayer? Will I be given the chance to go outside of the monastery once in a while?

How much is room and board to join the seminary?

How much money do monks and brothers make?

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

People generally can’t sustain one single activity for too long before going bonkers.

Nonstop prayer and reading sound nice, but you wouldn’t be able to sustain it.

 

[Jbrady]

Is there a calling to be able to be in a monastery or church and just pray and read catholic books the whole day? Or will I still have to do other work like do laundry?

That was much more common in the Middle Ages, when choir monks prayed eight, ten or more hours a day in choir, and spent the rest of the time in private prayer or study.

BUUUUT:

Those choir monks were almost exclusively nobles, and almost always brought to the monastery a hefty endowment. So they didn’t exactly get a “free ride”.

And it was gruesomely hard work. No sitting was allowed in choir. Because they spent most of the day indoors, they often suffered from rickets, which deformed their bones. Because they spent most of the day standing in the same place, the tendons in their legs calcified and fused with their bones. And because they did very little physical activity and ate and drank well, they were often morbidly obese, which also deformed their skeletons.

When burial sites from the Middle Ages are discovered in Europe nowadays, archeologists can often easily tell that a skeleton belonged to a monk just by looking at it.

 

[Zaccheus]

What order are those monks who lock themselves underneath the Vatican and pray all day for world peace and only come out when a new pope is elected?

I have never heard of this, and I strongly doubt that it’s true.

 

[Irishmom2]

How much money do monks and brothers make?

How would you make money if you were praying all day and not doing any work? Many monasteries make things to sustain themselves. You would need to be a part of that. If not that, someone needs to cook, clean, do laundry, etc.

 

[Jbrady]

How much money do monks and brothers make?

None. They take a vow of poverty, and aren’t allowed to own anything.

 

[Shasta-Rose]

Those choir monks were almost exclusively nobles, and almost always brought to the monastery a hefty endowment. So they didn’t exactly get a “free ride”.

And it was gruesomely hard work. No sitting was allowed in choir. Because they spent most of the day indoors, they often suffered from rickets, which deformed their bones. Because they spent most of the day standing in the same place, the tendons in their legs calcified and fused with their bones. And because they did very little physical activity and ate and drank well, they were often morbidly obese, which also deformed their skeletons.

When burial sites from the Middle Ages are discovered in Europe nowadays, archeologists can often easily tell that a skeleton belonged to a monk just by looking at it.

I never knew all of this. That’s fascinating. Thank you!

 

[TheLittleLady]

You may want to watch this film, it takes you inside of one of the most cloistered orders in existance:

 

[TomH1]

Is there a calling to be able to be in a monastery or church and just pray and read catholic books the whole day?

No, because monastic communities are sensible and have balance in their lives.

Or will I still have to do other work like do laundry?

You will be required to do your fair share of the work that has to be done.

What order are those monks who lock themselves underneath the Vatican and pray all day for world peace and only come out when a new pope is elected?

There is no such order.

Will I be given the chance to go outside of the monastery once in a while?

I thought you wanted to spend your entire day in prayer. Monks leave the monastery not at will to do what they may choose. They do leave for valid reasons, e.g. a medical appointment, to buy supplies, etc.

How much is room and board to join the seminary?

Members of the community make no financial contribution to their support. See the answer to your final question (below).

How much money do monks and brothers make?

They are not paid. The monastery provides them with their needs. They don’t get paid and they have no money of their own.

 

[otjm]

Is there a calling to be able to be in a monastery or church and just pray and read catholic books the whole day? Or will I still have to do other work like do laundry?

And if you don’t do your laundry, who do you think is going to do it?

What order are those monks who lock themselves underneath the Vatican and pray all day for world peace and only come out when a new pope is elected?

Where in creation did you come up with that story?

Is there such a occupation of constant prayer?

Per se, no. The Our Lady of Guadalupe Abbey in Oregon (Trappist) had a monk who was a hermit; he came together with the rest of the monks for Mass and the Office; but did not join in community activities except on a very limited basis. It is my understanding that any order is not likely to allow someone to become a hermit unless and until they show a deep spiritual life and a calling to being a hermit. There are some contemplative orders who lean towards a hermitage lifestyle, while retaining community contact to a greater or lesser degree, but pretty much don’t have a full-on hermit’s life.

Will I be given the chance to go outside of the monastery once in a while?

Someone with a true calling to the life of a hermit would not seek to do so.

How much is room and board to join the seminary?

That will vary by seminary. There is also tuition and books costs

How much money do monks and brothers make?

Monks and brothers don’t “make money” as individuals (with exceptions, as follows). An example might be a priest; on parish I was in for a while had a Benedictine priest as parish “administrator” and as such, there was a “salary”, but the money went to the Benedictines, subject to what he needed to use for personal needs (food, supplies). Others in the monastery have made products (the monastery near me has a small brewery, which may be operating at a loss or a profit, but does not seem to be primarily profit driven). Whatever money they receive for their product (beer) goes to pay operating costs, costs of the facility, and whatever is left over goes to the monastery; the monks h=who brew do not receive a salary.

 

[otjm]

It seems you have an interest in joining a community. IT also sounds as if you feel you may have a vocation to the priesthood.

Assuming for the moment that you might join a monastery, there are two separate vocations - professed monk, and ordination to the priesthood. And that latter matter is an issue that will be resolved positively or negatively between you and the abbot (and any other monks who may be involved in that decision). You may feel strongly that you have a vocation to the priesthood as a monk; they may not see it that way.

And assuming you join and end up making perpetual vows, it will be up to the monastery to pay for your education as a priest.

 

[otjm]

None. They take a vow of poverty, and aren’t allowed to own anything.

And there is the joke that the orders take the vow of poverty, and the diocesan priests live the vow of poverty.

 

[VonDerTann]

With all due respect, ninjaguy, the questions you pose make it appear that what you’re really looking for is an easy life.

It would be great, at least in the eyes of some, to pray all day with basically no pressure to be productive as society describes it; have no real obligations;
do little if any work (no laundry or other chores!); get a check; and just walk out for weekends out periodically.

I can’t say for sure, but my strong belief is that anyone who lives the quiet contemplative/prayerful life anything like what you may seek works extremely hard, with nothing, and I mean nothing, in the way of creature comforts (I knew a nun at a house of prayer in the American desert west, and the way she described it was so beyond hard I can’t imagine deliberately choosing that lifestyle unless someone basically viewed their entire life as essentially a form of penance for the sins of humanity).

 

[phil19034]

Is there a calling to be able to be in a monastery or church and just pray and read catholic books the whole day? Or will I still have to do other work like do laundry?

You still have to do chores. Depending on the order and/or monastery, the number of hours dedicated to chores can differ. In some monasteries, chores consist of laundry, cooking and cleaning. In others, it might consists of making wine, coffee, bread, etc. to be sold.

What order are those monks who lock themselves underneath the Vatican and pray all day for world peace and only come out when a new pope is elected?

They are not monks. I think you are referring to the Canons of St. Peter’s Basilica. That group is very different from other orders, as the only way to become a member is to be appointed by the Pope.

However, there is another group that you also might be thinking of, but they do not meet inside the Vatican walls… The Canons Regular of the Lateran, but they are less connected to His Holiness than the name implies.

Is there such a occupation of constant prayer?

Perhaps hermits. However, even they need to stop to cook their own food and clean up their personal hermitage. Very few orders today (if any) have maids.

Will I be given the chance to go outside of the monastery once in a while?

Not really. Typically only for a doctor’s appointment (if they don’t bring doctors in) and the like. Some do allow monks to leave to visit sick parents/siblings and attend funerals. Others may not.

• Monks typically don’t leave
• Friars can come and go as they wish
• Canons Regular are not as locked down as Monks, but are typically not as free as Friars
• Cleric Regulars are typically free to go as they please like Friars (both within reason - as they dont’ have their own money)

How much is room and board to join the seminary?

This depends on the order. Some pay for everything when in the seminary. Some pay for most of it, but expect you to fundraise a percentage.

How much money do monks and brothers make?

Nothing. Since monks don’t leave, they typically don’t need money. If a monk wants to buy something, like books, then they would ask their superior, unless they are given a small allowance (which isn’t as common with Monks as it is with Friars)

Friars on the other hand are often given an allowance (like kids from their parents) to spend on random things when they are out and about (like coffee, lunch, taxi fare, plane travel to visit parents, etc). The Dominican friars near me each have a debit or credit card (not sure which) for them to use and money is taken out of their allowance.

 

[phil19034]

With all due respect, ninjaguy, the questions you pose make it appear that what you’re really looking for is an easy life.

It would be great, at least in the eyes of some, to pray all day with basically no pressure to be productive as society describes it; have no real obligations;
do little if any work (no laundry or other chores!); get a check; and just walk out for weekends out periodically.

I can’t say for sure, but my strong belief is that anyone who lives the quiet contemplative/prayerful life anything like what you may seek works extremely hard, with nothing, and I mean nothing, in the way of creature comforts (I knew a nun at a house of prayer in the American desert west, and the way she described it was so beyond hard I can’t imagine deliberately choosing that lifestyle unless someone basically viewed their entire life as essentially a form of penance for the sins of humanity).

@ninjaguy - I would like to add, that it SOUNDS TO ME that you might be actually looking of a group of Canon Regulars vs Monks.

Just me, but that might be more your speed.

Perhaps you should try this Vocations Matching online test: https://vocationnetwork.org/en/match

It’s not perfect, but might help you

 

[InThePew]

Is there a calling to be able to be in a monastery or church and just pray and read catholic books the whole day? Or will I still have to do other work like do laundry?

Many (Western) monastic orders follow some form of the Rule of St Benedict which has at its heart the notion of ora et labora - prayer and work. Monastic communities come together for communal prayer at multiple times throughout the day (starting from very early in the morning) the idea being the their lives a centred around prayer. However, in between this, there’s times for work, recreation spiritual reading and other activities (such as welcoming guests). How strict the life is, especially when it comes to silence and seclusion, varies from order to order - the Cistercians, for example, follow a fare stricter lifestyle than Benedictines. At the extreme end of things, is an order like the Carthusians or Camaldolese who are essentially hermits living in communities! Even these order though still engage in manual work and recreation.

How much is room and board to join the seminary?

This depends on the seminary. Many offer scholarships or have financial support available for those for whom cost is a barrier.

How much money do monks and brothers make?

Essentially none. Members of those orders which follow a more active life (and so go out more) often receive a small allowance for personal spending but this is mimimal.

 

[JanR]

I’ll bet they learn fairly quickly how to manage money.

 

[CroatCatholic]

Hello, dear brother!
Well, I think that there is no order like this. But, from what I know, one of the strictest orders are the Carthusian Monks. But, like how you described it, I doubt that. But, it is wonderful if yoj are being attracted to that way of life, and continue praying, thinking and seeking guidance from God and priests and religious about choosing a life like this.
Peace!

 

[dochawk]

Essentially none. Members of those orders which follow a more active life (and so go out more) often receive a small allowance for personal spending but this is mimimal.

I"m blanking on the name of his order, but the brother assigned to my parish saw the stipend doubled recently.

It’s now $40/month . . .

He was’t allow to accept supplements, but back when I belonged to Costco, he could accept the blocks of his favorite gum I picked up . . .