The benefits of having Monastery's -what are they?

[TEPO]

Christian Monastarys seem to have been prevelant in the early Church days, but I don’t think Catholics have a very clear idea on what their purpose or intent was (myself included).

Please enlighten me on why the monastery’s were created and what benefits they offered to God and His Church as a whole… Don’t be afraid to go into detail. You can offer opinions, facts, pictures, or even talk about side issues that deal with monastery’s.

Thank you, and have fun!

 

[christofirst]

Well, the best thing to do would be to Google different Christian monasteries and check out their websites. Type in Benedictine Monastery, or Carmelite, or Cistercian, or any of many others. Most of them give their history and their reason-for-being; their specific charism. A lot of them are in the “business” of prayer, and it is said that this prayer helps to sustain the world.

In addition to prayer, many offer hospitality and retreats, so those of us “in the world” can get away for a while and recharge our “spiritual batteries”.

Still other monastics focus on teaching or writing, or some other service to the world at large.

Perhaps the most important reason for the existence of monasteries today is to remind us that we are more than “what we do” (many people complain that monastics “do nothing”, which is not true as shown above). Our true value is in our very existence, as children of God, but we forget this in a consumer-driven culture.

 

[Luigi_Daniele]

I read somewhere that it is the prayers of monks and nuns that are keeping the righteous Hand of God at bay.

 

[TEPO]

This looks like a really awesome one…!

contemplation.com/

 

[TEPO]

…Here’s a list of some monastery’s -some of the links are a little outdated though…

catholiclinks.org/monasteriosestadosunidos.htm

 

[Cloisters]

The approved apparitions of Our Lady of Good Success discuss the importance of monasteries. The more wretched the world becomes in sin, the more contemplatives God calls to appease His wrath. They are like Moses on Mt Sinai, to whom God said, “Leave me alone, that my wrath may flare up against them!” Moses being there was keeping God from acting against His sinful nation.

The first monastery per se was built by St Pachomius, but the wall was mostly a privacy fence.

 

[christofirst]

This looks like a really awesome one…!

contemplation.com/

Yes it is! I was just going on about the wonders of the place in the Benedictine thread nearby.

Since you are in Orange County (and my neighbor), have you ever visited St. Michael’s Abbey, the Norbertines in Silverado? I should like to visit there someday.

 

[TEPO]

Yes it is! I was just going on about the wonders of the place in the Benedictine thread nearby.

Since you are in Orange County (and my neighbor), have you ever visited St. Michael’s Abbey, the Norbertines in Silverado? I should like to visit there someday.

If that’s the one by O’Neill campground in Trabuco Canyon, then I know the one you’re talking about.

I spent a good deal of time camping there, in fact -that’s the time when I first became a member here at CAF. I was confirmed at San Francisco Solano Church right down the road during that time as well.

…yes, I should Definantly look into that -and I will say, that the canyon near St Michaels has a ‘majestic’ feel to it. There is something magical about that area!

 

[TEPO]

…I remember hiking there in the canyon one quiet morning and there a bobcat leapt out of a tree only about 60 feet in front of me… One of those moments I’ll never forget.

 

[christofirst]

…I remember hiking there in the canyon one quiet morning and there a bobcat leapt out of a tree only about 60 feet in front of me… One of those moments I’ll never forget.

That’s great! Now you’ve whet my appetite all the more to get down there and see the place for myself.

I do most of my hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains (where the Franciscan Serra Retreat Center is also located). Once, my son and I saw a mountain lion reclining on a grassy hill far ahead of us near Malibu Creek State Park. It seemed to be old, or tired, as it was just there on its haunches out in the open. We, however, turned and headed back the way we came!