White Benedictine habits?

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At first glance I thought they were Cistercian novices who wear all white. The monks in the picture linked in the OP have thin black belts under the scapular however while Cistercian novices tend to wear a wide white sash over the scapular. So I don’t think they are Cistercians.

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-Tim-
 
Each Benedictine congregation has a different habit, so it’s a bit hard to tell. They are certainly not Dominicans though, since they’re missing the rosary on their right hip.

It is not at all uncommon for orders like the Benedictines to adopt white habits in tropical climates, so that’s a guess.

I’m not familiar with the habit of the Camillians, so I can’t comment there.
 
Apart from some African Benedictines, I believe the Camaldolese and Olivetan Benedictines also have white habits. There is a Camaldolese community in California.
 
You can look up photos like this using Google’s Search by Image, and from the results, narrow it down.

A search of the image above seems to point to the Trappists at St. Joseph’s Abbey, Spencer, MA.
 
OraLabora said:
Apart from some African Benedictines, I believe the Camaldolese and Olivetan Benedictines also have white habits. There is a Camaldolese community in California.
Click to expand...
I think user bmonk here on the forums might be Camaldolese.

-Tim-
 
Ad_Orientem said:
You can look up photos like this using Google’s Search by Image, and from the results, narrow it down.

A search of the image above seems to point to the Trappists at St. Joseph’s Abbey, Spencer, MA.
Click to expand...
Close but I don’t think so.

If they were from St. Joseph then they would have to be novices. Novices at St. Joseph wear white scapulars. I believe white scapulars on novices is typical for Cistercians.

The monks in the OP are also wearing their scapular hanging free with the belt underneath. I have never seen a Cistercian/Trappist wear their scapular hanging free but always secured to the body at the waist with a belt, cord or sash like in the picture.

http://mayyoufindstrength.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/trappist-habit.jpg?w=474

Notice the Benedictines with their belt under the scapular like in the OP. These are from the Pluscardin Abbey in Scotland.
http://www.pluscardenabbey.org/assets/aelred web1.jpg

-Tim-
 
I don’t think they are Cistercian or Trappist. I highly doubt Camadolese considering how traditional these religious seem. Traditionally, I’ve known their belt as the belt of St. Augustine which active orders usually wear. However, they seem Benedictine. It’s odd to me atleast that Benedictines woould fly from England to Oklahonma for simple professions. Plus, there are multiple pictures of these mysterious men in white on their cite. There is an picture with lots of them on this page. clearcreekmonks.org/construction.html
 
They could be novices possibly.The Sylvesterines, who are a branch of St.Benedict’s family wear or used to wear a blue habit.
Not sure if the Order of Monte Virgine and Italian order are affliated with the benedictines, but they also wear a white habit. The have nuns as well, but no US houses I know of.
 
The novices of the Cistercian Abbey in Irving, Texas (next to the University of Dallas campus) wear all white for their first year. However, they have collars that poke out of their scapulars, and buttons down the front of their scapulars as well. You can see the tops of the habits here: cistercian.org/abbey/directory/

And here (from this year’s novice group):
http://www.cistercian.org/abbey/news/abbey-news/images/Ignatius_Novices.jpg

At Clear Creek Abbey, the monks wear black during most of the year; however, during the summer months they wear all white lighter habits due to the heat.
 
The more I am learning about Benedictine life and Clear Creek Abbey, I feel the Holy Spirit drawing me there. God bless our religious and diocesan priests.
 
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