MOUNT SAVIOUR MONASTERY VOCATIONS |
"
The
Church needs your energies, your ideas, your enthusiasm,
to make the Gospel of Life penetrate the fabric of society ." Pope John Paul ll |
If you are interested in finding out more about a possible vocation at Mt. Saviour, we strongly recommend that you visit the monastery for a week if possible.
Even if you are not yet sure what form of life you are being called to, a few days in a monastic setting may be a big help in getting in touch with yourself. The monks' simple life-style is centered on Christ who leads us to the Father through the gift of His Spirit. With its rural, wooded setting and a pace of life with its strong moments of the Mass and the chanting of the Divine Office Mt. Saviour Monastery provides a place of calm and prayer that is especially conducive to reflection.
MOUNT SAVIOUR MONASTERY ORA ET LABORA |
"
Truly
as we advance in this
way of life and faith, our hearts open wide,
and we run with unspeakable sweetness of love on the path of God's commandments. " The Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue |
All such work is secondary to a common life of praying and working together, and in that context the communal prayer, the chanting of the Office, that Benedict calls "The work of God," has a special place. So we space these hours out in a traditional way, rather than grouping or combining them to allow time for other work (as the more active monasteries must).
Study
and lectio divina are perhaps next in value for us. But the monks in fact
engage in a variety of jobs, developing their own skills and preferences:
take care of the farm and sheep, the orchard, the business office, maintaining
the buildings and vehicles, developing and cataloguing the library, and
so on. We have always had monks who developed their talents in music and
the arts and crafts: painting , ceramics, book-binding.
Because of our openness to guests, monks are often called upon for formal
or informal conferences with individuals or groups of guests.
MOUNT SAVIOUR MONASTERY REQUIREMENTS |
"Listen,
O my son, to the precepts of the Master, and incline
the ear of your heart; willingly receive and faithfully fulfill the admonition of your loving father." The beginning of the Prologue to the Rule of St. Benedict |
MOUNT SAVIOUR MONASTERY BECOMING A MONK |
"
Seeking
his workman in a multitude of people, the Lord
calls out to him and lifts his voice again: Is there anyone here who yearns for life and desires to see good days . " Rule of St. Benedict, Prologue 14-15 |
Observer
An
observer spends a month to six weeks "looking over" the community, attending
the Hours, helping with the chores and the like. Initally, he stays in
the men's guest house, but in a few days he moves into the cloister. Usually,
one asks for observer status after having visited the monastery a few times.
But persons coming from a distance may indicate their desire to be an observer
without that.
Postulant
A
postulant is someone the monastic community recognizes as a possible candidate.
Postulants live in the community (sit in choir) and take a fuller part
in the community life. The length of postulancy varies, usually from six
to eighteen months.
Novice
Given
the mutual agreement of the candidate and the community, the Church requires
a canonical novitiate of one year. The novice wears the Benedictine scapular,
sits in the choir and participates fully in the community life.
Simple
Profession
After
completion of the novitiate, the candidate may then make a simple profession,
consisting of three-year vows. He is then a full-fledged but "junior member"
of the community. These temporary vows may be repeated.
Solemn
Profession
To
continue as a member of the community, the monk must make a permanent commitment.
"So that, never departing from his guidance, but perservering in his
teaching in the monastery until death, we may by patience participate in
the passion of Christ; that we may deserve also to be partakers of his
kingdom." (Conclusion to the Prologue of the Rule of St. Benedict)
As the "elders" of the community, the solemnly professed monks are the voting members of the monastery and serve as advisors to the prior or abbot.
Since ours is not an "active" monastery, there is not a great need to have many of the monks ordained as priests. Our primary vocation is to be monks. We can arrange for priestly studies and ordination for brothers as the occasion arises.
MOUNT
SAVIOUR MONASTERY
231 Monastery Rd. Pine City NY 14871 |
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