Vocations to the Monastic life
When giving indications as how to admit new members to the monastery, St. Benedict himself instructs those responsible for newcomers to "observe if the candidate truly seeks God, if he is eager for the Work of God, obedience and trials" (RB 8,7). One may be surprised to read in the Rule of St. Benedict, "do not grant newcomers an easy entry, but, as the Apostle says, Test the spirits, to see if they are truly of God (1 Jn. 4,1; RB 58,1-2). Here St. Benedict shows his care that the motivation of the candidate be for the sole reason of seeking God above all else and not for reasons that are not in harmony with this fundamental ideal of monastic life.
Since our foundation in 1855 by decree of Pope Pius IX under the patronage of the Holy Guardian Angels, the monks of our monastic congregation have responded to the needs of the Church in a variety of pastoral and educational ministries, but especially by chanting the Divine Office and the celebration of the Eucharist daily. There is a great need for courageous men to lay down their lives in imitation of Christ and humbly follow in the monastic way of life. It is a life of conversion that leads to a deep, abiding peace and communion with God.
If you believe that God may be calling you to the monastic life, we invite you to explore the process of discernment with a Benedictine vocation director near you. To further assist you in your personal discernment, we provide this reading list.
-
ALABAMA
St. Bernard Abbey
Cullman
Father Joel Martin, O.S.B. and Brother Marion Sanchez, O.S.B.
vocations@stbernardabbey.com -
CANADA
St. Peter's Abbey
Muenster
Brother Benedict van Ginkle, O.S.B.
pvanginkel1@hotmail.com -
FLORIDA
St. Leo’s Abbey
St. Leo
Bro. Apollo Rodriguez, O.S.B.
stleoabbeyvocations@gmail.com -
KANSAS
St. Benedict’s Abbey
Atchison
Brother Leven Harton, O.S.B.
levenharton@gmail.com -
ILLINOIS
St. Bede Abbey
Peru
Abbot Philip Davey, O.S.B.
frphilip@st-bede.com -
ILLINOIS
St. Procopius Abbey
Lisle
Father James Flint, O.S.B.
jflint@procopius.org -
MEXICO
Abadia del Tepeyac
Cuautitlán Izcalli
Hermano Luis Alonso Orozco Dias, O.S.B.
vocacionestepeyac@hotmail.com -
MINNESOTA
St. John's Abbey
Collegeville
Fr. Michael Peterson, OSB, O.S.B.
mpeterson@csbsju.edu -
NEW HAMPSHIRE
St. Anselm Abbey
Manchester
Fr. Anselm Smedlie, O.S.B.
asmedile@anselm.edu -
NEW JERSEY
St. Mary’s Abbey
Morristown
Father Joseph Voltaggio, O.S.B.
vocations@delbarton.org -
NEW JERSEY
Newark Abbey
Newark
Brother Patrick Winbush, O.S.B.
pwinbush@sbp.org -
NORTH CAROLINA
Mary Help of Christians Abbey
Belmont
Father Elias Correa-Torres, O.S.B.
FatherElias@bac.edu -
NORTH DAKOTA
Assumption Abbey
Richardton
Brother Michael Taffe, O.S.B.
michael@assumptionabbey.com -
OHIO
St. Andrew Abbey
Cleveland
Father Thomas Sanders, O.S.B.
Thomas@standrewabbey.org -
OKLAHOMA
St. Gregory's Abbey
Shawnee
Father Boniface Copelin, O.S.B.
frboniface@monksok.org -
PENNSYLVANIA
St. Vincent Archabbey
Latrobe
Father Maximilian Maxwell, O.S.B.
maximilian.maxwell@stvincent.edu -
PUERTO RICO
San Antonio Abad
Humacao
Hermano Aristides Pachecho, O.S.B.
aristidespachecho@yahoo.com -
VIRGINIA
Mary Mother of the Church Abbey
Richmond
Father John Mary Lugemwa, O.S.B.
frjohnmary@richmondmonks.org -
WASHINGTON
St. Martin's Abbey
Lacey
Father Paul Weckert, O.S.B.
paul@stmartin.edu