On Becoming a Monk

Have you ever considered a monastic lifestyle? It takes dedication and a commitment to your community to embark on this journey. Cistercians are often called to a particular Monastery, rather than to a particular Order. Those interested in becoming a monk can inquire at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit through exploration, visits to our grounds and live-in observership.

REQUIREMENTS FOR INQUIRERS

1. Practicing Catholic or in RCIA
2. Some college and/or work experience and/or professional training
3. US citizen or permanent resident
4. Free of debts, long-term family obligations, addictive behavior
5. Good physical and emotional health
6. Single or have received an annulment

THE INITIAL STAGES OF THE PROCESS OF VOCATIONAL EXPLORATION

1. To familiarize yourself with our Order, we suggest you visit our regional website, where you will find A Newcomer’s Guide to Trappist Life, Steps to Becoming a Monk, and much information about all our monasteries in the U.S.A. The American Region’s Vocation Website is: www.trappist.org (http://www.trappists.org)

2. What if, after having grown more familiar with our Order, you would like to explore the possibility of a vocation at Holy Spirit Monastery? Read more at www.olhsvocations.com . Then we would invite you to tell us about your faith journey, prayer life, work experience, reason(s) for desiring monastic life, and whatever might help us to know you better. (Via email or letter.)

Should our vocation team agree that the matter deserves exploration, your status would shift from inquirer to candidate.  You will receive an information form and a medical/contact document to be sent to us before your visit.

3. If the vocation team concludes that it would be good to begin a process of vocational exploration, you would be invited to come and be with us. Prayer and quiet pondering in a silent environment would set the tone of your initial visit.

4. Your time with us would offer an opportunity to live, pray, work with our community, and meet with members of the vocation team. These visits would help both of us to discern mutually if signs pointed to a continuation of the exploration.

5. If you and the vocation team mutually agree that our monastery might be the direction God is leading you, we would invite you to visit for a minimum of five days. At this time, we would ask that you request letters of recommendation from your pastor, a former employer, and a good friend. In addition, we would ask that you fill out a medical information form

6. If further serious exploration were indicated, we would invite you to make a third visit for at least five days.

OUR AGE LIMIT

We rarely accept candidates younger than 21 because we want to encourage them to have more life experience.
We rarely accept candidates over 45 because of the difficulty experienced in transitioning from an independent lifestyle into the interdependence, challenges, and limitations of a cloistered environment.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK  -- Join Holy Spirit Abbey vocations on Facebook

COME AND SEE WEEKENDS (2017)
December 30-January 1 (Weekend)
June 30 – July 2 (Weekend)
These retreats help an inquirer explore the monastic life together with other like-minded men.

 

Is the Cistercian Monastic Life for you?
Recommended Readings

Intrigued by the monastic lifestyle? We’ve recommended readings to help you gain a deeper understanding of the community and discernment.