A
person usually applies after staying in the monastery
a few times to consider things with the Novice Master
and abbot. If the application is accepted you will
be invited to come as a postulant for six months.
The Postulancy
Postulants live in the Novitiate and share fully
in the life and work of the Novitiate. This is
to help newcomers and monks get to know each other,
but most especially it is to help them consider
what God wants. The Novice Master will also be
considering a person’s vocation, and want to help
them examine what monastic life in a particular
community will involve.
Postulants attend the
community’s prayer and recreation and they study
some aspects of monastic life and prayer. All is
designed in such a way as to assist the process of
discernment. In the light of this experience he can
apply to join the Novitiate. Of course, a postulant
may leave at any time.
The Novitiate
On completing the postulancy, a man may ask to enter
the Novitiate. The novitiate is the first formal
period of training to be a monk. Over the course
of a full year, the novice will study the Rule
of St Benedict, the Constitutions of our Congregation,
possibly some Latin and monastic history. He will
also learn more about prayer and lectio divina,
and the liturgy. All studies are tailored to meet
individual needs.
The main purpose of the
Novitiate is to continue is to continue the search
for God under the guidance of the Novice Master,
an experienced monk, and to discern whether the novice
may truly have a vocation to the monastic life in
that particular community. During this time of monastic
formation progress is regularly assessed, and if
the novice or the community comes to the decision
that his vocation does not lie within the community,
then he may leave.
Temporary Vows
If a novice wishes to commit himself properly to
monastic life, the whole community will consider
his application before he can make his Profession.
In the first instance this is a temporary commitment,
usually for three years. It consists in making
vows of stability, obedience and conversatio morum.
This
time is when the junior (as he is now called),
will normally begin theological and philosophical
study, as well as receive more practical formation
in the work of the community. This study is intended
to help one deepen a person’s knowledge and understanding
of the ways of God, as well as his understanding
of the place of monastic life in the life and mission
of the Church.
Solemn Vows
When he is ready to do so, after three years, a junior
may ask to make his Final Profession of monastic
vows for life. This is generally called Solemn
Profession, and it binds a monk for the rest of
his life. After solemn vows the monk will be a
member of the Chapter, and have the right and duty
to discuss and vote on issues concerning the community.
Many
of our monks are also ordained to the Priesthood;
this requires further training, and the Abbot decides
about this at the time of Solemn Profession. If the
monk is to be ordained to the priesthood, he may
be sent to Rome, or some other Catholic Institute
in order to complete them.
If you want to find out
more about vocations or the monastic life in general,
please go to Contact Us.
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