Monastic Priesthood

Monks are not the same thing as priests. A monk promises his life to God, and the monastery is where he seeks and finds him. A priest is ordained to serve the wider Church and to build up the family of God in parishes and in other forms of witness to the Gospel.

In his Rule, St Benedict said that the Abbot may ask the Bishop to ordain monks to the priesthood to serve the needs of the community. A monk who is ordained a priest is in no way released from his vows, but he exercises his priesthood as part of the life and witness of the monastic community. St Benedict says a monk priest should use the priesthood to grow even closer to God.

A monk priest will celebrate Mass, hear confessions etc. like any other priest, but he always maintains his commitment to the monastic life in community. Because of our traditional work, at Downside most of the community are ordained priests, but this is not always the case. The Abbot makes the decision who should be ordained. However, all professed monks have an equal voice in the community and share fully in its life and work.