FAQ

1. Someone who seeks God, is faithful to prayer and is called to live in community.
2. Women who are at least two years beyond high school graduation and up to age 55. 
3. Someone who is healthy in both mind and body.
4. A sense of humor and the ability to be flexible are helpful in community living. 

Each Sister has their own bedroom which is furnished with a bed, dresser, desk, nightstand, and chair.  Each room also has a closet and sink.  There is a community room (like a living room) on each residence floor where sisters gather for evening recreation, read the newspaper or watch television.  Showers and bathrooms are dorm style and each floor has a kitchenette where breakfast and lunch are eaten.  The main meal each day is eaten together in the main dining room.

Our community prays the Liturgy of the Hours together four times a day:  Morning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Vespers (evening prayer) and Compline (night prayer).  Morning Prayer is always followed by Eucharist.  Each sister also spends time doing Lectio Divina and other personal devotions such as the rosary.

Our days are structured around our communal prayer (see above).  Those who are able engage in full-time ministry.  Some ministry is outside the monastery such as education and other ministries are within the monastery such as retreat work, administration and vocation work.  Those who are no longer able to work full-time may work part-time or may be involved in necessary tasks in the monastery such as assisting with the reception desk, church linens and office work and of course the ministry of prayer.  The Community joins together for the main meal each day and each residence floor gathers for evening recreation.

Although community becomes one’s primary focus of commitment with monastic profession, family ties remain very important.  As a postulant and novice, family visits home and at the monastery are limited in order for the person to become fully engaged with the community members and community life.  Frequency and length of family visits for professed Sisters depends on the individual Sister’s ministry schedule, the needs of her family and accountability to community responsibilities and events.

As Benedictines, we follow the vows that were prescribed by St. Benedict in his Rule (The Rule of St. Benedict) which was written centuries before the evangelical vows of poverty, chastity and obedience were established.  The monastic vows include:
Stability – a commitment of place and of heart to a particular community until death. 
Fidelity to the Monastic Way of Life – faithfully living the monastic life in a way that challenges ourselves to conversion and to be better monastics each day – this vow includes poverty, or simplicity of life, and celibacy.
Obedience – listening to Scripture, the Rule of St. Benedict, the Prioress and other Sisters in community in order to respond with a listening heart.

All communities have some form of prayer life, ministry and community but balance them differently.
Apostolic, or Active communities focus on ministry supported by prayer and community. 
Cloistered communities have prayer as their primary focus supported by community and some form of work within the monastery.
** Monastic communities, like our Benedictine community, focus on communal prayer and community life.  Some monastic communities are cloistered but ours is not.  Therefore, we do participate in ministry outside the monastery, but try to find positions that are compatible with our monastic schedule.

A popular Benedictine motto is Ora et Labora (prayer and work).  While community life and Liturgy of the Hours are central to our Benedictine life, our external ministries are important as well.  Our Community sponsors two schools:  Benedictine Academy – an all-girls high school, and Benedictine Preschool.  Through the Spirituality Center the Community offers retreats, spiritual direction and private desert days.  Some sisters who work outside the monastery also work in the fields of education, health care and administrative assistance.  For those entering the monastery, ministry is based on their education, skills and availability of positions suitable to the monastic schedule.

We do not wear a traditional habit but wearing a veil is optional.  There are varied reasons one may choose to wear the veil or not.  There is a unity and respect among the Sisters that goes beyond what is worn.

After a process of discernment and dialogue with the vocation director, a person can request to become and affiliate of the Community.  An affiliate lives at home but spends time with the Community, meets regularly with the Affiliate Director and prepares for entrance.  The formation process includes postulancy , novitiate and temporary profession before making final vows as a professed member of the Community.  See Stages of Formation.

When Sisters are no longer able to care for themselves, they reside in our infirmary which is part of the monastery.  It is a blessing to be able to care for our older Sisters within the monastery and to have them join the Community as they are able.  The infirmary is also available for Sisters who may need a little extra help after a surgery or injury.