Community

As Benedictine Sisters, we deepen our relationship with God and with one another by actively participating in the common life of the community. We are deeply committed to seeking God together, sharing common meals, living spaces, household chores, times of recreation, and holy leisure. After a period of formation, we make a lifelong commitment to this Benedictine way of life by professing obedience, stability, and fidelity to the monastic way of life.

Our elected Prioress, understood in faith to take the place of Christ in the monastery, leads in unifying the Community in a shared vision. The monastic structure is liberating, freeing our minds to contemplate and to unite as committed disciples of the Lord.

St. Benedict counsels a balance of prayer and work.  The Liturgy of the Hours helps sustain this balance throughout each day as we move between times of prayer and times of labor.  Prayer infuses our labor with depth and meaning, while work engages us deeply in the created order, giving focus and perspective to our prayer.

This balance of prayer and work is mirrored by a balance of time alone and time in community.  Each Sister has a space apart in which to retire for solitude and personal prayer, or to engage in holy leisure such as reading or hobbies.

St. Benedict’s call to community means that we do not remain in solitude. Our time apart enlivens and invigorates our life together as we respond joyfully to Benedict’s call to seek God within the common life of the monastic community.

 

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