Michael Brooks
Becoming a Catholic monk in America involves a series of choices, experiences, reflection, and prayer. A man must first explore Benedictine life, which involves visiting the community, sharing in their prayer and work, reflecting on sacred scripture, and listening to God in prayer. The candidate must be male, single, Roman Catholic, and have received the Sacrament of Confirmation. They should also be free from binding obligations to their family and be in good physical and mental health. After several visits, the candidate may apply to enter the community as a postulant, which is a trial period where the candidate lives within the community and gets accustomed to the monastery's way of life. At the end of the postulancy period, the candidate may apply to become a novice and make simple vows, which are a period of temporary commitment lasting around three years. Finally, the candidate makes their final profession of vows, which binds them to the community for life.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Age | Usually between 20 and 35 years old, but some monasteries accept up to 40 years old |
| Gender | Male |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Nationality | US citizen |
| Financial Status | Not in debt and capable of earning a living |
| Health | Robust mental and physical health |
| Vocation Director Recommendation | Required before application |
| Postulancy | A trial period of living within the community, lasting from 3 months to 2 years |
| Novitiate | A time for learning the discipline and art of living the Gospel as a monk |
| Simple Vows | A period of temporary commitment lasting 3 years |
| Solemn Profession | A public liturgical act where final vows are made, binding the monk to the community for life |
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What You'll Learn
Requirements for applicants
To become a Catholic monk in America, you must be male, single, Roman Catholic, and have received the Sacrament of Confirmation. Candidates should be between 20 and 40 years old, and physically and mentally robust. They should be free from binding obligations to family and debt, and have lived a good, moral Catholic life for several years.
The first step in the process is to explore Benedictine life by visiting the community, sharing in prayer and work, and reflecting on sacred scripture. This is a time for listening to God in prayer and seeking advice from a Spiritual Director. Candidates should also be prepared to undergo a postulancy period, which can last from three months to two years, where they will live within the community and discern their vocation. During this time, the community will judge whether the candidate has the human and spiritual maturity required to enter the novitiate.
The novitiate is a time for learning the discipline and art of living the Gospel as a monk, and receiving instruction about the Christian faith and life. At the end of this period, the candidate will make their initial profession, binding themselves to live the monastic life with temporary vows that are valid for three years but can be renewed.
Finally, after a minimum of five years, the candidate will make their final profession of vows, a ceremony that binds them to the community for life. They will be clothed with the cuculla, the symbol of a fully professed monk, and will become a Brother in Christ, continuing to listen to God's Call for themselves and their community.
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The application process
The process of becoming a Catholic monk in America varies depending on the specific monastery and order. However, there are some general steps and requirements that are common to most monasteries. Here is a detailed guide on the application process:
- Exploring Benedictine Life: Before applying to become a monk, it is essential to understand the Benedictine way of life. This involves visiting the monastery, participating in prayers and work, reflecting on sacred scripture, and listening to God. This exploration stage is crucial for discerning whether monastic life is the right path for you.
- Contacting the Vocation Director: The first official step in the application process is to reach out to the monastery's Vocation Director. This director will guide you through the process and help you discern your calling. They may ask you to submit a vocation form to learn more about your interests and background.
- Discernment Visits: During these visits, you will share in the community's prayers, work, and spiritual practices. This stage allows you to gain a deeper understanding of monastic life and for the monks to get to know you better. It is a time for reflection and discernment.
- Postulancy: After several visits and with the recommendation of the Vocation Director, you can apply to enter the community as a postulant. Postulancy is a trial period where you live within the monastery and gradually transition from secular to religious life. This stage typically lasts from three months to two years. It is a time for you to discern your vocation further, get to know the monks, and for the community to assess your human and spiritual maturity.
- Application to the Novitiate: At the end of postulancy, you can apply to the abbot to become a novice. The abbot will seek the consent of the chapter, which comprises all the solemnly-professed monks. The novitiate is a formative time where you learn the discipline and art of living the Gospel as a monk.
- Simple Vows: Once accepted into the novitiate, you will take simple vows, which are a period of temporary commitment typically lasting three years. During this time, you will receive a broad theological foundation and practical experience in apostolic activities. You will embrace values such as humility, poverty, chastity, stability, and obedience to determine your ability to live the monastic life.
- Final Profession: After successfully completing the simple vow period, you will make your final profession of vows. This ceremony binds you to the monastic community for life. You will be clothed with the cuculla, symbolizing your status as a fully professed monk. From this point forward, you are a permanent member of the monastic community, dedicated to serving God and the Church.
It is important to remember that the application process may vary slightly between different monasteries and orders. Additionally, specific eligibility criteria, such as age requirements and Catholic confirmation, must be met before beginning the process.
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The postulancy period
Postulants receive instruction about the Christian faith and life, and they are expected to listen to God in prayer and seek advice from a Spiritual Director. This period marks a gradual transition from secular to religious life, allowing the postulant to become better acquainted with the community's prayer life and work.
At the end of the postulancy period, the postulant applies to the abbot to become a novice. The abbot must obtain the consent of the chapter, which is composed of all the solemnly-professed monks, to admit a candidate into the novitiate.
The novitiate is a subsequent phase where the novice undergoes further formation, learning the discipline and art of living the Gospel as a monk. This period involves temporary vows and is a time for continuing growth, where the monk receives a broad theological foundation and practical experience in apostolic activities.
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The novitiate period
If the novice is admitted to temporary vows, they become a junior monk and begin their juniorate period. This lasts for a minimum of three years, but it can be extended to a maximum of nine years. During this time, the monk continues to receive instruction and formation, and they will report annually to the chapter on their progress. The junior monk's work is more focused than in the novitiate, and they will begin to explore new areas of interest and hobbies, learn new practical skills, and advance their professional studies.
At the end of the juniorate period, the monk will make their solemn profession of vows, vowing themselves to the community in obedience, stability, and conversion to the monastic way of life. This is a lifelong commitment to the community and marks the end of their initial formation process.
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Final vows
The final vows of a monk are a ceremony that binds him to the community for life. This is a solemn profession, celebrated with appropriate solemnity by the abbot and community, formally receiving him into the monastery and consecrating him permanently to the service of God in the monastic way of life. This marks the definitive reception of the monk into the monastic chapter and the end of his initial formation.
The final vows are also known as the "evangelical counsels" and are taken in most Catholic religious orders. They are:
- Poverty: Voluntary poverty is embraced in response to Jesus' invitation to the rich young man in the Bible. Monks own no personal property, emulating the early Christian community.
- Chastity: Monks live a celibate life, focused on their dedication to God.
- Obedience: Monks obey the abbot (the elected head of the monastery) and the Rule of Benedict, but this also goes beyond that. As St. Benedict teaches, "obedience given to Superiors is given to God". This means that any task is seen as a call to participate in the obedience of Jesus and is performed with the conviction that one is obeying God.
In addition to these three vows, Benedictine monks make two further vows:
- Stability: Benedictine monks vow to a particular community in a particular location. This means that the monk will stay in the same monastery for life.
- Conversion to the Monastic Way of Life: This vow encompasses living simply, living a celibate life, and living a schedule of daily prayers and meals with the community. It also means never becoming complacent or slothful in one's efforts to grow in holiness.
The final vows are the culmination of a long process of formation. After a year and a day of testing as a novice, a monk may apply for first vows. These are temporary and last a minimum of three years, after which a monk may apply for solemn vows, which are lifelong.
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Frequently asked questions
A candidate must be male, single, Roman Catholic, and have received the Sacrament of Confirmation. He must be a US citizen, between the ages of 20 and 40, and free from binding obligations to family.
The first step is to explore Benedictine life by visiting the monastery community, sharing in their prayer and work, and reflecting on sacred scripture. The next step is postulancy, a trial period where the candidate lives within the community for 6 months to 2 years. After postulancy, the candidate applies to the abbot to become a novice and begins the novitiate, a time for learning the discipline and art of living the Gospel as a monk. The candidate then pronounces simple vows, a period of temporary commitment lasting 3 years. Finally, the candidate makes a solemn profession, vowing himself to the community for life.
A Catholic monk typically takes the vows of stability, obedience, and conversion to the monastic way of life. Additionally, during the period of simple vows, the monk embraces humility, poverty, and chastity.
A Catholic monk dedicates his life to God, pursuing Christ in service to the Church and the World. He lives a life of integrity and wholeness, finding joy in solitude and silence, constant prayer, and willing penance.
