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| The Church and the World Even though monks live, not in the cities, but preferably at a distance
from all the busy-ness, in the solitude of places that are off the beaten path, that
doesn’t preclude our being affected by what goes on in the church and the world of
our time. We are aware of the good elements of our time, as well as of the needs and
crises in the Church and in the world. We know that we are living members of this world
and feel the bonds that we share with all human beings. We want to make our contribution
towards the building of a new world and a renewed Church consciousness through our prayer
and also by making our guesthouse available to anyone who, in silence, meditation, and
stillness, is seeking new insight into her own personal path through life. Basilius
Senger, in his book Sint-Benedictus, writes: schrijft:
“In
contrast to today’s openly proclaimed revolutions, as well as to the silent
revolutions of all forms of life in our so-called ‘performance society,’ it can
be quite instructive to direct our attention to a monastery that tries to harmonize
authority and brotherhood, discipline and freedom, prayer and work, stability and
continual renewal. Religious life in the school of St. Benedict is a rich inheritance and
an engaging project for those who have chosen it. It could quite possibly be that
today’s monks have, more than ever before, a special place and purpose in the modern
world. In their own way, they have to be - and remain - the ‘salt of the
earth.’” ' |
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We are pleased to be able to offer something from the deeper dimension of
existence simply by living our life as it is.
“Imagine a
circle drawn in the sand.
Imagine that this circle is the world, God is the middle point, the hub of a
wheel, and all the spokes that come together and meet in the center are the different ways
of life of all humankind.
Whenever anyone, longing to draw near to God, makes a little bit of progress
toward the center of this wheel, they come, at the same time and in the same proportion,
CLOSER TO GOD and CLOSER TO ONE ANOTHER.”
Dorotheus of Gaza, 6de eeuw |
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Our daily schedule is
as follows:
3:45 Rise
4:05 Vigils and Meditation
5:30 Breakfast (or after the Eucharist)
7:15 Lauds and Eucharist
9:30 Terce
9:45 Work
12:15 Sext
12:30 Dinner
2:15 None
2:30 Work
5:00 Vespers
5:50 Supper
7:25 Compline
8:00 Retire
On Sunday, Lauds is at 7:30, the
Eucharist at 11:00 (Sext is omitted), Dinner at 12:45, and None at 2:30. The times of all
the other Offices are the same as on weekdays. |
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The Reception of
Sisters
Before a sister enters the monastery,
there is a time for getting acquainted. We get to know the candidate better during this
period and it becomes clearer whether or not this way of life is for her. After her
entrance, there is a more intense time of introduction called the Postulancy. This lasts
at least 6 months, but how long a person needs before taking the next step is a very
personal matter. The next step is the Clothing, when the candidate receives the habit of
the Order and begins a new phase of her religious life. This phase is called the Noviciate
and lasts at least 2 years. When both she and the community agree that she is ready to
make a temporary commitment, she makes Simple Profession for three years. If she desires
to remain in this community seeking God for the rest of her life, then, after being
accepted by the community, she can bind herself through Monastic Profession and the Vow of
Stability in this community. The whole period of growth and development towards this big
day encompasses a time span of at least five and a half years. |
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