The Monastic Charism.
Many communities of consecrated men live a monastic charism. For these monks consecrated life is primarily a call to community, a degree of separation from the outside world, and a healthy balance of work and prayer. Some monasteries are known for running schools and some of the monks may teach or minister in some other capacity related to education. In other monasteries the monks are primarily engaged in farming or craftsmanship of some kind.
Thomas Chisholm, OSB
Benedictine Father Thomas Chisholm of St. Procopius Abbey shares his reflections about monastic life during the Year of Consecrated Life saying, "Community life of prayer and work has been my salvation. I find strength in my confreres' talents, and, I hope I contribute something of my gifts to them as well."
God has given each religious order a way of life, which is exemplified in its founder and specified in its documents and tradition. This way of life is called the religious order's "charism." The ultimate point of a charism is to unite each member of the religious order to Christ, by making him more Christ-like. In considering how to summarize the monastic charism of the Benedictine Order, the monks of St. Procopius Abbey use three words -- Prayer, Work and Stability, the focus on Benedictine life for over 1,500 years.
But perhaps Brother Guy Jelinek, OSB sums it up best saying, "We're only men with a job to do."
Click here to watch a video about St. Procopius Abbey describing "life in a monastic community."
God has given each religious order a way of life, which is exemplified in its founder and specified in its documents and tradition. This way of life is called the religious order's "charism." The ultimate point of a charism is to unite each member of the religious order to Christ, by making him more Christ-like. In considering how to summarize the monastic charism of the Benedictine Order, the monks of St. Procopius Abbey use three words -- Prayer, Work and Stability, the focus on Benedictine life for over 1,500 years.
But perhaps Brother Guy Jelinek, OSB sums it up best saying, "We're only men with a job to do."
Click here to watch a video about St. Procopius Abbey describing "life in a monastic community."
