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There are 188 guestbook entries in 19 pages and you are on page number 10

Comments by Raymond R. Fodrie on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at 16:26 IP Logged IP Logged
What would you say are the principle differences between the Trappists, Cistercians, and the Benedictines?
In these three Orders monks and nuns make profession of their vows according to the Rule of St. Benedict, as interpreted by their particular Constitutions. Trappists and Trappistines are Cistercians of the Strict Observance, governed by General Chapters in a Mixed Meeting of all the superiors every three years, and forming one unified Order. Each community is wholly oriented to a life of prayer, with no active apostolates.

Cistercians of the Common Observance also have monks and nuns but they belong to many different congregations, each with its own regulations. They commonly have active ministries in education, missions, or parishes. Listed here are 17 of congregations in the Common Observance:
01. Congregatio S. Bernardi seu de Castella
02. Congregatio S. Bernardi in Italia
03. Congregatio Coronæ Aragonum
04. Congregatio Augiensis
05. Congregatio B.M.V. Mediatricis Omnium Gratiarum
06. Congregatio Austriaca
07. Congregatio Immaculatæ Conceptionis
08. Congregatio Zircensis
09. Congregatio Purissimi Cordis B.M.V.
10. Congregatio Casamariensis
11. Congregatio B.M.V. Reginæ Mundi seu Polona
12. Congregatio Brasiliensis
13. Congregatio S. Familiæ
14. Monasteria directe Ordini incorporata
15. Foederatio Monialium Hispaniæ
16. Foederatio Monialium Italiæ
17. Congregatio Monialium Cisterciensium.

Benedictine monks and nuns also engage in a variety of active ministries, although some of these communities are strictly contemplative houses. Like the Common Observance they have many different congregations.
* Cassinese Congregation (1408)
* English Congregation (1336)
* Hungarian Congregation (1514)
* Swiss Congregation (1602)
* Austrian Congregation (1625)
* Bavarian Congregation (1684)
* Brazilian Congregation (1827)
* Solesmes Congregation (1837)
* American Cassinese Congregation (1855)
* Subiaco Congregation (1872)
* Beuronese Congregation (1873)
* Swiss American Congregation (1881)
* Ottilien Congregation (1884)
* Annunciation Congregation (1920)
* Slav Congregation (1945)
* Olivetan Congregation (1319)
* Vallombrosian Congregation (1036)
* Camaldolese Congregation (980)
* Neerl-Dutch Congregation (1969)
* Sylvestrine Congregation (1231)
* Cono-Sur Congregation (1976)

Cistercians of the Strict Observance celebrate all the Liturgy of the Hours in choir, rise at 3:15 A.M. and retire at 8:00 P.M. They are vegetarians. Silence, solitude, self-denial, stability, simplicity, and hospitality are more evident than in the other two Orders. It is in the delicate balance of prayer, lectio divina, and work that the Cistercian charism most directly manifests itself.
United States

Comments by Mike on Wednesday, November 8, 2006 at 17:54 IP Logged IP Logged
At one time in my life, I was a high school and college seminarian. Due to this, my education required certain philophy classes and a college degree. I was wondering where monks who want to become priests receive their philosphical and theological training? Is this done on line via the internet from your monastery or do you send your monks to a certain abbey that is close to a graduate school of theology?

Part of the philosophical and theological training is done in the monastery, and the rest is done at a graduate school of theology such as St. John's Collegeville or other seminaries.
United States

Comments by Jose on Saturday, October 28, 2006 at 22:00 IP Logged IP Logged
How do the Trappists compare to the Carthusians on issues of strictness and general worship?


Trappists and Carthusians are the strictest Orders within the type of life they live. Trappists are cenobites, monks who live in community. Carthusians are hermits, monks who live alone with the help of a common structure. It would be difficult for either one to live the way of life of the other if not called to it.

Trappists pray the full Liturgy of the Hours together in choir. Carthusians pray most of the Hours alone in their hermitages but gather in the middle of the night to chant Matins and Lauds. On Sundays and special feast days they pray more of the Office in common.
United States

Comments by Francis on Saturday, October 28, 2006 at 21:58 IP Logged IP Logged
What is the youngest age you allow potential canidates?


At present it is 23. But we are discussing lowering it to 20.
United States

Comments by daniel.h on Saturday, October 7, 2006 at 22:07 IP Logged IP Logged
I WANT TO KNOW WHY THE MONK NO LONGER HAS A TONSURE. IF I WAS IN A COMUNITY I WOULD WANT TO HAVE THIS. WOULD IT BE ALLOWED?
Tonsure, shaving all or part of one's head, is traditionally an observance of Christian and Hindu monks, and of clerics in the Church. It's origins may be connected with the practice in antiquity of shaving the heads of slaves. In Eastern Catholic Churches there are three tonsures: baptismal, monastic, and clerical. They consist in cutting four locks of hair in the form of a cross to signify God's blessing on the head of the newly baptized or on those being consecrated for monastic life or ministry.

In Western traditions the monastic tonsure consists of shaving the whole head. The clerical tonsure took different forms, the most common being the Celtic tonsure, shaving the whole front of the head from ear to ear, with hair being allowed to hang down behind, and the Roman tonsure, shaving all but a circular crown of hair around the head.

Typically, Christian monks were given the monastic tonsure when they became novices, and later on they received the circular tonsure when they entered the clerical state at their first profession of vows. In 1972 admission to the clerical state was changed by the Church to reception of the diaconate, and the practice of clerical tonsure was discontinued.

Since then most of our Cistercian communities continue to give the monastic tonsure, shaving the whole head, at reception of the novice's habit, and have not continued the practice of clerical tonsure.

This is the case at New Melleray. We either shave our heads completely, or cut our hair so short that it does not need to be combed. We do not provide an option for wearing the crown that is typically associated with monks, but which was actually the sign of a cleric in monastic life.
United States

Comments by Eric on Sunday, October 1, 2006 at 10:07 IP Logged IP Logged
Is it possible to be HIV positive and become a monk? All my searching of communities they seem to say that you need to be physically healthy. I am physically healthy but do have to take medication to stay that way. Do you think that perhaps the resources would be more available in a community located in say Chicago, Los Angeles, etc.
Thank you for your guidance. Please pray for me as I discern my vocation.
Eric



It is possible, but unlikely because of the need for medications to maintain physical health.

Even though larger cities have better equiped hospitals than rural areas, it is not difficult to travel longer distances to receive whatever medical care is needed.

Please do not be discouraged. If you keep seeking God will show you the plan he has for your life. May the Lord bless you and keep you close to his heart.
United States

Comments by Jim Laughlin on Thursday, September 21, 2006 at 09:14 IP Logged IP Logged
Do the Trappist have any restrictions on becoming a Monk Brother, if the candidate is an ordained permanent Deacon who does not have the calling to become a Priest?


There are no restrictions. A permanent Deacon may become a monk and not be ordained to the priesthood.
United States

Comments by Lou on Tuesday, August 1, 2006 at 16:40 IP Logged IP Logged
Are Monks aloud to have pets such as a small cat or a mouse or hamster gerbil etc.?
As a general rule monks do not have pets. But sometimes cats, cattle, dogs or other animals have monks as pets. And they don't have a vow of obedience! Some well intentioned person might drop off a cat at the monastery thinking that the monks will take good care of it. One of the monks might be piously meditating while quietly walking outside when the cat comes up and he bends over to pet it. Suddenly a friendship is born. Quite a while ago, a pig adopted a monk by pretending to be a dog. It followed him everywhere, and rolled over to invite a belly rub. One of the infirm monks had a parakeet in his room. It was treated very well. At a different monastery the monks let a dog have free run of the cloisters and even the refectory. So, you see, sometimes the general rule has exceptions.
United States

Comments by Fabian on Saturday, July 8, 2006 at 00:00 IP Logged IP Logged
I feel very attracted to monastic life in the Trappist order. Your website is a great place to find information on this topic. However, I live in Germany, so it would be a very long journey to visit your Abbey for one of the "vocation weekends". Do you know if there is a Trappist Abbey in my country which offers similar weekends? I’m only aware of the Mariawald Abbey, but they don’t offer anything like this.
And one more question: would it be possible to join a monastery in the US even if I’m a foreign citizen? I’m asking this because normally I can only stay in the US for 90 days. Otherwise I’d need a visa, which is not easy to obtain. Thank you very much for your response!

Vocation discernment weekends for candidates considering the monastic way of life are popular in the United States. New Melleray is hosting one over the next Labor Day weekend. I am not aware of any comparable weekends in our European communities.
It is possible for foreign citizens to join monasteries in the United States. Several of our Abbey's have members from other countries. Obtaining a visa is a little easier when it is supported by the willingness of a community to be a sponsor/employer.
United States

Comments by James Tully on Sunday, July 2, 2006 at 00:00 IP Logged IP Logged
May I come to a Vocation Weekend if I am not yet a Roman Catholic? If I am very serious about a monastic vocation after RCIA, can I stay in contact with and get support from the Brothers of New Melleray while I go through RCIA? Thank you in advance.
Yes, you may. Our next vocation discernment retreat will be Labor Day weekend. We welcome you. It is not too early to begin discerning the way God is calling you to live. The community of New Melleray wants to encourage and support you during the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults. After becoming a Catholic you may continue coming for visits to discern your vocation and deepen your spiritual life.

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