Guides

TitleDateExcerpt
Seeking Prayer from the Monks at PlaisanceWhen life feels uncertain, many people turn to prayer for steadiness, hope, and guidance. Catholics and Christians across Australia may wish to entrust a…
The History And Spiritual Heritage Of The Olivetan CongregationThe Olivetan Congregation is a branch of the Benedictine family with roots in fourteenth-century Italy. Its story begins with a nobleman who sought a quieter,…
The Good Shepherd In Monastic SpiritualityThe image of the Good Shepherd reaches into one of Christianity’s most intimate convictions: God knows each person, seeks the lost, protects the vulnerable and…
Holding the world in prayer: Intercession in monastic lifeIn a quiet corner of Acadiana, the monks of Mother of the Redeemer Monastery in Plaisance follow a rhythm older than the United States itself. Their days…
Living the Beatitudes Within the Walls of a Benedictine MonasteryIn the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus climbs a hillside near the Sea of Galilee and delivers a sermon that has shaped Christian discipleship for two thousand years.…
The Prior as pillar and partner to the Abbot in monastic lifeWithin every Benedictine monastery, the figure of the Abbot stands as spiritual father and chief shepherd. Yet the Rule of St. Benedict makes clear that no…
The practice of keeping silence after ComplineWhen the final psalm of Compline fades into darkened choir stalls and the monks drift toward their cells, something subtle shifts inside a Benedictine…
Our monastery’s bees and the symbolism of honeyAt Mother of the Redeemer Monastery, bees draw us into a quiet lesson about prayer, work, and community. Their activity is easy to overlook: a soft hum near…
The Easter Vigil Fire And Its Meaning For Christian LifeOn Holy Saturday evening, the Church gathers in darkness to await the Resurrection. The Easter Vigil begins quietly, often outside the church, where a fire is…
How to Teach Children About Monastic LifeWhen you hear the word monastery, a child might picture stone walls, a bell tower, and figures in dark robes walking quietly through a courtyard. That image is…