Seeking Prayer from the Monks at Plaisance

When life feels uncertain, many people turn to prayer for steadiness, hope, and guidance. Catholics and Christians across Australia may wish to entrust a family member, a serious illness, a difficult decision, or a departed loved one to a religious community. Requesting prayer from the monks at Mother of the Redeemer Monastery offers a simple way to place these intentions before God. Learn more about The Feast Of All Saints At The Monastery.

The monastery is an Olivetan Benedictine community in Plaisance, Louisiana, within the Diocese of Lafayette. Its daily rhythm is centred on the Eucharist, the Divine Office, personal prayer, work, and community life. A prayer request joins a person or situation to that continuing rhythm, even when the person making the request is many thousands of kilometres away in Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, or elsewhere.

The Mother of the Redeemer Monastery website provides information about the monks, their history, monastic vocations, oblates, news, retreats, and ways to support the community. It is the best starting point for current contact details and practical information before sending an intention.

Decide What You Want To Entrust

A prayer intention can be brief and personal. You may ask the monks to pray for healing, peace in a marriage, employment, protection during travel, recovery from grief, or strength during a demanding season. It is also appropriate to request prayers of thanksgiving for a birth, a sacrament, a restored relationship, or an answered prayer.

There is no need to write a long explanation or provide every private detail. A clear sentence such as “Please pray for my mother’s recovery after surgery” may be enough. If the request concerns several people, identify them simply by first name or relationship. For a deceased person, you might write, “Please remember Michael, recently departed, in your prayers.”

Prayer may also be requested for a parish, school, hospital, local community, or wider concern. Australian intentions might include safety during bushfire season, comfort after flooding, wisdom for public leaders, or peace within a divided family. The monks can bring these needs before God without requiring a detailed account of the circumstances.

Use The Monastery’s Current Contact Details

Before sending a request, check the monastery’s website for the preferred method of contact. Religious communities may receive intentions through an online form, email, post, or another arrangement, and these details can change. Follow the instructions provided rather than relying on an old address copied from a social media post or directory.

If you write from Australia, include your full return address and country in any postal correspondence. Australian addresses are normally written with the suburb, state or territory abbreviation, and postcode, followed by “Australia”. Allow extra time for international mail, particularly around Christmas, Easter, or periods when postal services experience delays.

An email can be convenient for a time-sensitive intention, but it is wise to keep the message respectful and concise. State that you are requesting prayer, describe the intention in a few words, and include your name if you wish. There is no need to send repeated messages to obtain a response; the monks’ primary responsibility is their prayer and community life.

Share Only Information That Is Necessary

A prayer request should protect the dignity and privacy of everyone involved. Avoid including medical records, financial details, passwords, legal documents, or extensive information about another person without their consent. A first name, initials, or a general description is usually sufficient.

This is especially important when writing from Australia, where personal information is handled within a culture shaped by the Privacy Act 1988 and expectations around responsible data use. The monastery is an overseas religious community, so do not assume that Australian privacy rules apply in exactly the same way to every communication. Share only what is needed for the intention.

If you are asking for prayer for a child, an elderly relative, or someone in hospital, use careful wording. “Please pray for my grandson’s health” communicates the need without disclosing unnecessary identifying details. For public prayer lists or parish notices, obtain permission before naming another person.

Include Timing And Special Circumstances

Some intentions have a particular date: an operation, funeral, court hearing, examination, wedding, anniversary, or memorial. Include the date and relevant time zone when timing matters. Australia has several time zones, and daylight saving applies in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory but not in Queensland, the Northern Territory, or Western Australia.

Plaisance is in Louisiana’s Central Time Zone, so a date that feels immediate in Melbourne or Canberra may fall on a different calendar day there. A short note such as “The procedure is scheduled for 10 June Australian Eastern Standard Time” can prevent confusion. Prayer is not dependent on a precise hour, but accurate information helps when a request is connected with a particular event.

You may also mention whether the intention is confidential or whether the monks may identify the person by first name. If you are requesting prayer for a novena, a memorial period, or a liturgical feast, state that plainly. The community can then consider the intention appropriately within its daily observance.

Understand The Monks’ Prayerful Rhythm

A request for prayer is not the same as booking a private appointment or seeking an immediate personal reply. Monastic communities follow a structured schedule of liturgy, work, study, meals, silence, and rest. Their prayer is offered within that rhythm rather than around the communication habits of a commercial service.

Learning about the community’s daily life can help set realistic expectations. The account of an Olivetan monk’s day shows how prayer and work are woven together at Plaisance. This context explains why a short message may be received quietly and remembered within the monks’ regular intercession, even if there is no lengthy personal correspondence.

Those seeking a particular sacramental service should read the monastery’s information carefully. A prayer intention, a Mass request, a retreat enquiry, and a vocation enquiry may follow different processes. Use the specific contact path described on the website so that your message reaches the right person.

Connect Prayer With Your Own Practice

Sending an intention does not mean handing responsibility for prayer to someone else. You can unite your request with your own morning prayer, evening examen, Rosary, Scripture reading, or attendance at Mass. Australian Catholics may also bring the intention to a local parish, chapel, hospital pastoral-care team, or school community.

A simple pattern can make the request more meaningful: name the person or situation, ask for God’s mercy and guidance, remain silent for a few moments, and finish with a familiar prayer. If you are travelling from a city such as Perth or Darwin, a quiet moment before work or during a daily commute can become a practical reminder of the intention.

When the intention involves illness, addiction, family violence, homelessness, or acute distress, prayer should accompany appropriate practical and professional help. Contact a doctor, counsellor, crisis service, clergy member, or emergency service where necessary. Prayer and responsible action belong together, particularly when someone’s immediate safety is at risk.

Visit, Follow, Or Support The Community

Some people begin with a prayer request and later discover a deeper connection with the monastery through a retreat, liturgical visit, oblature, or regular support. Visitors should consult the monastery’s current arrangements before travelling, especially from Australia, where international flights, visas, travel insurance, and changing airline schedules require careful planning.

The monastery’s guides can also enrich personal prayer at home. For example, its reflection on All Saints at the monastery offers a way to connect a personal intention with the Church’s liturgical year. In Australia, All Saints’ Day falls during the spring school term, while All Souls’ Day often coincides with the start of summer planning and end-of-year commitments; setting aside a quiet moment can help preserve the spiritual meaning of these days.

Those who wish to support the monks can explore the website’s information for benefactors and the planned chapel expansion. A donation is not required to request prayer, and financial support should never be treated as a condition for spiritual care. It is simply one way for people who value the community’s witness to assist its ongoing life.

Write your prayer intention with simplicity, care, and discretion, then send it through the monastery’s current contact channel. Keep the intention in your own prayers as well, and allow the monks’ steady liturgical life at Plaisance to accompany your concern before God.