What it means to be a monk in the 21st century
To be a monk in the 21st century is to embrace an ancient vocation within a rapidly changing world. Monastic life is not an escape from reality or a rejection of modern society. It is a deliberate way of living that places prayer, community, work, study, and service at the center of each day.
At Mother of the Redeemer Monastery in Plaisance, Louisiana, this vocation is shaped by the Olivetan Benedictine tradition and lived within the Catholic Church. The monks seek God through the wisdom of Saint Benedict, the celebration of the liturgy, devotion to Mary, and faithful attention to the ordinary responsibilities of community life. Visitors can learn more about this prayer-centered community through the monastery’s website.
Monasticism can seem distant to people accustomed to constant communication, professional ambition, and personal independence. Yet its central questions remain familiar: How should a person use time? What deserves lasting attention? How can prayer become more than an occasional activity? The monk answers these questions through a stable pattern of life offered to God.
A vocation rooted in ancient wisdom
The Rule of Saint Benedict, written in the sixth century, continues to guide monks because it addresses enduring human needs. It teaches balance, humility, obedience, moderation, hospitality, and perseverance. Its wisdom does not depend on a particular technology or historical period. Whether a monk is working with books, computers, tools, or agricultural tasks, the fundamental call remains the same: seek God faithfully and live in charity with others.
An Olivetan Benedictine community carries this heritage through a distinct spiritual identity. The monks belong to a tradition within the Benedictine family that emphasizes fidelity to the Church, reverence in worship, Marian devotion, and a disciplined community life. Their daily practices connect the present generation of monks with centuries of Christians who have pursued holiness through stability and prayer.
This continuity does not make monastic life static. A monastery must respond to the needs of its members, the local Church, and the people who come seeking spiritual renewal. Ancient practices are preserved through living communities, where they are interpreted and embodied in the circumstances of the present day.
Prayer gives shape to the day
Prayer is the central work of a monk. The Divine Office, also called the Liturgy of the Hours, gathers the community at appointed times to praise God, listen to Scripture, and intercede for the Church and the world. The celebration of Mass stands at the heart of this rhythm, while personal prayer and spiritual reading deepen the monk’s relationship with Christ.
The monastery schedule teaches that time is received as a gift rather than consumed as a resource. Work has its proper place, rest has its proper place, and silence creates room for attentive prayer. This rhythm can be challenging because it limits distraction and asks a person to return repeatedly to the same commitments. Over time, repetition becomes a form of faithfulness.
People who attend liturgy at a monastery may notice a different pace from that of a typical parish setting. The silence, chanting, gestures, and ceremonial movement invite worshippers to participate with greater awareness. Those preparing for a visit may find this guide to attending Mass helpful as they enter the monastery’s prayerful environment.
Community is a spiritual discipline
A monk does not pursue holiness as an isolated individual. He lives with brothers whose personalities, experiences, strengths, and limitations become part of his spiritual formation. Community life requires patience, forgiveness, generosity, and the willingness to accept guidance. It transforms ordinary interactions into opportunities to practice the Gospel.
Benedictine stability is especially important in an age marked by mobility and constant choice. A monk makes a lasting commitment to a particular monastery and learns to seek God where he has been placed. Stability does not mean refusing all development or remaining untouched by change. It means allowing roots to grow deeply enough for conversion to take place over time.
The monastery also becomes a place of welcome. Guests may come for Mass, retreat, conversation, prayer, or quiet reflection. The monks’ life of enclosure and community is therefore connected to the wider Church. Their hidden prayer includes the needs of families, parishes, the sick, those who are searching for faith, and the many people who ask for remembrance in prayer.
| Dimension of monastic life | How it is lived today | Spiritual purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Prayer | Liturgy of the Hours, Mass, personal prayer, and spiritual reading | To remain attentive to God |
| Stability | Faithful commitment to a particular monastery | To grow through perseverance |
| Work | Practical service, study, maintenance, and responsibilities | To unite daily labor with dignity and worship |
| Community | Shared schedules, correction, support, and hospitality | To learn charity through real relationships |
| Silence | Periods free from unnecessary speech and digital distraction | To create space for listening |
| Formation | Ongoing learning, discernment, and spiritual direction | To mature in wisdom and holiness |
Work, technology, and responsible presence
Monks in the modern world still work. Their tasks may include cooking, cleaning, gardening, administration, construction, hospitality, education, writing, or maintaining communications for the monastery. Work supports the community and gives practical expression to the Benedictine conviction that labor can be offered to God.
Technology may serve the monastery when it supports evangelization, communication, education, or responsible administration. A website can help people discover the liturgy, understand monastic vocations, read community news, or learn how to arrange a visit. Digital tools also allow benefactors and friends of the monastery to remain connected to its mission.
The use of technology requires discernment. A monk is not defined by total rejection of modern devices, but by freedom from their control. Notifications, entertainment, and online arguments can scatter attention and weaken recollection. A disciplined relationship with media helps protect the silence necessary for prayer and makes communication more purposeful.
Silence speaks to a distracted culture
Silence is among the most visible signs of monastic life, yet it is often misunderstood. It does not mean indifference toward other people or an inability to communicate. Instead, monastic silence creates conditions for listening: listening to Scripture, to the Church, to one’s conscience, and to the needs of another person.
For many visitors, a monastery offers an experience that is increasingly rare. There may be no demand to purchase, perform, respond, or rush. A chapel, a quiet path, or a period of Eucharistic prayer can help a person recognize how deeply noise has shaped daily habits. The monastery’s silence is an invitation to recover attention.
This witness has value beyond the monastery walls. Families, parish communities, and individuals can adapt small practices of silence without imitating every aspect of monastic discipline. A few minutes of quiet before prayer, a technology-free period, or a slower reading of the Gospel can become a practical response to a distracted culture.
Devotion, seasons, and the life of the Church
Monastic life follows the calendar of the Church. Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, Marian feasts, and the celebrations of the saints give spiritual meaning to the passage of time. These seasons keep the community centered on Christ’s saving work rather than on the shifting priorities of the surrounding culture.
At Mother of the Redeemer, devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary has a significant place within the community’s identity. Marian prayer does not replace worship of Christ; it leads the faithful toward Him through the example of the woman who received God’s word with trust. The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary offers one example of how a monastery celebrates faith through liturgy, prayer, and communal memory.
The Church’s liturgical life also connects the monks to people who may never enter the monastery. Each Mass and Office is offered in communion with the universal Church. A monk prays for the living and the dead, for those who are near and far away, and for the needs that may never appear in public conversation.
Discernment and the call to monastic life
A monastic vocation usually develops through prayer, honest self-examination, and patient guidance. A man considering this path may feel drawn to silence, the sacraments, Scripture, community, and a life ordered toward God. Attraction alone is not enough; discernment also examines maturity, health, freedom, capacity for communal living, and willingness to accept formation.
The process generally includes conversation with a vocation director, visits to the monastery, time spent observing the community’s schedule, and a gradual period of formation. The purpose is not to pressure a person into a decision. It is to help him recognize whether God may be calling him to serve through this particular form of consecrated life.
The witness of monks can also speak to people who are called to marriage, priesthood, single life, or service in the parish. Monastic vocations remind every Christian that prayer is essential, possessions are secondary, and holiness grows through faithful commitments. The monastery becomes a sign that a life centered on God is still possible.
A place to begin
Those who wish to understand monastic life can begin by attending Mass, spending time in quiet prayer, reading about the community, or contacting the monastery about a visit or retreat. Benefactors may support the monks’ ongoing work and planned chapel expansion, helping provide a place where prayer and hospitality can continue for future generations.
A visit does not require expertise in monastic customs. It requires respect, attentiveness, and a willingness to receive the experience without rushing it. By entering the monastery’s rhythm for even a short time, visitors may discover a renewed desire for prayer, deeper participation in the liturgy, and a clearer sense of how faith can shape ordinary life.
Visit Mother of the Redeemer Monastery to learn about its history, worship, community, oblates, retreats, and vocational discernment. Whether you come seeking a quiet place to pray, information about becoming a monk, or a way to support the monastery’s mission, your presence can become part of the continuing story of a community devoted to God.