Prayer
Monastic life
is a life of communal prayer. By faith the monks knows for certain that an intimate
relationship with a personal, living God is possible. It has been made possible through
Jesus, the God made one of us. Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours)
The unity of a Benedictine community is not grounded in its organisation nor in its diverse activities, but rather in its fellowship with God. The celebration of the Divine Office is a time when the monks express their communion with God and one another in praise, thanksgiving and in loving attention to the Word spoken by the Lord to the assembled community. In our monastery the Office, which is built on the singing of the psalms and canticles of Scripture and the listening to the lectionary of God's Word, supported by patristic commentaries, and hymns and prayers, is celebrated four times each day: at the rising of the sun, at midday, at evening and at the close of the day. Eucharist
Celebration of the Eucharist Our community, called by God, gathers daily around the table of the Lord for the celebration of the Eucharist in the monastery Chapel. Guests and parishioners gather with us for this celebration. Together we offer the sacrifice of Christ and share this meal so we can share in the benefits won for us by Christ. "Lectio Divina"
The slow, meditative, prayerful reading of scripture and the writings of the fathers and mothers of the Church is an essential part of the daily cycle of prayer for each monk. It feeds directly into all other areas of his prayer life. If faithfully done each day, lectio feeds into every aspect of daily life. It should lead in fact to a constant mindfulness and awareness of God's active presence, so that whatever task he is engaged in, the monk may still be said to be praying constantly - an invitation Scripture makes to all Christians.
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