STEP 6 TIME FOR A VISIT

Is God calling you to consider embracing the monastic life; or, is he perhaps simply calling you to simply visit for some peace and time of reflection/retreat in a monastic setting? There is a MAJOR difference between the two. 

For most men leading busy lives, God is simply calling you to take some time away and a monastery visit for a retreat might be the answer. There are many who are curious about monastic life, either stemming from media portrayals, word of mouth, or a chance discovery while exploring the history of/ministries within the Roman Catholic Church. Sharing in St. Benedict’s admonition to “welcome all as Christ” (RB 53:1), Subiaco is pleased you have found us and invites you to come to visit our monastery and the natural beauty which surrounds it to discover the riches of monastic life. Over our 140+ years of presence in the Arkansas River Valley, we have welcomed guests from around the world, many of whom were among the curious. This curiosity does not necessarily mean one is called to become a monk, but if you are wanting to ask questions, pray with us or  to learn more about our life, we are here for you. We can arrange a visit for you through our Guest House, Coury House. Click HERE for reservations.

If you have already spoken to your Pastor or Spiritual Director and feel that monastic life might truly be the state of life to which God is calling you, then here are the next steps:

INITIAL PHASE: You need to have carefully read steps 1-5 as previously listed to first ensure that you meet the basic minimum qualifications to even be considered a monk which you can find HERE. Your Pastor will start the process by helping you discern whether you might be called to the active or the contemplative life. That decision will begin the process of knowing which road to further explore in your vocation journey. If it is the contemplative life, then he will further introduce you to the orders within the Church to deepen that journey. Benedictine monasticism is but one form of the contemplative life in the Catholic Church. 

NEXT PHASE: If it is agreed that Benedictine monasticism might be your calling, then simply contact Subiaco and speak with Abbot Elijah. You can introduce yourself and express your interest in a visit. He will take some time to speak with you to ensure the visit would be appropriate for you and our community. That initial visit would be short and for 2-3 days where you would stay in our Guest House. During that short time, you would pray and work with the monks to get a little taste of our monastic way of life.

NEXT PHASE: If the initial visit was positive, then the vocation team would help you arrange a second visit for a longer stay in the monastery itself. You would join us for the full life of prayer, work, meals, and recreation with the monks. You will have ample time to reflect on and discern God’s path for you. The vocation team, along with the entire community, is on hand during your stay to visit with you and help you in your discernment. The initial visit is brief for your convenience and is designed to give you an introduction to monastic life and our life here at Subiaco. During this second visit, the Abbot will meet with you informally to discuss your vocation and discernment in much greater detail. 

NEXT PHASE: If you are still undecided, then we might consider a third visit for an extended period of time of up to 2-3 weeks. A decision about whether to join our formation process would then need to be made by you and by us. Three visits are the maximum for vocation discernment in our monastery. 

May God bless you in your discernment, and we hope to hear from you.