Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ.
1. How many members in your Community?
There are currently thirty-three members in the community, with four of these in initial formation.
2. Do you receive religious names?
The change of name provides a patron, but also symbolizes the beginning of conversion as one enters the monastic life. When you enter the novitiate you are able to submit three names of patrons who are saints whose names are not being used by any monk of St. Andrew. There is also the option to keep your baptismal name.
3. What is the formation process and how long until profession/ordination?
The formation process once one enters the monastery the postulancy is about four to six months. Novitiate is a year, and then simple vows are for three years. The monk then professes solemn vows. You have to petition to enter into the next step of formation and then have a community vote. Ordination depends on what is needed in regards to philosophy credits before entering major seminary at St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, PA. On average for ordination it takes between five to seven years.
4. Where does one study Theology for your community?
St. Vincent Archabbey Seminary in Latrobe, PA for major seminary and Borromeo (Cleveland Diocese minor seminary) which works with John Carroll University as well for philosophy and theology credits.
Habits are a part of our tradition during mass, morning and evening prayers and meals. There are also other events where the habit is worn. Outside of these times some monks will wear their habit and others may not depending on their assignment during the day.
Do you wear a habit, if so how often and when is it received?
Yes. At minimum mass, major hours of prayer (lauds, vespers, vigils), meals (breakfast/dinner) and other special events. The tunic and cincture are given at novitiate investiture with scapular and cowl received at simple profession.
6. How many times to do gather as community for meals and prayers?
We meet four times as a community for prayer (lauds with mass, midday, vespers, and vigils) and three times for meals.
7. Are you allowed cell phones/internet?
Cell phones are not permitted to be used by postulants or novices. Internet access is given on a limited basis for emails. After profession cell phone and internet use will vary due to the responsibilities of the monk.
8. Do you receive a stipend/allowance? Health insurance?
We are not provided with Stipends/allowances. The monks are provided with money, as needed, after receiving permission from a superior, but not on a monthly basis or set amount.
Health insurance is provided when one enters the monastery.
9. Are home visits, vacations and family/friends communication allowed?
They are depending on what stage of formation one is in. Postulants/novices are permitted to contact families and friends via email (limited) or mail. After that visits, vacations, and communication become available depending on the abbey customary.
10. What are your primary ministries?
The Benedictine motto is Ora et Labora or prayer and work. Prayer is our foundation and the work we do helps support this as we also take our prayer to our work. Within the community there are a variety of jobs that need to be done in the abbey. We also run a high school where several of us teach. Those who are ordained assist at several parishes in the diocese during the week and on the weekend. We staff a diocesan parish full time and sponsor a retreat center.
11. What is your daily schedule?
Our daily schedule is centered around our prayer schedule:
6:10 a.m. Lauds & Mass (7:10 on Saturday and Sunday)
7:00 a.m. Breakfast (7:10 on Saturday and Sunday)
7:30 a.m. Lectio-Meditation
8:30 a.m. Work
11:40 a.m. Midday Prayer
11:55 a.m. Lunch
1:00 p.m. Work
4:00 p.m. Eucharistic Adoration (Thursdays)
4:45 p.m. Lectio-Meditation
5:00 p.m. Vespers (Wednesdays)
5:20 p.m. Vespers
5:50 p.m. Supper
6:20 p.m. Recreation
7:05 p.m. Vigils, Euch Ad on Tuesday at 7:05pm with Vigils
Compline (private)
12. What age can you join the monastery?
Any single baptized Catholic man, between 18 and 45 years of age, with good physical and mental health, average intelligence, and sincere religious faith, and the desire to seek God in community may have a vocation to our monastery.
Aside from our daily prayer schedule the monks have Lectio Divina (meditation) and spiritual reading. There are a variety of apostolates and jobs done on the grounds, staffing at BHS as our main apostolate and assisting at several parishes throughout the Cleveland Diocese. Prayer, work and leisure are all necessary for a healthy life. We try to make sure we have a balance of all these, but we don't always succeed. Work is an important dimension of monastic life.
14. Do Benedictine monks take a vow of silence?
No. Monastic life appreciates the value of silence within the monastery and when at all possible. There are also periods when silence is expected, for example in the evening, Friday morning, and breakfasts during Lent.
A monastic vow is a solemn promise made freely by an individual to give his life to God by living the monastic life. The vows that we make as Benedictines are: obedience, stability (to the monastery), and conversion of life.
16. Will I still be able to see family and friends?
Yes. Family and friends are welcome to visit the abbey once you are in monastic vows. At this point the monks will also be able to periodically visit with family and friends according to the monastic customary.
17. Do you ever have any time for yourself?
Monk comes from the Greek word for “solitary” (monos). Therefore, part of being a monk is being alone—entering the silence and listening with the “ear of the heart.”. There are times we come together as a community, but individual private prayer and time is just as important.
18. How important is prayer in your life?
St. Benedict in his Rule for monks states that nothing is to be preferred to the Opus Dei (work of God or the communal prayer). Our schedule revolves around the times we gather for prayer. The horarium along with one private Lectio Divina provides the rhythm for the monk and should permeate the heart so that the prayer becomes a part of the monk.
19. What is the difference between a brother and a priest?
The main difference is that while a priest is ordained and a brother is not. Within the monastic community, their titles will be different as a priest is addressed as “Father” while those who are not ordained use the title “Brother”. In the monastery all are brothers or confreres and each, as a member of the community, is under the abbot and responsible for being at prayer or doing their jobs within the community.
20. How long does it take to become a member of the monastic community?
One becomes a part of the monastic community with the novitiate investiture. This follows the initial stage of formation known as Postulancy that lasts from six months to a year. Novitiate lasts for a year followed by simple vows or juniorate where vows are made for three years. When one enters solemn vows, one is then considered a member of the monastic chapter and thus completes the initial stages of formation.
21. What is the process for joining the monastery?
There is an initial period of discernment known as candidacy when those interested in the monastic life can begin to explore a monastic vocation. There is no standard period of time as each discernment period is different for all individuals. During this time you will spend time visiting our community and sharing in our prayer and work, you will have the assistance of our vocation director, and you will be remembered in our daily prayers. This is a special time of listening: to God in prayer, to others in the advice they offer you, and to your heart as you reflect on your experiences and your future.
Personal debt, credit card or any other personal debt must be taken care of before being accepted as a candidate. School debt is a different issue and looked at on a case-by-case situation.
23. What is Lectio Divina and why do you practice it?
Lectio Divina is an ancient Catholic form of meditation, centered on Scripture and the writings of the Church Fathers and Mothers, and the Saints. The practice is prescribed to Benedictine monks in the Rule as it provides a daily silent prayerful encounter with the Word of God.