Sodality of St Benedict of Norcia and St Scholastica: Aspirant Traditional Benedictines GB

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ASPIRANT TRADITIONAL BENEDICTINES GB

“Our eyes being open to the deifying light, let us hear with wondering ears what the Divine Voice admonisheth us, daily crying out: To-day if ye shall hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” (Prologue, Holy Rule of St Benedict).

Are you a practising Catholic man who is interested in discerning a vocation to a traditional Benedictine life within Great Britain?

Or are you prepared to give spiritual or material support to those who are?

A number of young men are discerning the possibility of establishing a British Benedictine community, based upon a literal interpretation of the Holy Rule of St Benedict and the traditions of the Order, together with a devotion to the traditional Latin Mass and Office.

They aspire to the worship of God, the Opus Dei – before which nothing should be preferred (Holy Rule s. 43) – through the daily celebration of the Traditional Mass (the Extraordinary Form), and the full choral Monastic Office. They are determined to follow St Benedict’s precept to chant all 150 Psalms each week in the order laid down (Holy Rule s. 18).

Otherwise they will seek to maintain their community by healthy work suitable to monks, and to live as closely as possible in the conditions of the modern world to the manner envisaged by St Benedict.

No monastery of this type exists at present in Great Britain, and these men are considering whether it is the will of God for one to be founded soon, mindful that “unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” (Psalm 126). The project is in its formative stages, and the aspirants are embarking on a year of prayer and discernment from Advent Sunday 2012 to Advent Sunday 2013, corresponding with the remainder of Pope Benedict’s Year of Faith. By the end of the year, they hope to have discerned, having prayed and taken counsel, whether there is sufficient support for this project in the various ways needed. They will also be exploring the practicalities of embarking on and maintaining a monastic community.

If you are a practising Catholic man who is interested in exploring and possibly pursuing such a vocation with us then please contact us, and enter into discernment with us. We know that some will be reticent about announcing their intentions – we promise not to make known the identities of aspirants publicly without permission.