Monday Housekeeping

Daily life at St. Augustine’s House –

People often ask “how do I become a monk?”. The very first step, of course, is to visit a monastery in order to learn if it might be the right community. The stages of formation are, aspirant, postulant, novice, simple profession, and solemn profession.

Aspirancy is known as a time of searching. The aspirant and the community come to know each other and together discern the aspirant’s call to the Benedictine way of life. Postulancy is known as a time of discerning. The purpose of this stage is to review with the postulant his fitness for religious life; to help him deepen his religious knowledge and assist him in adjusting gradually to the new mode of life. The purpose of the novitiate is to help the novice continue to discern his religious vocation, experience the community’s way of life, become rooted in mind and heart with the spirit of the Congregation, and to ascertain the novice’s resolve and fitness for religious profession. First profession is known as a time of commitment and integration. If the novice believes that God is calling him to this way of life, and that he will find his joy in serving the Lord as a Benedictine brother, he requests to become a junior professed member of the Congregation. The ceremony of first profession of the novice takes place at a Eucharistic celebration. Towards the end of this time, the brother presents his request to be admitted to final profession, committing himself for life to Christ in the Congregation of the Servants of Christ. After his acceptance and a period of preparation, the final profession ceremony takes place during a Eucharistic celebration.