Cistercian Monks
Cistercian monks live under a rule and an abbot. Both rule and abbot seek to help the monk live the call of the Gospel. Our rule is the Rule of St. Benedict. In this rule Benedict admonishes the monks not to grant newcomers to the monastic life an easy entrance. Why? Not because monks are ungracious or are reluctant to share their calling with another. On the contrary, we long to share our lives with others! Rather, because not every good idea that comes to mind is necessarily from God. Entering a monastery is a serious step.
Seeking God
Seeking God is our aim. This concept is open to misunderstanding. It is not that God needs to be found by us but rather that we need to divest ourselves of all that impedes us from fully being with God. This is a life-long task. In this sense the monastery can be understood as a desert. "It is in the desert that the soul often receives its deepest inspiration. It was in the desert that God fashioned his people … That is why the monastery is a kind of prophetic place, an anticipation of the world to come, a permanent declaration of a universe remade in God, a universe whose poles are charity and the praise of God." (Andre Louf, The Cistercian Way)
"Seeking God is the
supreme good. It is the first gift, and also the final stage of our progress.
What value would life have if a person did not seek God? What limit can be set
to this kind of seeking?" (Bernard of Clairvaux , Sermon 84, On the Song
of Songs)
To Be a Monk
To be a Cistercian monk
does not require exceptional gifts or qualities. Anyone considering our life
might check the following list:
Discernment
Is the experience of an
attraction to the monastic way of life a call from God or not? Discernment is
needed. Not every impulse is from God. To assist inquirers we offer a process
which aims to help a person discover an answer for himself:
Initiation
Initiation into our way
of life is a continuing process of discernment and proceeds according to stages.
This being so, candidates may withdraw at any time before final commitment.
Enchantment
Monastic life has a sense
of enchantment about it. Enchantment, though, is not enough. A deep sense of
'being called to the life' is needed when life is experienced as being ordinary,
obscure and laborious. It is then,
" … just then, when we thought our candle had burned down, that we
will flame up again and our darkness will be like noonday. We will not need
the glory of the sun to light us by day, nor will the moonlight shine on us,
but the Lord will be our everlasting light: for the Lamb is the light of the
new Jerusalem, to whom be all blessing and radiance of glory for ever and ever.
Amen." (Guerric of Igny, First Sermon for the Feast of the Purification).
Reading List
Praying for Vocations to the Monastic Life
On Friday evenings we
gather for half an hour of Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament to pray
for vocations to our community. Perhaps you might wish to pray at that time
with us and for us. Our prayer is:
Lord God,
we are gathered here in your presence,
ever-grateful that we have been called
to render to you a service
that is at once humble and noble,
through a hidden way of life:
in solitude and silence,
in persevering prayer and joyful penitence.
Inspire suitable men
to join us
so that we may render to you more fitting praise
and so play our part in the building up
of the Body of Christ in New Zealand.
We make this our prayer through Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Holy Mary, faithful
daughter of Israel.
Pray for us.
Inquiries
Br. Brian Keogh
Telephone:
(06) 8558 239
Fax: (06) 8558 259
Email: abbot@kopuamonastery.org.nz
Mail: Southern Star Abbey
533 Kopua Rd
Takapau RD2
Hawke's Bay 4287
New Zealand