The brothers and sisters of Saint Brigid of Kildare Monastery welcome you to our community connections page. Here you will find our community blog, where once a month, a member of our community reflects on the question of what it means for them to live their Benedictine call in the world. You will also find links to the webpages, blogs, and ministries of many of our members. We hope you enjoy this glimpse into our community.
June 2024 Community Blog
I recently read a memoir where I found it exceedingly difficult to glean details about the writer or his life. The author wanted to focus on the stories and devoted service of others with whom he had worked. My journey to St. Brigid of Kildare monastery is like that, one in which the only way to bring about love is to apprentice my life to a community of people. It is in the interactions and relationships with others that we grow and become in fullness who we potentially are.
It is over two decades now that I sought to join with others who daily strive to put Christ at the center of all life. The structure for this monastic way of life is the Rule of St. Benedict, written over 1,500 years ago. Yet, Benedict’s time was just as tumultuous and uncertain as our own. He knew that the truth of the Gospel is a message to be lived and he left us a practical guide for truly seeking God. He is saying, if you want to grow in wholeness, here is a way.
In the community of St. Brigid’s, we come together daily, numerous times a day, to pray together. This sometimes tedious discipline cultivates something deep inside, alive where seeds of oneness are growing. This prayer is communal, and personal, and always a recognition of what life is like with God. It is like a long slow gentle rain, little by little subtleties of love soak into a realization of God’s loving presence in our lives.
Prayer is about taking the mask off, the way we are when no one is looking, where we offer the least resistance to Love. How tender is the face of God I experience in the love shown to me by my brothers and sisters in community. They look for the Holy One in me and mirror that back in so many affirming ways. It seems over the years I have lived with them in incremental realizations of infinite generosity and hospitality. Monastic life grounds me, sustains me, and assures me I am not alone on the path.
I recently read a memoir where I found it exceedingly difficult to glean details about the writer or his life. The author wanted to focus on the stories and devoted service of others with whom he had worked. My journey to St. Brigid of Kildare monastery is like that, one in which the only way to bring about love is to apprentice my life to a community of people. It is in the interactions and relationships with others that we grow and become in fullness who we potentially are.
It is over two decades now that I sought to join with others who daily strive to put Christ at the center of all life. The structure for this monastic way of life is the Rule of St. Benedict, written over 1,500 years ago. Yet, Benedict’s time was just as tumultuous and uncertain as our own. He knew that the truth of the Gospel is a message to be lived and he left us a practical guide for truly seeking God. He is saying, if you want to grow in wholeness, here is a way.
In the community of St. Brigid’s, we come together daily, numerous times a day, to pray together. This sometimes tedious discipline cultivates something deep inside, alive where seeds of oneness are growing. This prayer is communal, and personal, and always a recognition of what life is like with God. It is like a long slow gentle rain, little by little subtleties of love soak into a realization of God’s loving presence in our lives.
Prayer is about taking the mask off, the way we are when no one is looking, where we offer the least resistance to Love. How tender is the face of God I experience in the love shown to me by my brothers and sisters in community. They look for the Holy One in me and mirror that back in so many affirming ways. It seems over the years I have lived with them in incremental realizations of infinite generosity and hospitality. Monastic life grounds me, sustains me, and assures me I am not alone on the path.
![Picture](/uploads/2/0/8/4/20846472/janet-buchanan_orig.jpg)
About the Author:
For more than 30 years, Janet worked as a healthcare executive in roles focusing on the mission and ministry of the faith-based organizations she served. She recently left full-time employment to pursue seminary studies full-time. Janet holds graduate degrees in Theology and Business. When she isn’t reading, learning something new, or listening to podcasts, Janet loves spending time with her close-knit family. She is an avid genealogist who is fascinated by the history of her six generations of Texas ancestors, recognizing she is the result of the love of hundreds.
For more than 30 years, Janet worked as a healthcare executive in roles focusing on the mission and ministry of the faith-based organizations she served. She recently left full-time employment to pursue seminary studies full-time. Janet holds graduate degrees in Theology and Business. When she isn’t reading, learning something new, or listening to podcasts, Janet loves spending time with her close-knit family. She is an avid genealogist who is fascinated by the history of her six generations of Texas ancestors, recognizing she is the result of the love of hundreds.
A Few of Our Community Members' Websites and Ministries