the process for joining our community
Saint Brigid of Kildare Monastery uses the term oblate differently than many other monasteries. In traditional, bricks-and-mortar monasteries, oblates are people who are affiliated with the community but are not members of it. In Saint Brigid’s, oblates are our full members (or monks) of the monastery who have been through several stages of learning, discerning, and prayer, and have decided to make a full and lifelong promise to the community.
Discernment is woven throughout the process because it is a holy time of listening together for God’s leading. Our hope and goal is to assist each person who comes to our door with the important task of determining where God might be calling them to monastic life.
Discernment is woven throughout the process because it is a holy time of listening together for God’s leading. Our hope and goal is to assist each person who comes to our door with the important task of determining where God might be calling them to monastic life.
Our 4 phase process of vocational discernment
Inquirer, Postulant, Novice and Junior
Inquirer: When someone feels called to monastic life with Saint Brigid of Kildare Monastery, they begin by having a conversation with the monastery’s porter. Should both persons agree that continued discernment is called for, the inquirer will have a conversation with the monastery’s leader.
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To belong to a community is to begin to be about more than myself.
- Joan Chittister, Wisdom Distilled from the Daily |
Postulant: After prolonged prayer and further discernment, the candidate may then become a Postulant and be assigned a mentor. The postulancy is a time to “get your big toe wet” by working with a mentor and praying with the community.
The postulancy generally lasts two to three months. This is a time of continued discernment for the person and the community to seek further clarity about whether God is indeed leading the postulant to a vocation in Saint Brigid’s Monastery.
The postulancy generally lasts two to three months. This is a time of continued discernment for the person and the community to seek further clarity about whether God is indeed leading the postulant to a vocation in Saint Brigid’s Monastery.
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Monastic life is a marathon not a sprint.
-Michael Casey, Strangers to the City |
Novice: If after an exploratory time as a postulant the candidate still feels called to our community, and our community is in agreement, the candidate makes an Initial Oblation promise to the monastic life. The novitiate is a year of regular prayer with the community and monthly formation gatherings with a guide from the monastery. At the end of this time, the novice will meet again with the leader of the community to talk about their sense of the Holy Spirit's leading in the discernment process.
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O search me, God, and know my heart;
O test me and know my thoughts. See that I follow not the wrong path and lead me in the path of life eternal. - Psalm 139:23-24 |
Junior: The next step for the candidate is entry into the Juniorate. The Junior spends a period of one or two years of study with a guide, focusing on gaining a deeper understanding of the Rule of St. Benedict and monastic history. It is also a time for deeper integration into community life through service, study and prayer. After completing the Juniorate, the candidate once again meets with the leader of the monastery.
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Prefer nothing to the love of Christ.
- Rule of St. Benedict |
At this point, the candidate and the community should have arrived at clarity as to whether God is calling the candidate to Benedictine life in Saint Brigid’s. If so, this person will be invited to make their final oblation and will henceforth be a full member of Saint Brigid of Kildare Monastery.
If you are interested in exploring a vocation to Saint Brigid of Kildare Monastery email our Porter at [email protected].