This document provides an overview of Benedictine monastic life at St. Anselm's Abbey in Washington D.C. It describes the keys to Benedictine life as obedience to an abbot, prayer, spiritual reading, hospitality, care for the sick, and fraternal charity. Monks follow a daily routine that balances prayer, spiritual reading, manual work, and hospitality. They can progress from postulancy to novitiate to simple and then solemn vows. Monks engage in ministries like teaching, spiritual direction, and assisting local parishes while seeking perseverance in the Benedictine way of life.

1. What is a Monastic Vocation Like?
Benedictine Monks
In the Nation's Capital
SAINT ANSELM'S ABBEY
Washington, D.C.
English Congregation

12. KEYS TO BENEDICTINE LIFE
●
A RULE FOR THE AMENDMENT OF VICES
AND THE PRESERVATION OF
CHARITY.
●
AN ABBOT AS A SPIRITUAL FATHER.
●
A SCHOOL IN THE LORD'S SERVICE.
●
THE WORK OF GOD (OPUS DEI) HAS
FIRST PLACE IN COMMUNITY LIFE.
●
SPIRITUAL READING (LECTIO DIVINA)
HAS COMPARABLE TIME WITH WORK.
●
STABILITY IN THE MONASTIC WAY.

13. PRAYER - ORA
NOTHING IS TO BE
PREFERRED TO THE WORK
OF GOD (Opus Dei).
Rule of Benedict Chap 43

19. WORK - LABORA
IDLENESS IS THE ENEMY OF
THE SOUL. Therefore the
brothers should have specified
periods for manual labor.
Rule of St. Benedict Chap. 48

20. Fr. Peter planting annuals

21. Fr. Christopher repairing shed roof

22. Fr. Philip cooking stirfry

23. Fr. Boniface and Br. Ignacio
arrange altar flowers

24. Raking leaves in graveyard

25. “It had to come down.” Br. Isaiah

26. On Sunday... if anyone is so remiss and
indolent that he is unwilling or unable to
study or to read, he is to be given some
work in order that he may not be idle.
Brothers who are sick or weak should be
given a type of work or craft that will keep
them busy without overwhelming them or
driving them away.
Rule of St. Benedict Chap. 48
The bane of idleness

27. SPIRITUAL READING
LECTIO DIVINA
IDLENESS IS THE ENEMY OF
THE SOUL. Therefore the
brothers should have specified
periods for …
prayerful reading.
Rule of St. Benedict Chap. 48

28. Fr. James in the front circle

29. Abbot Aidan in the cloister
garth

30. Lectio in the monks' choir

31. HOSPITALITY
All guests who present themselves are to
be welcomed as Christ. … Great care
and concern are to be shown in receiving
poor people and pilgrims, because in
them more particularly Christ is received;
our very awe of the rich guarantees them
respect.
Rule of St. Benedict Chap. 54

33. Christmas dinner with guests

34. Visiting Abbot at Informal Lunch
with the Monks

35. St. Louis monks & students for
Right to Life March

36. must rank above and before all else, so
that they may truly be served as Christ.
Let the sick on their part bear in mind
that they are served out of honor for
God, and let them not by their excessive
demands distress their brothers who
serve them.
Still, sick brothers must be patiently
borne with, because serving them leads
to a greater reward.
Rule of St. Benedict Chap. 36
CARE OF THE SICK

37. Fr. John and Br. Dunstan

38. Abbot Aidan and Rowena

39. Fr. Joseph recovering

40. Fr. Hilary and Aide Stephen

41. FRATERNAL CHARITY
Just as there is a wicked zeal of
bitterness … so there is a good zeal …
which leads to God and life everlasting.
“They should each try to be the first to
show respect to the other (Rom. 12),
supporting with the greatest patience one
another's weaknesses of body or
behavior.
Rule of St. Benedict Chap. 72

42. Fr. Christopher & Br. Ignacio
relaxing

43. Coffee & dessert – Sunday

44. Enjoying picnic by the sea

45. Recreation after supper

46. MINISTRIES
●
TEACHING – university & secondary
school levels
●
CHAPLAINCIES – sisters' convents &
lay groups.
●
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
●
CONFESSIONS
●
ASSISTING IN PARISH WORK
●
RETREATS – for parishes, priests,
religious and lay groups.

47. Br. Ignacio in Spanish class

48. Oblates on Profession Day

49. Fr. Christopher & Friday night
prayer group

50. ●
EXTENDED VISIT – one month or more
●
●
POSTULANCY - up to one year
●
●
NOVITIATE - one year
●
●
SIMPLE VOWS - three years
●
●
SOLEMN VOWS - for a lifetime
STAGES IN BECOMING A MONK

51. Postulants on an outing

52. Clothing of Brothers as Novices

53. Simple profession (Vows)

54. Solemn Profession

55. As we progress in this way of life and in faith,
we shall run on the path of God's
commandments,
our hearts overflowing with inexpressible delight
of love.
PERSEVERANCE

56. Monks at Semp Memorial 5K Run