Ora et Labora
As monks we participate in the new evangelization of the church through work in our school, the parish, and through the witness of our monastic life. The two focal points of Benedictine life are prayer and work. The goal of the Benedictine is for the two to merge into one seamless act of worship: the Benedictine prays while he works, and his work becomes a prayer; he works while he prays as his prayer elevates his work. Through his prayer he lives out his most core vocation of praising God in the liturgy.
Our Work
Saint Louis Abbey's roots run deep, we are the grand-daughter house of the oldest monastery in the oldest congregation of the oldest order in the world. As Benedictines we tie ourselves to the land and the people we serve. Whereas members of other religious orders might travel from place to place, our duty lies specifically with the people of Saint Louis, and we serve them in any capacity we can. This involves pastoral ministry by filling in at parishes. It involves teaching at our school. It involves serving the people through prayer, officiating their weddings, baptizing their children, and burying their dead. As Benedictines we take a vow of stability, which allows us to walk with families across several generations. Though the work we do to serve our community is varied, the unifying factor is this stability and commitment to the community of Saint Louis.
Our Prayer
The most important way we serve people is through our prayer. The goal of the Benedictine life is the worship of almighty God. For this reason we approach the divine liturgy (as Saint Benedict says) as the Opus Dei - the 'work' of God. The labor of consistently coming to the church and singing God's praise brings great rhythm, peace, and joy to our lives. Though the rest of our day may be hectic it is grounded in the tranquil steadiness of the liturgy.
Come pray with us
Want to learn more? Come stay with us for a few hours, a few days, or a few months! You can come seek God with us in our prayer and in our work.