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Guidelines for the New Monastery



Introduction

(Sunday Chapter Meeting Reading)

Jesus Christ is King forever! Glory be to Him from age to age! Amen.

The purpose of these Guidelines is to guide our way of life in the New Monastery. We desire the New Monastery to be a place of prayer and love, where the presence of God dwells in a manifest way. A certain amount of solitude will also be necessary. May nothing in these Guidelines be harsh or contrary to the Will of God. Amen.

A Chapter Meeting shall be held each day during which a chapter of these Guidelines is read and the day's activities are planned together.

I. Prayer

(Sunday Chapter Meeting Reading)

The heart and soul of the New Monastery is prayer. According to the psalmist, "Seven times a day I praise you..." (Psalm 119:164a). Therefore, according to ancient monastic customs, seven "hours" of prayer are to be observed each day in the New Monastery. As far as possible, these seven "hours" should be prayed at the times designated in the following table:

  Hour of Prayer Time of Prayer
1 Office of Readings (Vigils) Early morning, before dawn, while it is still dark
2 Morning Just before, at, or after sunrise
3 Mid-morning Sometime between 9:00-10:30 AM
4 Mid-day Sometime between 11:30 AM-1:00 PM
5 Mid-afternoon Sometime between 2:00-3:30 PM
6 Evening Sometime between 4:30-6:30 PM or near sundown
7 Night Sometime between 6:45-11:00 PM

Believing that the Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life," we also desire the members of the New Monastery to come together each day, if possible, as a community to celebrate the Eucharist and proclaim the LORD's salvation.

Sunday is to be observed as a special day in the life of the New Monastery. Accordingly, a festive celebration and time of prayer known as the "LORD's Day Celebration," patterned on the Jewish Sabbath celebrations, is to be held at the evening meal each Saturday and Sunday. Rest from normal work is observed on Sunday so that the members of the New Monastery may devote themselves to more fervent prayer and time with the LORD, especially at the Sunday Eucharist. A Gospel account of the Resurrection of Our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ is to be read near the end of the Office of Readings on Sunday.

It is highly recommended that a "Charismatic Prayer Meeting" be held each week so that the graces of renewal and revival are stirred up and sought. Charisms (charismatic gifts of the Holy Spirit) should be used and encouraged during these charismatic prayer meetings as the Holy Spirit leads, all under the strong, loving, and wise leadership of a Prayer Meeting Leader. A teaching, or catechesis, shall be given at each weekly Charismatic Prayer Meeting.

Once a month, perhaps on a Saturday, each member of the New Monastery shall make a "Day of Renewal." This "Day of Renewal" is a special day of prayer devoted to "time with the LORD." It is a special time of seeking God's Will and being refreshed by the LORD. Members of the New Monastery can expect that the LORD will lovingly provide guidance and direction for their lives during these "Days of Renewal." Some solitude and time with the LORD in the woods will usually be helpful during a "Day of Renewal."

II. Love

(Monday Chapter Meeting Reading)

Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." (John 13:34).

Everything else in the New Monastery is secondary to love. Love is to be the root and foundation of all that we do. More, love is to be who we are! A perfect image of love is Jesus on the Cross, giving Himself in love, the gift of the Father's love. The Sacred Heart of Jesus is also a powerful and effective image and reminder of the Love of God. Finally, the Holy Spirit is Love, the incredible and burning love between the Father and the Son. Therefore, let our lives be known and characterized by love, especially as love is described by St. Paul (1 Corinthians 13:1-8a):

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.Love never fails.

III. The Presence of God

(Tuesday Chapter Meeting Reading)

"I love the house where you live, O LORD, the place where your glory dwells."
(Psalm 26:8)

We desire that the presence of God be truly manifested and experienced in the New Monastery. To this end, each member of the New Monastery should be open to God's presence and eagerly seek it. What we seek is the awesome and powerful presence of God, the Living God. This is more than just the normal presence of God among us and in the Body of Christ. It is the tangible presence of God, truly experienced and "felt." It is the lively awareness of God's supernatural presence at a particular moment in time. Such presence should lead to an awesome reverence and stillness at the awareness of God. It should also evoke deep gratitude and joy at so great a favor from the LORD of all the Universe!

IV. Solitude

(Wednesday Chapter Meeting Reading)

"My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my rock and salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken."
(Psalm 62:1-2)

An important characteristic of the New Monastery is the practice of some solitude for the members and families. By this is meant actual physical "apartment" (being apart) from others so that one may be consciously spending time alone with the LORD. It is solitude for the sake of deeper union and communion with God alone.

The "fruit" of this Christian solitude should be good and apparent. In particular, there are three "dynamics" of solitude that members should expect to experience. The first of these is unity. Solitude should lead to greater unity with God and, paradoxically, greater unity with others. It is in our time alone with God that we can expect the LORD to draw close to us, to speak to us, to show us more of Himself and His Plan for our lives. Ultimately, our solitude should result in loving union with God. This unity with God in love leads to greater unity with -- and love for -- others. As we unite with God in solitude, His love tends to overflow in our lives in love for others -- and a desire for greater unity with others.

The second dynamic of solitude that we should experience is compassion. Alone with God, we should soon come to know and experience His compassion for us. This in turn, should lead to our compassion for others and, indeed, all creation.

The third dynamic of solitude that we should experience is perspective. Time alone with God should help us to gain perspective on our lives and the world around us. In addition, we should come to greater awareness of God's perspective on our lives, our vocation, our work. This perspective gained from solitude should help us immensely in following God's plan for our lives.

V. Compassion

(Thursday Chapter Meeting Reading) "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love." (Psalm 103:8)

One of the chief characteristics of the members of the New Monastery should be compassion. As we are compassionate, we imitate God our Father who is compassionate. Compassion is "a sympathetic understanding of another's distress together with the desire to alleviate it."

Our compassion should be a tender compassion. It should be experienced by others as God's tender compassion coming through us.

As mentioned in the previous chapter, solitude can be a great help to facilitate the experience of -- and capacity for -- compassion.

VI. Discipline

(Friday Chapter Meeting Reading)

As in any family, it will be necessary at times to discipline members of the New Monastery in order to preserve and grow in our way of life together.

The primary discipline in the New Monastery should come from the LORD. As Scripture says, "My son, do not make light of the LORD's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as a son." (Hebrews 12:5-7)

Our trials and hardships of life in the New Monastery will normally serve as sufficient discipline to help us cling to the LORD and try earnestly to do His Will. Yet, there will be times when more is required. In these cases, the Abbot (Father) of the New Monastery is to administer discipline to those who need it. He is to do so with mercy and prayer, with the hope that the one disciplined will quickly be restored to the LORD's path of love.

VII. The Will of God

(Saturday Chapter Meeting Reading)

Jesus prayed, "...not my will, but yours be done."
(Luke 22:42)

God's Will is the most important thing that we can do in the New Monastery. It begins when one feels a "call" to our way of life. The Abbot or his designee, together with the one who feels such a call, are to pray and discuss the Will of God in this matter. Normally, it takes some period of time to discern the Will of God in this initial entry into the life of the New Monastery. Following this period of time, the Abbot is to receive the newcomer with joy and words of encouragement.

An initial time of formation is to accompany new members of the New Monastery. Personal attention to each new member is to be assured by the Abbot, usually through the designation of a specific formation guide for each new member.

This initial period of formation should last from one to five years. During this time, regular participation in the prayer, life, and work of the New Monastery will provide the bulk of the new member's formation. Additional training and instruction should be assured by the Abbot according to each new member's needs, gifts, and abilities. Periodic reviews and assessments of the new member's life should be lovingly made in order to continue discerning the Will of God for each member's life.

When it seems best to the Abbot, new members are to be received as full members. This will follow a period of prayer and review of the member's life up to that time. The intent of this review is to discern the Will of God. This period can also help members grow in the gifts and graces they have been given by the LORD.

In our ongoing life together, new and full members should seek God's Will for the New Monastery. Opportunities should be given for the members to assemble periodically to pray together and discuss our ongoing life. This should occur at least yearly and probably every 3-6 months.

To assist him, the Abbot should choose three or more full members to help better discern the Will of God in all things related to the life of the New Monastery. They are to do all things in prayer and love. The Abbot is responsible for the final decision in all matters. His assistants are to pray for him, and all members should pray for the Abbot to be the model of Christ that he is called to be.

The time will come when a new Abbot must be chosen. This is a special time in the life of the New Monastery when intercessory prayer will be helpful. Full members should fervently seek the comments of the new members. The full members should also discuss among themselves the characteristics needed in an Abbot at that particular time. On a designated date and time, the full members are to assemble and seek consensus in the election of a new Abbot. The ideal is to select the man that God wills to be the new Abbot. It will be helpful to have an Abbot from another New Monastery or another wise and experienced Christian leader to guide the assembly toward this consensus. At the end of this process, the full members are to vote for a new Abbot, maintaining anonymity in the process.

A new Abbot is selected when 2/3 or more of the votes are made in his favor. As soon as possible, the new Abbot should be installed as Father to all in the New Monastery. Let him always remember that he is to lead the members with great love and compassion, mindful of the traditions handed down to him, and open to the leading of the Holy Spirit in the future.

Amen +