Spend a week in a monastery

“Everyone rises at 5.45am and we begin meditation at 6.15. The monastery is still and quiet at this time. You are encouraged to be silent and if there are others in the wash rooms you politely and quietly work around each other before making your way to meditation at 6.15. The day begins with two periods of meditation and a short morning service. After the first periods of meditation and morning service you get a small job to do before breakfast is served at 8.40. Throughout the rest of the day there is a period of meditation in the morning, one more in the afternoon and another two periods of meditation in the evening. These meditations are broken up with periods of working meditation. You are given a job to do. I was cleaning toilets first thing in the morning and during other work periods I was helping in the kitchen, chopping vegetables. Often you are working along side one of the monks. There are two periods of free time where you can rest or go for a walk in the grounds. There is always tea and a biscuit at 4.00pm and a monk joins the lay people at this time and you can ask questions. The day begins at 5.45 most days and lights out are always at 10.00pm.”

“As I drive down the long winding road to the monastery, almost immediately a feeling of peace and tranquility engulfs me. It is as if I have left the world behind and can feel the presence of God in a tangible way. As I enter into a time of silence and leave the concerns of a stress-filled life behind, I find that I have time to reflect on what is most important in my life and what really matters. It is the time to really look at my life and listen to God speaking to my heart in this atmosphere of peace, quiet and holiness as I slow down and discern where God is leading me now. So this time I spent a week at Holy Cross Abbey and joined the monks for the Divine Office, each day as well as celebrating Mass with them each day. I even joined them for vigils at 3:30 a.m. one day. I was able to speak with one of the monks and share my concerns about my life and listen to his reflection on what I was discerning about my future.”