Our Lady Of Phatmass Abbey - Report

[Luigi]

The recent Forums (although, technically, it should be "fora") had a group called Our Lady of Phatmass Abbey, for those interested in monastic life.

 

We no longer have that group, but I think it was a good idea, so I'm resurrecting it. I'm posting what I know (from Internet resources -a I don't have personal contacts with all of these monasteries, and they don't all post information about vocations) about vocations to abbeys.

 

Today's report involves Benedictine monks, for calendar 2014, west of the Mississippi. Further reports will cover other geography and other orders.

 

DISCLAIMER: This is "as best as I can figure." Terminology varies from house to house and site to site, so I might be slightly off sometimes. But the upshot is that things look pretty good, considering!

 

St. Martin's Abbey, Washington:

- One monk renewed his simple vows

- One monk made his first simple vows

 

Mount Michael Abbey, Oregon:

- Two novices entered

- One monk renewed simple vows

- Three monks professed solemn vows

 

Assumption Abbey, North Dakota:

- One man entered as a candidate

- One candidate entered the novitiate

 

Mount Michael, Nebraska

- One monk in simple vows

 

St. Benedict's, Kansas:

- One new postulant

- Four novices professed simple vows

(I think there are others already in simple vows)

 

Conception, Missouri:

- Two new novices

(I think they have others already in simple vows)

 

St. Louis, Missouri:

- Four novices professed simple vows

(They have one other monk in simple vows)

 

Subiaco, Arkansas:

- One new candidate

- One novice

- Six in simple vows

- Two professed solemn vows

 

St. Joseph, Louisiana:

- Two new novices

- One novice professed simple vows

(I think they have others already in simple vows)

 

There are at least five other Benedictine monasteries west of the Mississippi. None of their web pages mention any vocation activity.  

Edited December 23, 2014 by Luigi

[cartermia]

Abbey of Regina Laudis (Bethlehem, Connecticut)

Clothing

http://abbeyofreginalaudis.org/ceremonies-suzanne.html

 

[TheresaThoma]

Benedictines of Mary Queen of Apostles: 

4 postulants (two started in July and the other two started later)

In september they had three simple professions and one investiture (novice)

http://benedictinesofmary.org/files/newsletters/14%20Fall.pdf

http://benedictinesofmary.org/files/newsletters/ChCard3.pdf

 

[marigold]

This is a great idea! :)

[Luigi]

Benedictine monks - east of the Mississippi, 2014.

 

St. John's, MN

- 2 novices

- 3 solemn vows

 

Marmion, IL

- 1 postulant

 

Holy Cross, IL

- 1 novice 

- 2 they had a couple of temporary vows in 2011, but they didn't post any news about solemn vows in 2014

 

St. Meinrad, IN

- 2 novices

- 1 first vows

- 1 solemn vows

 

St. Vincent, PA

- 2 novices

- 3 first vows

- 3 solemn vows

I'm pretty sure they have other monks in temporary vows

 

St. Bernard, AL

- 3 postulants

- 3 novices

- 4 simple vows

- (3 already in simple vows)

- 1 solemn vows

- (1 solemn vows coming up on 01-03-15)

 

St. Anselm, NH

- 3 in temporary vows

 

St. Benedict's, MA

- 1 in temporary vows

 

Mount Savior, NY

- Unclear. I think they have men in formation, but I think the monastery is in transition to another congregation.

 

St. Anselm, DC

- 3 in temporary vows

- 1 solemn vows

 

Mary, Mother of the Church, VA

- 4 candidates

- 1 novice

 

Belmont, NC

- 3 novices

- 4 first vows

- others already in temporary vows

 

St, Bede, IL

- maybe 1 in temporary vows

 

Newark, NJ

- maybe one in temporary vows

 

Six other monasteries about which I have no information.

 

[Luigi]

I know Dominicans don't live in abbeys, but I want to report on them anyway. Deal with it!

 

 

Dominican Friars, USA, 2014

 

St. Joseph Province (Eastern): 12 novices, 14 simple profession of vows, 12 solemn profession of vows

 

St. Albert Province (Central): 8 novices, 2 simple profession of vows, 3 solemn profession of vows

 

Holy Names of Jesus & Mary Province (Western): 7 novices, 2 simple profession of vows (and maybe 2 solemn professions - anyone else know?)

 

St. Martin Province (Southern) - 3 novices, 2 simple profession of vows (solemn professions? I dunno. I couldn't find anything)

Edited December 29, 2014 by Luigi

[Luigi]

Update on Benedictine monks west of the Mississippi:

 

Ascension monastery (I think it's a priory) in Jerome, ID has three postulants as of December first.

 

http://wasko541.use.com/ There's a link with pictures, too - of the monks, and of the postulants.

Edited December 30, 2014 by Luigi

[Luigi]

Trappist Monks, 2014

 

(NB: The Trappist observership is six months long, followed by the novitiate which is two-and-a-half years long, at least in some of the houses).

 

Guadalupe Abbey, Oregon

- One novice (from 2013?)

 

New Clairvaux, California

- Two monks in simple vows

 

Holy Trinity, Utah

- No one in formation. The abbey is in the process of closing. Monks are transferring to other monasteries.

 

St. Benedict's, Colorado

- Four monks in temporary vows

- One novice (from 2014?)

 

New Melleray, Iowa

- One solemn profession

- One monk in temporary vows

- Two novices

- One postulant

 

Assumption, Missouri

- No one in formation, but the abbey is in the process of converting to Vietnamese O. Cist. Vietnamese monks are transferring from Vietnam to Missouri as the Vietnamese government approves their applications for exit visas. The American Trappist monks are learning Vietnamese; they will continue living at the abbey until they die (as Trappists), but will pray the office and Mass in Vietnamese.

 

Gethsemani, Kentucky

- One profession of simple vows

- One novice (a Benedictine from St. Meinrad's Benedictine abbey in Indiana; since he's already a monk, he entered as a novice)

- Two now postulants

 

St. Joseph's, Massachusetts

- One monk in first vows

- Three novices

- One observer

 

Genesee, New York

- No one in formation

 

Holy Cross, Virginia

- One novice 

- One postulant

 

Mepkin, South Carolina

- One solemn profession

- Two in first vows (at least two - maybe more) 

- Three postulants

 

Holy Spirit, Georgia

- Three novices

[Luigi]

Trappist Nuns, 2014

 

 

Mount Saint Mary's, MA

The oldest monastery of Trappist nuns in the US was founded from Ireland in 1949. They are now 44 nuns, including three in temporary vows and one novice, if I read their habits correctly in the community photo. http://abbey.msmabbey.org/index.php/community/who-we-are 

 

 

Our Lady of Redwoods, CA

Founded from Belgium in 1962. I think there are nine nuns there. No one entered in 2014, and no one is in formation. http://www.redwoodsabbey.org/Community/Photos/ 

 

 

Our Lady of the Mississippi, IA

Founded from Wrentham in 1964, they are a community of 22 nuns, including one in temporary vows and one novice. (They sent five nuns to Norway to found a monastery there in 1999. That monastery is growing nicely.) http://www.mississippiabbey.org/About_Us 

 

 

Santa Rita, AZ

Founded from Wrentham in the late 1960's or early 1970's (they say they've been there "over forty years"). Twelve nuns - one may be a novice and one may be in temporary vows. They also have an observer. They've been a small community for a long time but have seen some recent slow growth. http://www.santaritaabbey.org/uncategorized/january-10-2015/ 

 

Our Lady of Angels, VA

Founded in 1987 from Wrentham, they are a community of 15 nuns including two postulants who entered in 2015, and a novice. They are expecting another candidate soon. http://www.olamonastery.org/wp-content/uploads/2014-letter.pdf(scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for a community photo).