Our Life

Our community

‘To their fellow monks, they show the pure love of brothers’ Rule of St Benedict, Ch 72,8

We are a community of 24 sisters. Having inherited the tradition handed down to the church by St Frances of Rome, we are Benedictines linked to the abbey of Notre Dame du Bec. Prayer and work give rhythm to our daily monastic lives.

Oblate sister

As contemplatives, we lead a Benedictine monastic life as well as being oblates of the monks’ community. This oblation is expressed through shared liturgies at the abbey on Sundays and feast days.

Shared liturgy

‘Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.’ Ephesians 5,19

Our two communities come together on Sundays and feast days for shared prayer. We praise God the Creator together, and through a joined voices we offer up the face of humanity reconciled in God.

Prayer

`and devote yourself often to prayer’, Rule of St Benedict, Ch 4,56

For us the instruments of prayer are:
psalmody (communal sung prayer)
private prayer
prayerful reading of the Bible.

At regular intervals throughout the day, weeks, months and years, these various expressions of prayer work on our hearts in union with God and in deep communion with all humanity. We lend our voice to those who are too damaged to cry out, or who do not know God or who have never heard of him.

`Separate yet united to all’ Evagre

Community life

`The brothers should serve one another.’ Rule of St Benedict Ch 35,1

Our differences, limitations and sinful natures render community life challenging but it is here that we bear witness to our love for God. Prayer, relaxation and communal recreation enable each of us to experience real joy at the heart of our communal life.

Work

`When they live by the labour of their hands, as our father and apostles did, then they are really monks.’ Rule of St Benedict Ch 48,8

We earn our living through various means, principally in the traditional art of candle making. Community life also necessitates the sharing of household tasks from cooking to cleaning. Individual study is also pursued, our library providing the necessary resources.

A typical day

`First of all, every time you begin a good work, you must pray to him most earnestly to bring it to perfection.’ Rule of St Benedict, prologue 4.

For download the document, a Monastic Day : click here