About the community of the good shepherd
Listen carefully, my child,... with the ear of your heart.
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"Listen carefully, my child, to the master's
Instructions and attend to them with the ear of your heart." The first verse from the Rule of Saint Benedict. Sculpture at the Benedicitne Hildegard von Bingen Monastery in Germany.
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As brothers and sisters
of the Good Shepherd... We are called to bear witness in the world to the simplicity and the freedom of the Gospel. To walk humbly in loving service, with creative hands, on a rhythm of a life of prayer in the power of loving kindness. We are called to be a sign of hope for people who are hurried or oppressed by society. We are called to confirm the goodness in every person. We are called to be in the city amongst people and in the Church, to be a community with a heart for people and the world, to radiate the joy of the Gospel. The life of a monk/nun is one of Listening. The life of a monk/nun is one of waiting for God. In silence and brotherly life he/she tries to open himself/herself to God's friendship and love. In a constant prayer, in a steady listening to God's Word and in serving and creative work, he/she surrenders to God's guidance. This waiting and watching lasts a lifetime. No special education or diploma is required before becoming a monk/nun, nor an exemplary Christian life. Whoever enters the community, starts on a road with several stages. "Listen carefully, my child, to the master's Instructions and attend to them with the ear of your heart." The first verse from the Rule of Saint Benedict. Community The life of our community is monastic & apostolic (vita mixta). This form of life is described in our spiritual rule. (Short pieces of reflection on our spiritual rule of life and on the Rule of Saint Benedict hopefully will be published in the future on the BLOG page.) It is a spiritual rule of life that unites the various aspects of our life: prayer and work, silence, togetherness and solitude, sobriety, apostolate. Vows The vows a brother or sister takes are: monastic life, obedience and stability. Our life is shaped by monastic instruments of: regular lectio divina, the divine office, meditation, working and living in loving attentiveness, celebrating the sacraments, study and reading, the Jesus prayer, brotherhood, spiritual guidance, hospitality,... Labora Each brother or sister provides for his/her own livelihood and has, in addition to his/her own monastic life, his/her own craft, work or apostolate. Today in our monastery: candles, mustard, cheese and liquor are made as a source of income and creative labour. Some of the brothers do pastoral work or funeral chaplaincy and one of the brothers is a missionary monk in London, UK. As a sign of our consecrated life, we wear a blue habit in public and a white cowl (a monastic prayer robe) in chapel. Ora — At the heart of our monastic life is prayer. Divine Office The Divine Office is our set of community prayers— marking the hours of each day— and sanctifying the day with prayer. Eucharist The celebration of the Eucharist is the centre of our life. It is the highest expression of life in community. It is the beginning and the end of our works; the source of our service to God. Silence In addition to the Hours of Prayer, we make daily time for quiet, personal prayer. It is a strong time of repentance and communion with God. In the silence of our hearts we enter into relationship with God and surrender to His grace. In silent prayer, just like during the Eucharist and the Hours, we take with us the prayer intentions entrusted to us and we pray for the needs of the Church and the world. |
The benediction of the Monastery in Temse, Belgium - by the Archbishop of Utrecht. The Most Revd. Mgr Joris Vercammen.