Monastic life is an antidote to the inherited human proclivity of Adam to disobedience and self- direction which closes the heart from the intended union with God and His ultimate plan for human creatures: to participate in His Divine Nature in an intimate way. God called all to this union through marriage or monastic life. Some who are attracted to the mystery of monasticism may not know what they are attracted to: security, camaraderie, elitism, rejection of responsibility, ministry, or superficially an easy, pleasant way to Heaven. These are common misconceptions about monastic life, and not all women are called to it. A woman who has the calling to be a nun may have a proclivity for prayer and the sacramental life, and a hunger for more. She who is content when focused on prayer, the inner life, and serving God rather than status and keeping up with the trends may be well suited for a monastery.
Visiting a monastery is the first step to discern whether one is interested in pursuing monasticism. There may be a series of visits prior to actual job shifting, moving, cutting ties, or other disruptions of one’s life to help the person see what she actually wants. Monastic life is designed for the nun to voluntarily nail herself to the Cross, to kill her illicit ego from demanding righteous dominance and status quo expressed through passions and “legitimate desires,” opinions, and ways that are all abandoned in pursuit of union with Christ.
Monastic life operates on an honor system of obedience and self-denial in willing submission to the Spiritual Father and Abbess. The honor system is not something to be dismantled, disdained, or conquered. Nuns are not trying to compete or “beat the system” to succeed, nor are they members of an elite church-worker sorority. They live alone with God, working out their salvation through living in community, fulfilling the monastic vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity. The primary source of consolation is pursued in a deeper union with God, renouncing earthly things that would support the ego, self-interest, or self-projection. They exchange temporal treasures in the pursuit of lasting virtue and the Kingdom of Heaven, a tangible way of living out the Beatitudes and the commandments of Christ to the fullest extent.
If you’re interested in learning more about our Sisterhood and context, please email the Abbess…
- When contacting a Priest, Abbot/Abbess, or other spiritual authority, always start by asking for a blessing.
- Short bio (journey to Orthodoxy, current life situation, current parish and your level of participation)
- Current Orthodox books or podcasts you’re reading/listening to.
- Have you visited other monasteries? Which ones? How did you find us and what interests you in us?
- What interests you in monasticism?