Vocations

For Those Seeking Depth, Purpose, and God.

Marmion Abbey is home to a vibrant community of Benedictine monks committed to a life of prayer, work, and brotherhood. Here, sacred tradition meets a call to servethrough education, ministry, and spiritual growth.

The process of discernment requires right intention, spiritual guidance, and openness. There are no shortcuts, but for those who are called, the path leads to a life of purpose, community, and grace.

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Meet the Monks
Discover the essential elements of discernment in the Catholic tradition:

Prayer

One must be committed to a regular prayer life in which one entrusts to God a sincere desire to follow His will and to listen to His voice as it comes in private prayer, liturgical worship and the voice of others.

Spiritual Direction

It is helpful if you have someone who knows you and with whom you can seriously share your thoughts and concerns.

Get to know the Place and People

A person needs to allow proper time to come to know both the monastery and its tradition and customs before making a prudent choice, and the community should come to know something of who you are.

Patience

A person needs to allow proper time to come to know both the monastery and its tradition and customs before making a prudent choice, and the community should come to know something of who you are.

FAQ

Below you will find answers to common questions. Of course, if you have additional questions about the monastic way of life, please reach out to our Vocation Director, Fr. Vincent Bataille, at vocations@marmion.org or visit the Monastic Life page.

What age can you join the monastery?

Single, Roman Catholic men, at least 20 years of age, are eligible to enter the monastery.

How many monks are at Marmion?
  • Our Monastic Community
    • Marmion Abbey is home to 16 monks, both priests and brothers, ranging in age from their 20s to their 90s.
    • Most monks reside at the Abbey; others serve in parish assignments, teach, or attend seminary.
  • Affiliated Communities
    • 3 monks from Guatemala are members of the Priory of San José, which is dependent on Marmion Abbey.
    • 4 monks from Our Lady of the Angels Monastery in Mexico currently reside in the Abbey.
    • 4 postulants are living in community as they discern entry monastic life.
What do you do all day?

The simple answer is found in one of the Benedictine mottos: ora et labora—pray and work.

  • Prayer
    • Communal prayer
    • Personal prayer
  • Work
    • Teaching at Marmion Academy
    • Parish ministry
    • Working on Abbey Farms
    • Providing spiritual direction
    • Caring for elderly monks
    • Daily monastery tasks, including: cleaning, waiting tables, washing dishes, shoveling snow, mowing grass, reading in church or at table, etc.
What is a monk’s schedule like?

A typical daily schedule might look like this:

  • 5:45 AM Vigils
  • 6:15 AM Lectio divina
  • 6:45 AM Lauds
  • 7:10 AM Breakfast
  • 8:30 AM Assigned work or study
  • 11:20 AM Mass
  • 12:10 PM Lunch
  • 1:00 PM Assigned work or study
  • 5:00 PM Vespers
  • 5:30 PM Supper
  • 6:00 PM Community Recreation
  • 6:45 PM Compline
  • 7:00 PM Free time
  • 10:00 PM Silence

On Sundays and great feasts, Morning Prayer begins at 7:30 AM with Mass at 11:00 AM. 

In the evenings, some monks watch TV or play cards. Others pursue hobbies or read. Students often use the time for schoolwork.

Can monks leave the monastery?
Yes. Monks come and go for various kinds of business. Some spend extended time away at school as teachers or students. Some are stationed outside the monastery in parishes or chaplaincy. Those who are in the early stage of formation do not spend overnight away from the monastery.
Do Benedictine monks take a vow of silence?
No. We have times when we are silent, for example between 10 PM until after breakfast, and we have places we are silent, for example the church and the hallways of the monastery. Just as we have times and places where we are more silent, we also have times and places where we are more social.
Will I still be able to see family and friends?
Yes. Monks stay in touch with family and friends through calls, emails, and visits. Many also spend part of their vacation with loved ones. Entering the monastery doesn’t mean cutting ties with the people you care about.
Do monks get time to themselves?
Being alone is part of being a monk. Although there are designated times when we come together for prayer, meals and recreation, there is also time to be alone, whether for private prayer, meditation, reading, and hobbies.
When do you wear a habit?
We generally wear our habits for communal prayer and Mass as well as for ministry assignments. We also wear them for meals and community meetings. Some monks wear their habits most of the time, and others wear them less, which depends on the type of work that monks are doing.
Is prayer always easy for you?
No. Sometimes when the bell rings for prayer, you’d rather keep working or talking but you go. Prayer is about your relationship with God, and like all relationships, it can be challenging. Monastic formation helps you learn how prayer grows and changes over time.
What is the difference between a brother and a priest?
All members of the monastery share the same vocation: to be monks. Some also have a vocation to the priesthood. You typically can’t tell who is a priest and who is not, unless sacraments are being celebrated. Priest-monks wear priestly vestments and are called “Father,” while non-ordained monks wear the habit and are called “Brother.”
How long does it take to become a member of the monastic community?

Men discerning monastic life at Marmion Abbey follow a step-by-step formation process:

  • Postulancy:
    A period of initial discernment lasting from a few months up to a year. Postulants live in the monastery and experience the daily monastic life.
  • Novitiate:
    A time of deeper formation lasting one year and one day. During this time, the individual is considered a novice and a member of the community.
  • Junior Monk:
    At the end of the novitiate, the novice takes temporary vows and becomes a junior monk. This period typically lasting for three years.
  • Solemn Vows:
    Junior monks often make solemn vows at the end of three years to become full-fledged monks of the monastery.
Can you keep your name?
Taking a new name is a monastic sign of conversion. Before professing their first vows at Marmion Abbey, novices submit a list of three name choices to the Abbot, who selects one as their monastic name. If no one in the community shares their baptismal name, they may request to keep it.
What is the process for joining the monastery?

Discerning a vocation to Marmion Abbey is a thoughtful and personal journey. Once a man feels drawn to monastic life and begins seriously considering Marmion, there are three basic steps to explore this calling:

  • Visit and Build Relationships:
    Begin visiting the monastery and stay in regular contact with members of the community, especially the vocation director.
  • Begin the Application Process:
    With the vocation director’s approval, begin formally applying. This stage helps discern whether the Benedictine life at Marmion is the right path to grow closer to God.
  • Complete Entry Requirements:
    If both the man and the vocation director agree to move forward, the final step is to complete the necessary requirements for postulancy, including a criminal background check and a psychological evaluation.
What are the vows the Benedictine monks take?
Benedictines take three vows:obedience,stability,andfidelity to the monastic way of life.

  • Obedience means following the call of the community, through the abbot, to serve the common good of the monastery, Christ and the Church.
  • Stability binds a monk to a specific monastery. A Benedictine’s vocation is not just to monastic life in general, but to this community with its own history and spirit.
  • Fidelity to the monastic way of life is a lifelong commitment to grow as a monk. It includes:
    • Living simply without personal possessions
    • Practicing celibate chastity as a sign of total devotion to God

Trusting the community to provide

What are the monks’ rooms like?
Each monk has a private room, called a cell, with its own bathroom.

Schedule a Visit

Visiting Marmion Abbey is a wonderful way to experience the peaceful rhythm of monastic life. Whether you’re exploring a possible vocation or simply curious about the abbey, we welcome you to walk our grounds and get to know our community. To ensure a meaningful and personal visit, we ask that you schedule ahead so we can prepare for your arrival and connect you with someone to guide you through your time here. To schedule your visit email, [email address of best person to contact for visit].
Schedule a Visit

Contact the Director

If you’re feeling a call to explore a monastic vocation, curious about life at Marmion Abbey, or simply want to have a conversation with our Vocation Director, Fr. Vincent Bataille, please reach out anytime. We look forward to hearing from you.

vocations@marmion.org | 630.532.1537

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