Prayer

The traditional source of monastic prayer is lectio divina or sacred reading. This excellent monastic practice, by which God’s Word is heard and pondered, is carefully cultivated through the reading of the Sacred Scriptures where the monk speaks heart to heart with God. Ideally, monks devote a serious amount of time each day to such reading.

By constantly cultivating mindfulness of God, the brothers extend the Work of God throughout the whole day. Each monk has ample leisure to give himself to reading and prayer. The monastic environment is one of peace, silence and quiet.

Nothing is to be preferred to the Work of God. Accordingly, the Liturgy of the Hours is to be celebrated by the community which, in union with the Church, fulfils Christ's priestly function offering to God a sacrifice of praise and making intercession for the salvation of the whole world.

Silence is counted among the principal monastic values of the Order. It assures solitude for the monk in community. It fosters mindfulness of God and fraternal communion. It opens the mind to the inspirations of the Holy Spirit and favours attentiveness of heart and solitary prayer to God. Therefore, at all times but especially during the hours of night, the brothers are to be zealous for silence, which is the guardian both of speech and of thought.