Questions and Answers from the Abbot
One fashion or another, we are all seekers. We seek safety, security, love, and community. It is easy enough to know when what we seek has been achieved. Seeking a Godly life and doing His perfect will seems fraught with confusion and often despair. That need not be the case.
Scripture and tradition are filled with direction. Essentially, God calls each of us to seek perfection and holiness. Unfortunately, we make it difficult to understand and practice because we fill the journey with unrealistic expectations.
Some of us want God to speak directly to us. Others wish to receive a level of peace and certainty. And most want the short easy road to perfection and holiness. Let us use common sense and reason.
Scripture is clear. God wants every one of us to seek perfection and holiness. It is reasonable that He would provide the grace to empower us and a methodology whereby plain folks can achieve the seemingly impossible. We can conclude that our role is to cooperate with God’s grace.
We use the Holy Rule of Saint Benedict to aid in developing a lifestyle that sets the stage for our Godly cooperation. We can teach you how to do the same.
For me, being a monk was a logically practical application of Christ's call to us all, "come follow me." There was no mystery to overcome, or the necessity of a divine call specifically given hand-delivered by Gabriel himself. The call to perfection has been given to every Christian.
The only "issue," if there was an issue, was how I was to play this out. I studied the various traditional religious orders. The Rule of St. Benedict found its way into my heart. It was universal, kind to the weak, practical, orderly, and very specific. I liked that.
A monk in the Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross, Common Observance is someone who seeks God and is willing to undertake a "labor of obedience" to God, Scripture, the Rule of St. Benedict, and his/her vows of Stability, Obedience, and Conversatio.
The vocational consecrated life is balanced simplicity involving a journey that involves prayer, contemplation, and service to others while cultivating virtues such as humility, obedience, and charity.
Oblates desire much of the same monastic blessings without taking vows.
We have a well-proven realistic formation program/discernment in which your mentor will guide you. We will teach you the meaning of prayer and how to pray.
Your formation as a Cistercian monastic will focus on learning how to pray and incorporate The Holy Rule of St. Benedict into your life. The Rule gives you direction, much like an arbor supports and directs the vine and changes you from within, much like yeast.
You will discover just how wonderful prayer can be and become closer to God than you ever thought possible.
One year of Postulancy followed by temporary vows. Followed by two years of Novitiate concluding with life vows.
An Oblate in the Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross, Common Observance is someone who seeks God and is willing to undertake a "labor of obedience" to God, Scripture, the Rule of St. Benedict, and his/her promises of Stability, Obedience, and Conversatio.
Your life is balanced simplicity involving a journey that involves prayer, contemplation, and service to others while cultivating virtues such as humility, obedience, and charity.
We have a well-proven realistic one-year formation program/discernment in which your mentor will guide you. After which we can receive your Oblate promises.
We will teach you the meaning of prayer and how to pray.
Your formation as a Cistercian oblate will focus on learning how to pray and incorporate The Holy Rule of St. Benedict into your life. The Rule gives you direction, much like an arbor supports and directs the vine and changes you from within, much like yeast.
You will discover just how wonderful prayer can be and become closer to God than you ever thought possible.
Three Vows are required of the monks. Oblates take the same vows but only as promises. You will find that they all make perfect sense for one who is truly seeking God.
Stability
Stability is a rooted engaging commitment to place, time, and relationships.
Expectations found in genuine stability:
External
Reliable patterns in persons and life events where one can productively live their life while attending to the present moment.
Internal
Inner stability is focusing on God and responding to the moment with love. Face one’s pain and destructive emotions.
Look for the best in others and have an eagerness to forgive.
Stability is achieved through persistence, patience, and humility. Focus on God and prayer.
Obedience
Cistercian Obedience is not blindly obeying the law under threat of punishment.
For Benedict obedience is an action taken when we exercise both physical and emotional stability.
Obedience to others is the way that we live out our obedience to God.
Obedience is accountability in the community and in relationships by focusing on the needs of others.
Obedience is putting God at the center of our lives thus giving a balance between our needs and the needs of others.
Obedience is the recognition that I cannot always be in control and to listen to those who are.
Obedience is to take only an action that is endorsed by those who show wisdom and understanding.
Conversatio
Your life's journey needs not always be a rocky, difficult uphill battle. You can drop burdensome beliefs, attitudes, behaviors that hinder you in your search for God in all things and your decision to prefer nothing to the love of Christ.
As you grow spiritually you will find yet more hindrances to let go of so continually striving for conversion in your own personal behavior and faithfully persevere in living the monastic observance.
Never become complacent or slothful in your efforts to grow in holiness or careless or lazy in performing your religious duties or serving the community.
Constant renunciation of things, ideas, judgments, behaviors you would have thought you couldn't do without.
Change your ways so that your heart will change. Your new and opposite behaviors will change who you are. Criticism can become mercy. Fear of rejection can become confidence.
Do things differently so that you will come to see things differently.
Conversatio is changing behaviors to respond to God’s plan for your life and your vows of stability and obedience by practicing the presence of God.
The Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross is happy to receive male applicants for Holy Orders, Priests.
We would also consider incardination for other rightfully ordained clerics.
While we require the traditional qualifications for ordination/incardination, the educational requirements may be individually tailored.
We celebrate valid apostolic lines of succession, the seven sacraments, and liturgical worship consistent with the historical churches. We adhere to true apostolic teaching.
If you are interested in ordination or incardination, complete the application found on our website and forward it to the Abbot General. His office will then contact you.
Our formation programs will help you in your discernment. Here are some inspiring thoughts.
Suspicious Signs of a Call to Contemplative Religious Life
Desire to grow in union with God through prayer.
Love of God that manifests itself in a desire to give one’s life to Him.
Desire to live simply.
The wish to live life with less stress and more order.
Generosity.
Ability to listen to others and accept directions when needed.
Desire to worship God In all the moments of life.
"The sincere disposition of the faithful Christian, cooperating with the daily graces offered him, can prepare for that series of graces which culminate in the vows of religion. While the gift of perseverance in the religious state is likewise a gift from God, it is the ordinary fulfillment of all that has preceded if the religious does not oppose the graces of his state." St. Thomas says, "Those whom God chooses for something, He prepares and disposes so that they will be found fit for that for which they are selected."
In his Scriptural commentaries, St. Thomas explains the passage in this way: This counsel is given by God to those who ask for it and are willing to work for it. Not all take it because not all have the strength… not that any have such a strength in themselves, but by a gift of grace.
Ordinarily, however, the movement of grace in religious vocation is neither rare nor exceptional. With remarkable brevity, St. Thomas refers to this act of acceptance as propositum religionis, the simple resolve to enter religion, or the religious state. This is an act of the will, a deliberate choice and resolution, consequent upon intellectual consideration of the object willed.
Essentially what is required is a sincere and deliberate resolve to seek perfection in charity through the religious state of life, according to the rule and constitutions of a certain religious institute.
The indispensable natural virtues required, according to Father Philippe, are a right conscience, a profoundly honest character, sincerity, and sociability. The required religious virtues are true piety, docility for direction, a spirit of penance to accept the renunciations required, the practice of chastity, and true devotion to a way of life dedicated to the service of neighbor for the love of God.”
Religious Vocation: An Unnecessary Mystery, By Fr. Richard Butler, O.P.
When can I start?
How to Apply for Postulancy or Oblature
Our principal geographic mission is to the Americas.
- Carefully read the website, www.CistercianMonks.org.
- Email Abbot Oscar Joseph, OCCO, abbot@bellsouth.net. Tell him about yourself; describe how God is calling you to a monastic life or to the Oblature, and specifically why you have chosen the Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross. Ask him any questions that you might have.
- The Abbot will respond to your email and send you more information on how to apply.
- Once your application is completed and accepted it will be brought before the admissions committee. You will be notified of the outcome and given further instructions.
- Monks and oblates are single or married. There are few age and health restrictions. They live in their homes, not in a residential monastery. They continue the joy of their families, employment (retirement), church affiliations, and friends.
- Priests and deacons of/in the Order may be single or married. We have a realistic formation program for those men who wish to be ordained.
- Men and women from both the Historic “catholic” and Protestant churches may participate as third-order oblates.
The Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross supports the traditional teachings of the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church. It would not be appropriate for the following people to apply for membership at any level in the Order. Female “priests” or “bishops” or persons engage in or who support homosexual activities or those who support female clergy. Those who participate/support illegal activities such as tax evasion or immoral activity such as abortions, those who abuse themselves or others, or those with
impaired judgment. Persons who belong to cults, non-Christian chivalric orders; secret organizations, such as the Freemasons; or groups that promote hatred or bigotry such as the KKK, or political groups whose purpose is to create terror or overthrow a legitimate government, groups who worship Satan, false gods; or philosophies, such as pantheism.
Will I have help?
Yes. You will have the consistent guidance and communication of the Abbot and/or a mentor which he assigns for you. You will have monthly progress meetings with the Abbot or mentor and be able to consult by phone or email to make additional (phone or video call) appointments to address specific questions or concerns.
You will have generous and detailed feedback on any submitted assignments in the Oblate, Postulant or Novice Formation programs.
Is there a financial commitment to belong to the Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross?
Yes, you are required to tithe a proportion of your income in support of the OCCO. The traditional tithe is 5% contributed either monthly or annually in advance.
However, in accordance with their income and obligations, not everyone is equally able to contribute this amount.
It will be your duty to discern with the Abbot an appropriate tithe in your circumstances.
Additionally, there is a modest application fee, and you will have to purchase some books.
These are reasonable and expected expenses.
The Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross is Anglo/Catholic in charism. We are a part of the One, Holy, Catholic (universal), and Apostolic Church. Meaning we profess what the church has always taught everywhere.
This does NOT mean that you must be Roman Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican to join us.
We are open to every legitimate Christian perspective. Most of our members are Protestant.
We are here to teach you how to pray not what church to go to.
We are not a church. Like St. Benedict’s monasteries we are simply a group of lay people seeking God through prayer and the Rule of St. Benedict. No church requires lay people to get approval for their spiritual choices as long as the organizations are faithful to what the church has always taught everywhere.
Throughout history the monastics wanted to receive the sacraments more regularly, so they invited bishops/priests/deacons to join their ranks. Thus, the Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross has its own bishops, priests, and deacons.
Interesting to note that St. Benedict was an Abbot and a lay person. Also, the clerics that are with the Cistercian Order only function at the Abbot’s request.
Foremost God has clearly required us not to seek approval, unity, ownership, etc. from any church.
While what makes us so good may sound like a legitimate question the better questions is where does God want you to be?
Another difficulty in replying to the who is better question simply lies in longevity. We are the oldest Cistercian/Benedictine dispersed monastic order in the USA.
However, I will say that:
Some unique aspects of the Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross are:
Monks and oblates are single or married.
Monks and Oblates come from a variety of Christian backgrounds.
There are few age and health restrictions.
Monks and oblates live in their own homes, or in community with other monks or oblates, or in hermitages.
Monks and oblates are self-supporting and may have secular or religious occupations.
Monks and oblates follow a daily schedule of prayer, work, and study, as well as a monthly video meeting with a spiritual director or mentor.
Monks and oblates are part of a worldwide community of brothers and sisters who support each other through prayer, communication, and fellowship.
St. Stephen Harding Theological College and Seminary
Welcomes students to a wide variety of degrees, programs, and continuing educational
opportunities.
Check our section at the Cistercian website or
www.StephenHarding.College
for more information and Application.
Off Campus Study Programs, Something for Everyone
Students may enroll at any time.
You choose the Programs and Courses that best meet Your goals.
Continuing Education, CE
Certificate of Studies and Advanced Studies, CS/CAS.
Bachelor of Theology, Th.B.
Master of Theology, Th.M.
Doctor of Theology, Th.D.
Honorary Doctorates D.D. or LL.D.
Saint Stephen Harding Theological College and Seminary is a Religious order-affiliated educational institution under the authority of The Cistercian Order of the Holy Cross, a 501 (non-profit corporation).
Our degrees are classified as ecclesiastically accredited.