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The abbot’s question to the candidate for monastic commitment reaches and
probes the depths of the soul. “The mercy of God and of the Order,” the
newcomer responds. And so begins the work of a lifetime: searching,
learning, discovering the meaning of mercy which transforms the heart of
the monk into the Lord’s own image.
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Getting started and keeping at the tasks are graces only God can give. The
monk recognizes this gift and strives to open to it generously, for he has
met Jesus in his life. His mission, his service in the Church and the
world is to follow Christ more closely and to find God at the center of
life.
The workshop, the arena, where the monk immerses himself in the search for
mercy is the enclosure of the monastery. When a person commits to this
great venture of Christian discipleship, he finds the holy is revealed in
the ordinary, the everyday, the authentic.
The Abbey of Gethsemani welcomes inquiries from Roman Catholic men
considering a call to monastic life. A prospective candidate needs to be
between 22 and 55 years of age and to have good mental and physical
health.
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