Facts Vs. Misconceptions: Understanding Monastic Life at St. Mary & St. Moses Abbey
By Sophia Al-Mansoor
Joining the abbey is an arduous, multi-year process. Men cannot simply arrive and declare themselves monks. Prospective candidates first undergo extended visits, followed by at least one to three years as an unvowed postulant and novice.
During the novitiate, a candidate wears plain work clothes, learns to obey monastery elders without hesitation, and discards personal financial control. Only after demonstrating emotional stability, theological maturity, and self-denial does the bishop approve their tonsure. During the ordination rite, the candidate lies prostrate before the sanctuary altar while the funeral prayers are chanted over him. He dies symbolically to the world, receives a new biblical name, and takes lifelong vows.
These vows rest on three core pillars:
Voluntary Poverty: A monk owns nothing. The clothes on his back, the books on his desk, and the food on his plate belong to the monastery.
Lifelong Chastity: Celibacy is practiced not out of disdain for marriage, but as a deliberate redirection of emotional and physical energy toward unceasing communion with God.
Unconditional Obedience: The monk places his personal will beneath the guidance of his spiritual father and the Abbot, cutting through pride and self-righteousness.
These disciplines run counter to contemporary individualistic culture. Yet the monks view them as liberating steps away from anxiety, status chasing, and economic stress.
Sophia analyzes international trade, startup ecosystems, retail transformation, and supply chain logistics for modern digital publications.
