Answering the call:

“As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.” (Mathew 4:18-22)

Sometimes it’s hard to clearly understand what it is we are being called to do. For this reason discernment is crucial before we make any major decisions, or for that matter before we make minor ones. Seeking quiet time with the Lord is what we should all try to do, in order to hear the Lord when he speaks to us, to allow the spirit to move in its own mysterious way. And so we go away on retreat into the desert, or into the mountains, or to the seaside, away from the business of our world. Away from our jobs, people, laptops, TV’s, telephones etc.

Jesus himself went away into solitude; he went away to pray to his Father in heaven. He set the example which we should follow. For those discerning their call to religious life or priestly ministry, going away on retreat is a requirement, it’s a must. It allows the person to step out of their own world for a while, to take ‘time out’ from their busy schedule, to rest and pray, and most important of all to just ‘be’ in the presence of God so that He might speak, and the discerner might listen.

Before I entered this monastery I was required to discern for a full year before I made my application. At first I found this hard because I had already taken time to go away on retreat and felt that I was ready to enter. But I wasn’t, I needed that year to go deeper into the discernment process, to take my time, and to allow the community to get to know me on my frequent visits to the monastery, to allow the Lord to speak to me, and for me to listen. And here I am! May God bless you each and every day.

Rev. Aidan OSB oliv
(Vocations Director)