New Monastic Spiritual Formation and Vowed Life

Those interested in a deeper commitment to a life of contemplation and justice are invited to enter the Center’s 3-year formation program which combines experiential classes in contemplative spirituality and theology, small group work based on the tools of 12-step spirituality, Clinical Pastoral Education methodology, retreat work, one-on-one mentoring, and a commitment to our community’s rule of life. This formation program helps prepare participants for a committed vowed new monastic life of prayer and service.  

The program draws wisdom from three main branches of Christian contemplation: the Benedictine rhythm of life, the Carmelite way of silent prayer, and the Franciscan focus on living lives that are responsive to the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth. We are also informed by 12-step recovery methodology for on-going conversion of life. Contemporary prophetic gifts of liberation and earth spiritualities are present in our work through luminaries like Howard Thurman, Desmond Tutu, Wangarĩ Maathai and Martin Luther King Jr. who beautifully combined the gifts of deep contemplation with just action and social and ecological change.

Learn more about our New Monastic community and formation program here.