March 21, 2011

For our spring Come & See Monastic Experience weekend March 18 – 20 four men discerning a vocation came who were interested in knowing more about the monastic vocation: Ryan Vilbig, Ben Avila, Steve Zvonar, and Eduardo Gonzalez (left to right in the picture with Prior Simon). They participated fully in the prayer, communal activities, and conferences given on Benedictine history, spirituality, liturgical prayer and the challenges of the common life.

During a period of manual labor on Saturday afternoon they were especially helpful in cleaning up the vegetable garden and the cemetery after the ravages of winter and recent wind storms. We pray that this experience will foster their discernment of where they might offer themselves to the service of the church in a consecrated way for the glory of God.