Exploring Benedictine Life -- Vowed Membership

"Vocation" — a calling from God, an invitation from the Spirit that requires attentive listening and an active response. For 1500 years, Benedictines have lived out their response to this call, balancing community, hospitality, service, prayer and individual spiritual growth.

The Benedictine community of Queen of Angels Monastery seeks to extend this invitation to others who are willing to listen to the Spirit. The Benedictine Sisters offer several programs for men and women to participate in the life of the monastic community: Becoming a Vowed Member; Becoming an Oblate (Lay) Member; and Becoming a Benedictine Volunteer.

Discerning a call to religious life does not happen overnight. We provide opportunities for women who are just beginning the discernment process to "come and see" what life is like here and to get to know the Benedictine Sisters. Vocation Weekends are offered throughout the year, and a Monastic Week Experience is offered each summer. (Check Vocation Events for a schedule of upcoming vocation weekends and activities.)

Once a woman is committed to seriously looking at religious life, she is invited to begin a process of spiritual growth and discernment that may include the following stages:

*Inquirer:*	During this time of introduction to Benedictine life, a woman becomes acquainted with the Queen of Angels community through frequent visits. While still living in her own home, she begins to establish a relationship with the monastic community.
*Postulant:*	A woman enters the monastic community and, with the guidance of a spiritual director, experiences a gradual incorporation into community life. During this stage, she maintains financial independence but lives at the Monastery.
*Novice:*	Formally accepted into Benedictine community, a novice lives, prays and works together with the monastic community. She receives specific instruction on the Rule of Benedict, Scripture, monastic vows, and the community charism.
*Temporary Professed Sister:*	Professing first vows, the new Sister begins to live the full expression of monastic life. She continues her spiritual development, striving to incorporate Benedictine values into the daily rhythm of her life and ministry.
Perpetually Professed Sister:	With the profession of perpetual vows, the Sister is fully incorporated into the monastic community and commits herself fully to monastic life as lived in this monastery. She responds each day to God's call through obedience, stability and fidelity to monastic life and continues the lifelong process of spiritual formation.

Benedictines take three vows at the time of profession:

*Stability:*	A promise to seek God by establishing a lifelong commitment to a particular monastic community.
Fidelity to Monastic Life:	A promise to seek God always, by embracing the pattern of community life inspired by the Rule of Benedict;
*Obedience:*	A promise to listen and respond to the will of God as revealed in Scripture, the Rule, the events of human history, and the cry of the poor. This call to obedience is lived out through individual and community discernment.