s He hung upon the cross, an insatiable thirst burned in the heart of our Blessed Savior. Yet all the water in the world could not have quenched it. It was love that he desired. God is Love Itself, but He is so little loved in return. Jesus, the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, surrendered His life for each one of us personally as if we were the only one in existence, yet how many in the world return Him a life of indifference and sin, instead of a life of love and devotion. But true love and devotion is not emotion or feeling or sentimentality. It resides in the will. Love is strong, noble, valiant and generous. It is proven by deeds and nourished by sacrifice. Love is measured by what one is willing to patiently endure for the beloved, for it does not count the cost when it means pleasing the beloved. The hidden force of love will impel a soul to follow Jesus, to cling to Him, to carry the cross with Him, to assimilate His values, to absorb His virtues, until that soul's life is entirely transformed into His. A religious vocation is a special call from God to dedicate one's entire life to this life of love and service - to live for Him alone in a very special way. It is above all to strive to return Him love and to draw down abundant grace from His Merciful Heart for a sinful world. The Divine Lover of souls showers upon His consecrated religious many special graces and draws them into close union with Himself, provided they be generous with Him.

aint Joseph’s Monastery is a small community of contemplative Benedictine nuns neighboring the Abbey of Christ the King. The nuns live a life of prayer, work, silence and solitude, very similar to that of the monks, and are under their spiritual direction. As contemplatives they (and the monks likewise) do not undertake the active works of teaching or nursing, etc., as do other religious. The contemplative mode of life is one in which a soul is freer to attend to prayer and recollection. It is not a life of idleness but rather a life of the highest human activity. It is not that the contemplative is always saying prayers, it is rather that the contemplative strives to live in the presence of God.

radition has always seen the two modes of life, active and contemplative, symbolized in the incident recorded by St. Luke, of the two sisters, Martha and Mary. Once, when our Blessed Lord visited them, Martha became completely occupied about the things that had to be done in preparing the meal and serving Him, but Mary simply sat at His feet, hearing His words, enjoying His presence by loving contemplation. When Martha complained to our Lord that her sister did not help in serving, Jesus defended Mary with these words: "Martha, Martha, thou art careful, and troubled about many things: But one thing is necessary. Mary hath chosen the best part, which will not be taken away from her." Martha's work was important and holy but He wanted her to realize that it wasn't the highest work possible. But what is "the one thing necessary"? It is the work of loving and praising God for His own sake. No work is greater and it shall not be taken away from a devout soul. All active ministries, such as teaching and nursing, shall one day cease. But the work of loving contemplation of the Divine Master which begins here on earth is the same as that love of God which is eternal life; they are but one.

he beginnings of Saint Joseph’s Monastery date back to only 1995 - not a very long time ago. They are presently located in an old house, with a small Chapel in the finished attic. They hope to soon begin construction of a new and permanent convent and church on a nearby 20 acres of land which has already been purchased. The generous soul, eager to love God with all her strength, will look upon this humble beginning through the eyes of faith and not be discouraged, knowing that the work is being done for the love of God and will grow in His good time.

he first stages of joining our community vary from individual to individual. The process usually begins with the writing of letters and/or telephone conversations and/or coming for short visits during which the Mother Superior at St. Joseph’s and/or the Abbot of Christ the King meets with the individual. When an individual expresses a strong desire to seriously pursue the possibility of a vocation in our Benedictine Community, that is, to become a candidate, we ask her to make her arrangements and to settle all her financial and personal obligations.

Some necessary qualities for monastic life:

·         Generally, we only consider candidates who are between the ages of eighteen and thirty-five.

·         Love for God and for one’s neighbor

·         A taste for solitude, silence and prayer

·         A generous, willing and determined spirit

·         An open and sincere heart, eager to listen and to be taught

·         A mature personality with stable moods and emotions

·         The ability to persevere, to keep commitments and to take responsibility

·         Willingness to submit to authority in humble obedience

·         A positive attitude and a sense of humor

·         The ability to get along with others in community

·         Good physical, mental, and emotional health, and the stamina to endure hard work and a tight regular schedule

·         Adaptability and flexibility, and the willingness to change

·         Good moral character

he voice of God calls to each of us in different ways, often through the desire of our hearts or through the circumstances in which we find ourselves. Sometimes we feel the desire from our earliest childhood, or sometimes it hits us suddenly later in life, and often in the most unusual ways. But no one should expect God to manifest His invitation in a miraclous manner. Usually, the idea will enter into the mind like any other ordinary thought, but it will be more or less persistent. One must not look for infallible certainty in this matter of a vocation, for God wishes the soul to go to Him by the path of faith, hope, love, complete trust and determination.

If you think that Almighty God may be calling you to this life, or if you are not sure, and would like to know more about monastic life, we encourage you to contact the Vocation Director at St. Joseph's Monastery. Since the monastic and spiritual life of the monks and nuns are so very similar, it is recommended that one reads the sections entitled "Monastic Life" and "Vocations" for the monks.