OUR CHARISM
Our community is equally contemplative and active. As a monastic vocation we feel God not only calls us into deeper relationship through the contemplative life in the monastery, but that we are also called to bring that life into the world in a mutually transformative way, especially with those most marginalized and in particular, those in prison. Our monastic life of prayer and contemplation informs everything we do in ministry. Given the complexity of the human condition that we encounter, it is essential to our spiritual well-being to have a stable community where we can return and be held in love and prayer.
IN THE MONASTERY
We pray the Divine Office (Liturgy of the Hours) three times daily. Our prayer schedule includes Lauds (morning prayer), Vespers (evening prayer) and Compline (night prayer). Wednesday mornings we offer a combined Lauds/Eucharist. Every Saturday evening we offer a combined Vespers/Eucharist. We invite you to join us. Our daily life is framed in prayer and work (ora et labora). Our work could include tending to the structural needs and operation of the monastery as well as working on ministry projects that require our attention.
Another added element is that of Study which is important to our intellectual development. Silence is an essential element of the monastic way of life and in addition to prescribed times of absolute and extended silence, we also strive to observe quiet in all our activities as a way to foster stillness within the heart that is needed to truly listen to God. This is not to say that we ignore the need for joyful activities together at times as a way to honor balance and as a way to relax the monastic tension. We insist on having fun!
IN THE JAILS & PRISONS
Some, but not all, are called and suited for jail ministry. This typically would mean spending time with our brothers and sisters incarcerated in the Los Angeles County Jails and Cali-fornia State Prisons. We engage in several forms of individual spiritual care, as well as groups. Our extended ministry also includes court appearances with family members and ongoing written correspondence with our friends inside.
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THE JOURNEY newsletter is published monthly and mailed to individuals upon request to any prison or county jail throughout the United States. If you have a loved one who would like to receive it, simply send us their name/state number, and facility address, including their current housing. We are happy to add them to THE JOURNEY mailing list.
SOCIAL & CRIMINAL JUSTICE
We advocate for social and criminal justice concerns by taking a stance against mass incarceration, the death penalty, racism, all forms of violence – particularly, domestic violence and gun violence. We stand in solidarity with our LGBTQ sisters and brothers and with all spiri-tual traditions seeking God, truth, and justice. We understand the value of our activism always be-ing informed by our contemp-lative intuition.