WHAT IS OUR LADY OF THE MOST BLESSED SACRAMENT MONASTERY?

Are You Looking for Life? Jesus is life. "I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly."

Are You Looking for Meaning? The Eucharist leads us into the heart of the Christian life. Jesus' death and resurrection give perspective to every human joy and suffering, every need and every hope.

A monastery of Perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament. This Monastery houses the Little Brothers of Jesus of the Most Blessed Sacrament, under the Rule of Life as formulated through the writings of Venerable Fr. Charles de Foucauld, a Roman Catholic Priest who lived during the last 19th and early 20th centuries. It is an Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Christian Community answering the call of Jesus, "THAT ALL MAY BE ONE." A community of Nuns shall also be counted among these, in the future, known as the Little Sisters of Jesus of the Most Blessed Sacrament. They will follow the same Rule and Way of Life. Monks and Nuns will have their own houses and shall never trespass each others cloister.

We are a PIONEER COMMUNITY as well as a traditional community with traditional values. Monks wear traditional Habits. Without compromising the spirit of our vocation, we strive in response to the call of our Holy Mother, the Catholic, Apostolic and Universal Church, Eastern and Western, to share the riches of our contemplative life with our neighbors.

The Monastery is a refuge for any who need help spiritually or, as we are able, physically. In the Gospel of St. Matthew 12:18, 29, 30, we find the words of Jesus that we try to embrace regarding all:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and find life burdensome, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon your shoulders and learn from me, for I Am gentle and humble of heart. Your souls will find rest, for my yoke is easy and my burden light."

This Monastery is the Mother House and the Spiritual and Academic training of the Monks will be provided here. As a Religious Community of men that will stem from various backgrounds, we shall strive to serve the Lord Jesus Christ and all people through varied facets of service.

Of those many facets of service, prayer is our primary purpose, and through the Perpetual Adoration of Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. It is our prayer life that sustains our every endeavor. It is a house of prayer for all people of any denomination. All are welcome here.

Whenever we can assist our neighbors to obtain their spiritual and/or physical needs, we shall do our utmost to be of service. We wish to be the hands and feet of Christ in service to all.

In the future we will build and conduct a Retreat Center as well as several Hospice Houses for the terminally ill.

In the words of Fr Charles de Foucauld: Total abandonment of one's self to God, with a life centered in Prayer, Worship, and love towards Him and all His children: such is the life spirit of the Little Brothers of Jesus (of the Most Blessed Sacrament).

THE WAY OF LIFE EXPLAINED:

This community has been formed to offer men and women of all ages the opportunity for consecrated service in a life that combines both Contemplation and Action. This manner of life requires one to divide his time and energies between prayer and work (Ora et Lobora). While neither is subordinate to the other, each is performed for its own sake as a means of directly seeking union with God.

Our "Way of Life" is based upon the directives of Our Lord in the Sacred Scriptures, and the Traditions of Holy Mother Church, as well as on the written words of Charles de Foucauld. Our community is built with "living stones" and on what might be referred to as interlinking "Principle Values."

The first principle value, in response to God's grace, is our call to live in imitation of the "Hidden Life of Jesus, Mary and Joseph at Nazareth." It is within this context that we seek to be personally poor in spirit and in fact. We choose to limit our personal possessions to only those things that have a community value. And, as an expression of true conversion, we embrace humility and actual poverty. Living in small fraternities when necessity of service calls, in prayerful solidarity with the everyday worker and the poor - functioning under the same simple circumstances as those of our neighbors. Our daily sustenance is provided by Providence of Almighty God, through whatever means and whatever incomes we are able to receive, mainly through donations and working menial jobs, through and by using our God given talents. Like Jesus at Nazareth, we strive to live by the work of our hands.

Monks and guests will always find the grounds of the Monastery a place of joyful contemplative prayer. A place where they can feel at peace and one with God. All God's children are permitted to walk these grounds and find their spiritual connection. There are no walls to divide us from those who seek that connection.

The Monastery Chapel will be open 24 hours a day for Perpetual Adoration of the Most Blessed Sacrament, the Very Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Other services include the Rosary, Chaplet of Divine Mercy, the Office Hours, etc. The Divine Liturgy (the Mass) is open to anyone who wishes to attend. If one desires only to spend some restful spiritual moments with Jesus, a welcoming friend, this is the place.

On the acreage we hope to have a reflective pond. In the pond fish will sing their silent praise to Almighty God. Stepping stones around the pond and a bridge that connects the land and a small island will remind us how our prayers connect us with the Father. This pond is also where the candlelight processions will be held.

A Retreat House open to All Christians. It will serve as a Marian Pilgrim Center and Resource Center. A Spiritual Refuge for the Pilgrim at heart.

CONCEPT OF ENCLOSURE:

In fidelity to the ideals of Fr. Charles de Foucauld, we embrace a daily Contemplative Life of the cloister, except that our enclosure is one of desire, as opposed to the "walled enclosures" which define the ordinary monastery by means of distance and space. The final principle value which defines our community life is our endeavor to be available to our neighbors, offering "an open and ready ear for listening, a strong shoulder on which to lean, a firm hand for supporting an unsteady step, and above all, a compassionate heart full of consolation, understanding, and love. " Without compromising the spirit of our vocation, we strive to share the riches of our contemplative life with our neighbors, inviting them to share in our daily prayers, and especially in our daily Eucharistic Adoration. We share also whatever nourishment for the body that we are given from our Heavenly Father with any hungry brother or sister, as if that person were our Lord Himself present among us."

Our Future and Goals:

We are open to ministry where ever the need is directed.

The Monastery grounds and Chapel are available to anyone at any time. The Chapel does not have specific hours, however, because of insurance regulations, a greeter of the Monastery must be present at Monastery to keep the Chapel open.
We are always looking for dedicated volunteers and vocations.

We try to keep a supply of non-perishable food on hand for the needy and emergencies that may happen in the community. The Monastery is available for temporary shelter during an emergency situation in the local community such as fire, tornado, etc...

We offer, for a small fee, a room for those who desire to come and make a retreat. Presently there are two rooms available. Husband and Wife may come or single men. At this time single women may come to the Ave Maria Villa next door. Matushka Theresa Sherman, the Abbots mother, owns this house.

We offer referral services, for those we are not able to help personally, to reputable agencies and try to follow through with the client till their need is achieved.

Any one who has need for prayer may call us at 517-465-PRAY or E-mail us at ho1ybread@ispn.cc or write to the Monastery with their needs. Their intentions are remembered during all services and private prayers before the Most Blessed Sacrament.

FUTURE GOALS:

On our 37 Acres we hope to eventually build two Hospice Homes for the terminally ill; one for clergy and one for laity. Presently we are in communication with local agencies and committees interested in building cottages for families who have lost their homes, etc. (due to fire, storm, finances, etc...) needing a temporary shelter, helping them help themselves to once again stand on their feet. This project would be funded primarily from outside the Monastery through various local agencies. We also want to build small cottages for retired clergy who wish to be among their peers. This can be short or long term.
Hopefully, someday, we will have a Convent for Nuns, a Retreat Center, and a larger Chapel.

Your financial assistance toward the realization of these worthy goals is greatly appreciated. Please make your tax-deductable contribution to:

The Monastery Fund
4977 N. Chippewa Rd.
Coleman, MI 48618

| Bookmark

Website created!...

OCC Recommends