Trappist Monk Cistercian Order of Strict Observance
Trappist Monk Cistercian Order of Strict Observance – Fr. Thomas Bernard, + O.C.S.O.
Ordo Cistercinsis Strictoris Observantiae
“Ora et Labora” – “Pray and Work” Called by the Holy Spirit and the Word of God to witness to the power of Christ’s Resurrection
Founder: Armand-Jean Le Bouthillier de Rance
Place: La Trappe Abbey, Normandy, France
Year: 1664 A.D. ***August 15th is the patronal feast of the Order***
His Charism: Purely vegetarian, this Trappist monk is a member of a contemplative religious Order that is part of the larger Cistercian family which traces its origin to 1098 A.D.. He follows the Rule of St. Benedict, and as such, is part of the Benedictine family as well. His entire life is dedicated to seeking union with God through Jesus Christ. He derives his manner of living the Gospel and his spirituality from five (5) sources: silence, solitude, simplicity, labor, and obedience (primarily to Christ). He lives in a stable Community set apart from ordinary life and society. Each day the full Liturgy of the Hours is celebrated in choir beginning with the Office Vigils before dawn. The day is balanced between work, reading and study, and prayer. His life of prayer (both personal and liturgical) form the center and heart of his monastic life. Dedicated to Christ and Mary, the Mother of God, and the Church, this monk’s life of prayer and charity is his universal mission for the world. His monastery is his “school of charity” – a place where he learns to love God with his whole heart, mind, and soul and a place where his life is transformed into the image and likeness of God. Truly living by the work of his own hands (manual labor), his Community is kept joyful, vibrant, full of love for his brothers, (living with one mind and one heart centered on Christ), and self-supporting. He is also committed to sustainable agriculture that will protect the ecological health of the environment and provide for the economic and social well-being of his Community. He offers hospitality to those who come in search of a spiritual ambience. Following the Fathers of Citeaux, Saints, Robert, Alberic, Stephen, and Bernard, his life is plain and frugal. His spiritual tradition supports an uncluttered, “behind-the-scenes” way of life – letting go of everything that stands in the way of a life given generously to God. The silence, stability, fidelity to monastic life and obedience to Christ allow him to seek peace, find beauty, listen attentively and compassionately to others, and keep his vows of celibacy and poverty for his on-going conversion. His is an austere but beautiful life as his mission is to “restore all things in Christ.” It is also to revive asceticism – a spiritual journey of sacrifice, abstinence, fasting and practicing habits of virtue and self-denial – without which sanctity and contemplation are impossible. *** Contemplation, which is a receptive state of interior spiritual silence, represents a significant component of the Trappist spirituality and landscape. It is a source of wisdom, inspiration, and guidance and a glimpse of life in eternity. ***