Monastic Practices: Conversation Topics

The eighth workshop in the formation program teaches discerners about monastic practices used by religious communities. It emphasizes that not all religious communities use the same practices, but the workshop is meant to expose them to some of the more traditional practices.

Prior to talking with you, your discerner will send you a copy of their task responses and you will be able to view the questions they are answering. If you would like to view the videos they watched, you can access the full discerner workshops by selecting the “Vocations Outreach Discerner Formation” track on your Catechetical Institute dashboard.

Workshop Overview

The main points of the workshop include:

The liturgy of the hours is the prayer of the Church.
The horarium is the schedule of daily activities in a religious community.
Many communities make frequent use of silence to allow religious to converse with God.
The cloister is a part of a religious house that is reserved for the members of the religious community.
The religious habit reminds religious who they are and whose they are.
The reception of a new name signifies a new mission from God.
The cell is a place just for the consecrated religious and the Lord, and is also where religious sleep.
The refectory is where meals are taken.

Suggested Questions

These questions are meant to be a resource, but don’t feel limited to what is listed here. Always feel free to bring up additional questions or highlight different task responses. Discerners will also have a list of suggested questions to ask you.

Were there any points that especially stood out to you from the workshop?
Were there any tasks that were difficult for you to do?
Had you heard of any of these practices before? Were any of them new to you?
Are there any aspects of these practices you think you might incorporate into your life now?
Are there any practices that you feel drawn towards or that you might want to live out in the future?