Experiencing Monk Day

At the end of May, the Monks of St. Benedict's Abbey hosted their annual Monk Day. Monk Day is a day designed for 3rd through 8th grade male youth to explore monastic life. The youth spend the day praying with the monks, touring the monastery, and enjoying fellowship with one another. In true monastic fashion, the day begins at 5:00 AM to allow the youth to join in beggining the day with morning prayer.

While this day functions as an opportunity to present the monastic vocation to male youth, for many of the participants it also creates a day for fathers to bond with their sons. The event requires chaperones to be present throughout the day meaning that many of the fathers of the participants join them for the experience. 

Having fathers join with their sons helps to foster more conversations at home about vocations and discernment. One father shared his experience of the day with his son: 

"We heard about Monk Day through family friends. My son (8) has been expressing interest in religious life for the past year. We have encouraged him to talk to priests and religious to get familiar with them and what life is like, so when the opportunity to spend time with monks arose, we jumped at the chance to get “the real deal.”

The experience went above and beyond our expectations. The regular rhythm of prayer and work throughout the day was both peaceful and energizing for my son. He loved working outside with the animals, especially the goats! Watching real men of God living lives dedicated to the Lord’s will was very enlightening for him. We had lots to talk about afterwards and he’s more excited about religious life than ever. 

I would highly recommend Catholic fathers attend these events with their sons. Not only is it a fun day, it truly opens up our lives to God’s call for our sons and gives them an authentic experience. We’re looking forward to coming back next year and sharing the opportunity with our friends and family."