Contemplative Life
While all Catholic religious life inclines toward God, personal perfection, and Christian charity, women and men who enter religious life may choose from a broad array of communities that are distinguished by their ministry, way of life, and form of prayer.
Contemplative religious orders devote themselves primarily to prayer and solitude. Following the mystical traditions of the Church, contemplative women and men seek union with God and believe that prayer and spiritual reflection influence the course of human events and the well-being of humankind. Those who choose contemplative religious life engage in ministry that is consistent with a life dedicated to prayer and that supports the community without distracting from the primary focus of contemplation.
The Monastery of St. Clare,
Greenville, SC
A contemplative women's religious community that receives funds.
Built in 1950, the Monastery of St. Clare stood for years as a haven for prayer and contemplation amidst the bustling activity of the city of Greenville, South Carolina. By 2004, however, the Poor Clare Nuns were struggling to maintain the immense building and accompanying grounds. Support from the Retirement Fund for Religious helped the community develop and implement plans to address their facility challenges and elder-care needs.
Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Cross, Berryville, Virginia
A contemplative men's religious community that receives funds.
The brothers who founded Holy Cross Abbey in 1950 made a deliberate choice to live in poverty and simplicity. Yet, as the number of monks over age 70 began to increase, the community recognized the need to develop strategic plans to upgrade their monastery and to care for elder members. Financial assistance from the Retirement Fund for Religious helped to underwrite necessary feasibility studies and to seed a retirement fund.
