Becoming a Sister of Minster Abbey
If you feel drawn to a life of prayer with the Benedictine community at Minster Abbey and you believe that God may be calling you to this vocation, the first step is to contact the Novice Mistress. You may then be invited to stay in the Guest House to experience something of our monastic hospitality and to meet the community. During your visit it is wise to ask to see the Novice Mistress and discuss your feelings about your possible vocation. If both parties believe God is really calling you, you may be invited to live alongside the community for a month or so in order to experience life ‘on the inside’. The stage of getting to know the community for an extended time is called aspirancy, and has to last for a year before a candidate can enter the monastery as a postulant.
There are some important elements which are essential for a genuine vocation to our life.
The young woman must be at least 21 years old. She must be a Roman Catholic who is practicing her faith. She must also be single, free from all obligations to her family and not be in debt. The young woman must be healthy both mentally and physically and have an ability to live with others in community. It is important to have the desire to be united with the Lord by spending time each day in personal prayer and spiritual reading, to be eager to participate fully in the Liturgical prayer and the life of the community.
