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Monasteries welcome inquirers to visit any time

Published: July 19, 2008   

Sister Kimberly Prohaska, OSB, vocations director for St. Scholastica Monastery, writes a blog at http://scholasticasearch.blogspot.com.

Sister Kimberly Prohaska, OSB, vocations director for St. Scholastica Monastery, writes a blog at http://scholasticasearch.blogspot.com.

Arkansas religious houses host special discernment events like these, but also welcome inquiries and offer information throughout the year.

Subiaco Abbey invites discerners to visit any time

Subiaco Abbey is a Benedictine community of priests and brothers, who have served the Church in many ways during its 130 years in Arkansas.

"We celebrate daily Eucharist and pray our Divine Office four times a day," said Brother Francis Kirchner, vocations director. "Our 50 monks serve in parishes, retreat centers, as teachers, as farmers, and in many other ministries."

The abbey offers a discernment retreat each July for single Catholic men ages 18-45. In addition, these men are also invited to arrange a personal visit at any time to experience "what it means to be a Benedictine monk."

Check out the monastic order's video on YouTube called "God Calling." It is a vocations infomercial narrated by Abbot Jerome Kodell, OSB. Learn more through the monks' blog at http://subiacoabbey.blogspot.com or call Brother Francis at (479) 934-1047 or e-mail .

Holy Angels Convent hosts 'Come and See' events

Any woman aged 16-48 is invited to schedule a "Come and See" visit at Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro at any time. These visits may vary from a weekend to a month.

Participants take part in community life and other activities to discover the reality of religious life. There is no cost, but registration is required. For more information, call Sister M. Thérèse Johnson, OSB, at (870) 273-6872, e-mail her at or visit the Web site http://www.olivben.org. It explains Holy Angels' formation process and has profiles on novices, written in their own words.

St. Scholastica offers live online 'vocation chat'

St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith hosts a five-day discernment retreat each July for single women ages 17-45. The five-day experience reveals the Benedictine way of life. Participants interact with the sisters and learn about their lifestyles.

One- to three-day "Come and See Monastic Live In Experiences" are also available. For those interested in an extended visit, a "Monastic Observership" may be scheduled for up to three months.

Vocations director Sister Kimberly Rose Prohaska, OSB, hosts a live "vocation chat" and Webcam on Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on her order's Web site at http://www.stscho.org/vocation.html. For more information, call Sister Kimberly at (479) 783-4147 or e-mail .

Little Rock's Carmelite sisters welcome visits

The Carmelite Monastery of St. Teresa of Jesus in Little Rock is a small community of cloistered nuns who have "been a presence of prayer in the diocese since 1950."

"St. Teresa of Jesus (Avila), our foundress, wanted the Carmelite day to be a balance of prayer, including daily Mass and the full Liturgy of the Hours, in addition to two hours of silent prayer and time for spiritual reading," said prioress Sister Therese Stewart, OCD. "Work is part of our life, as is leisure and recreation. Our main work is the distribution of altar breads to most parishes of the diocese, and even beyond."

To learn more about the sisters, visit their Web site at http://www.littlerockcarmel.org.

"Because of the cloistered nature of the life, our outreach is especially geared to small groups," she said. "A visit can be arranged for any woman who desires to learn more about our life."

To set up a visit, call Sister Mary Alice Grace, OCD, vocations director, at (501) 565-5121 or e-mail .