The Cistercian life is a life of seeking God.  Before a man is admitted to the novitiate, he is asked what he seeks, to which he replies, “The mercy of God and of the Order.”

On these pages you will find some basic information about how the monks of Spring Bank understand the life of seeking God.  Ours is a particular vocation.  We live together as brothers, but the majority of our day is devoted to the solitary pursuit of friendship with God.  While we do our best to give back to the local community and our businesses allow us to be a partner to people in need around the world, we do not engage in parish work or operate a school.  Our primary work is the hidden life of prayer.  A calling to Spring Bank might be said to be a calling inward toward deeper communion with God rather than an outward calling to be a witness of His love to the wider world. 

If a man feels that following Christ is worth more to him than marriage, career, and the large and small pleasures of the world, he has the first signs of vocation. If he longs for silence, solitude, and wishes to devote himself fully to the praise and glory of God, the Abbey of Our Lady of Spring Bank may be the place for him.

There is no one personality type that makes a monk; a vocation takes root in the hearts and minds of men from every kind of family background, education and life experience. What is important is to realize that nothing must take precedence over seeking God, praising Him, growing in humility, and leaving the comforts and liberties of the world to live in a community of like-minded men.

Make no mistake, the monastic life is not easy.  Community life is challenging and spiritual growth demands purgation and darkness. But the rewards are manifold. A monk can become the man he was always meant to be; he can achieve deep, genuine happiness. The most important reward is eternal beatitude with his risen Lord in Heaven; this is what a monk ultimately strives for.