ORDER OF ANGLICAN CISTERCIANS

An uncloistered dispersed Religious Order in the Church of England
of ordained and lay men

FAQ

Associates, Oblates & Friends

Vocation

  1. How do I discern a possible vocation with the Order?

    Pray, pray, and pray some more ...

    ... then contact in the first instance the Prior (see homepage)

  2. Are you monks?

    No. Monks (and most who live a Consecrated Life, for that matter) take the 'Evangelical Vows' of Poverty, Chastity and Obedience. Cistercians, like Benedictines, also take three vows, namely, Stability, Conversion of Life (or character) and Obedience. Anglican Cistercians are not necessarily celebate (although some of us are) and we do not live together in a monastery. Benedictines and Cistercians who have taken religious vows and live as celibates and in a community (a monastery) are monks (or nuns). Anglican Cistercians are known as 'Brothers'.

  3. How important is age and the seize of the community?

    The vitality of a community does not depend so much on the age or number of members as on their manner of living the Cistercian life.Transmitting the faith in Christ means to create the conditions for a faith which is thought-out, celebrated, lived and prayed: in short, this means participating in the life of the Church.

    What is not believed or lived by our community cannot be passed on.

    The community is the first formator when the search for God is alive and present in the members. Each one is responsible for passing on the monastic values to the next generation. A happy and coherent example of the professed members is vital for the new ones to persevere. They will follow what they can see and touch.

    A community vision is also important, sustained by the teaching of the superior.

    A community needs to be united and what makes this happen is true dialogue. This is where hearts are changed and grace works. The reality of candidates today requires, more than in the past, a serious and humble discernment in regard to the candidates vocation or the community’s ability to form him. Even though the community is not perfect it can still make demands on the novice in relation to his following of Jesus. The capacity to give oneself is part of any authentic call to follow the Lord. We should not give in to the illusion that in making life easier or lowering our ideals we can expect to find the person fulfilled.

    The formator’s role is to help each person integrate what he receives, so that he can interiorise it and be transformed by it. Because of this initial formation should be more about immersing the person in daily life and in lived monastic values rather than about intellectual formation. It is more about bringing the person into contact with Christ than about catechesis.

    The formator needs to be somebody who is at ease with his prior and community and so he can help the novice to enter into a similar relationship with them and with God. The Order must thus become a community of witnesses to the Gospel.

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Residency

  1. I live outside England. Can I still apply?

    The Order can only accept applications from men who live within the jurisdiction of a Church of England diocese (or, in certain circumstances, a Church in Wales diocese).

  2. I live in Canada or the United States

    We have a growing list of people from 'across the pond' who have shown an interest in discerning their vocation with us. There are people in the Americas who are keen to establish another branch of our Order over there. Please send brief details about yourself and where you live to the Prior (see homepage) by e-mail. Write "US/Canada Enquiry" in the subject box. We are happy to collect these details and will pass them on to the person who - eventually - will organise something in Canada or in the US. 

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Associates, Oblates & Friends

  1. Do you have Associates, Oblates or Friends of the Order?

    Cistercians, unlike some Benedicitine Orders, do not have 'Oblates'. Some Cistercian abbeys do, however, have 'Associates' (see http://www.cistercianfamily.org/index.asp?language=english for more information).

    Our community does not have Associates at present.

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General Information

  1. Are all men who live the Religious Life monks?

    No. Only those who are members of a Monastic Order (Benedictines, Carthusians and Cistercians) are monks. Then there are the Mendicant Orders. These are Friars (Franciscans, Capuchins, Caremelites, Dominicans). Monks are not Friars and Friars are not Monks.

  2. What are Evangelical Vows?

    These are named after the so-called Evangical Counsels: Matthew 19:10-12, Matthew 19:16-22, Mark 10:17-22 and Luke 18:18-23.

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