VOCATION STORIES

Answering God’s Call to Monastic Life

We sat down with three of our monks to find out about God’s calling in their lives and how they came to be monks at Saint Joseph Abbey. Here are the vocation stories of Abbot Justin Brown, O.S.B., Fr. Jerome Aubert, O.S.B., and junior monk, Br. Lazarus Gordy, O.S.B.

Choosing the Monastic Life at Saint Joseph Abbey

“What attracted me to monastic life was the idea of developing a closer relationship with God without the many distractions of the secular world.”
— Br. Leo Franca, O.S.B.
“I was attracted to the monastic life to live a deep, prayerful life. I’m inclined to silence and solitude, even though in my job assignments I have to interact with others. When the monastic life is well balanced, it is fulfilling and rewarding.”
— Br. Meinrad Camargo, O.S.B.
“I was attracted to the community life and the Divine Office, a life of seeking God.”
— Fr. Scott Underwood, O.S.B.
“I was attracted to the monastery by both the liturgical life and the community life of the Abbey, and also by its educational apostolate in the Seminary College.”
— Fr. Aelred Kavanagh, O.S.B.
“I believe the monastic vocation is truly a gift. We have the daily privilege to intensely and unrestrictedly live a life devoted to seeking the will of God.”
— Br. Austin Simon, O.S.B.
“I began to have regular conversations with a parish priest about living the faith more fully and intentionally. These conversations eventually led to my discernment of religious life in a more intentional way than I had before.”
— Br. Ignatius Krecker, O.S.B.