Why Do Friars Have Beards?

One of the most visited pilgrimage sites in the Middle East is the tomb of St. Charbel Makhlouf, a Lebanese Maronite monk and hermit, located at the Monastery of St. Maron in Annaya, Lebanon. Born in 1828 in the remote mountain village of Bekaa Kafra, St. Charbel entered the

What is the Weirdest Thing in a Monk's Cell?

Mount Athos, recently visited by Hollywood star Mel Gibson, is home to around 1,400 monks and has been a center of Christian monasticism for over a thousand years. Here are 5 quick facts about this sacred place: Autonomous Monastic State: Mount Athos is a self-governing monastic

Do Nuns Have Phones?

St. Michael’s Abbey of the Norbertines in California has welcomed eight men into postulancy, joining its growing and dynamic monastic community. Founded in the 12th century by St. Norbert in Prémontré, France, the Norbertines, or Canons Regular of Prémontré, combine a life of

How Monks Turn Scripture into Prayer

Did you know? A country itself, the Dominican Republic, is named after St. Dominic, the founder of the Dominican Order, formally known as the Order of Preachers. Its members, called Dominicans, take vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience and have played a major role in

Why These Nuns Where Pink

Do Monks Listen to Music?

Benedictine monks follow a rhythm of life known as ora et labora, prayer and work, a hallmark of their spiritual tradition. In this way of life, every action, even the most ordinary, is offered to God. After meals, the monks continue this spirit of devotion by giving thanks

Why monks drop everything to pray

The one day we don't stick out

Today’s young men are increasingly drawn to God, seeking a life of prayer, silence, and inner peace that the modern world often cannot provide. Many discover this calling in monasteries, where the rhythm of work, prayer, and contemplation offers a path to spiritual depth and

Monk Mindset founder John Cannon reflects on how his father’s final Thanksgiving taught him how to approach the holiday season. “When I was in the monastery years ago, a week before Thanksgiving my dad called and told me that he had terminal cancer with only few months to live.

What is a Cloistered Nun?

If you were a monk, would you cut your hair?

“It’s super attractive to see people give themselves to something so divine.” Shia LaBeouf shares his experience witnessing the life of the Capuchin friars and gives insight into the order, a branch of the Franciscans inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, known for their humility,

Cloistered Nun of 64 years Shares Advice

From Addiction to Freedom in Christ