For more than 1500 years, men have become monks according to Saint Benedict’s insight. But each Benedictine abbey stands independently, with its own unique character. So although the monks of Belmont observe a centuries-old Rule, still followed in monasteries throughout the world, this abbey has its own distinct life. The Abbey is situated on a 700-acre campus in the Piedmont area of North Carolin
a. While it is positioned near the conveniences of urban life, it has preserved the benefits of its somewhat removed location, which helps buffer it from the distractions of ordinary life. A Benedictine monastery exists as a witness to the world, testifying that the Gospel is more than an ideal: It is a standard of living, an application of the belief that Jesus Christ is still the way, the truth, and the life (Jn 14:6). Daily life at Belmont Abbey is designed to allow time for prayer (both in community and individually), work, spiritual reading, personal interests, and the various dimensions of living together (meals, fraternal relations, housework, etc.). Within the monastery there is a library, a reading room (with newspapers and journals), a refectory (dining room), infirmary (for care of monks who are aged or ill), supplies-room, tailor’s workshop, parlors for meeting with guests, and other facilities. The model of Benedictine life is the family. The Abbot, who is elected by the Belmont monks, acts as father of the community. Each of the monks assists him in covering the daily tasks of the house. For example, the Abbot appoints a procurator to take care of financial affairs and relieve the individual monks from having to give time to external business. Although meals are prepared by a hired cook, the monks assist in the care of the refectory (dining room). The sacristans care for the church and prepare for the liturgies. Most of the housekeeping and other day-to-day tasks are handled by the monks, too. The monks of Belmont each have diverse backgrounds. They have chosen to give their lives to the Lord as Benedictine monks of Belmont Abbey. This choice is the result of a process of discernment that each monk commits to after deep personal reflection.
