The White Robed Monks of St. Benedict (WRMOSB) provide a context for those called to and interested in realizing their participation in the ministerial priesthood of Christ. An aspirant does not have to be a monk to be a priest. A vocation to Orders is one vocation. A vocation to monasticism is yet another.
The WRMOSB are neither Eastern Catholic nor Liberal Catholic, Old Catholic nor Roman Catholic. The WRMOSB are just Catholic. The WRMOSB acknowledge their Eastern, Old, and Roman Catholic origins, accepting as their own prayer the prayer of the Christ: May they all be one. Father, may they be one in us, as you are in me and I in you… (John 17:21). The WRMOSB tend, therefore, to address their catholicity in terms of the Old Catholic tradition as expressed by St. Vincent of Lèrins’ suggestion:
Let us hold to what has been believed everywhere, always and by all, for that us truly and properly catholic.
The Old Catholic tradition addresses ecumenism in the spirit of Peter Meiderline (and possibly St. Augustine and/or Pope John XXIII):
In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.
The WRMOSB address their acknowledgment of the Holy Spirit working in the Church by following as guidelines the documents of Vatican II, statements and traditions of the Old Catholic Church movement and foremost, Sacred Scripture.
A person feeling oneself drawn to the ministerial priesthood, seeing oneself serving others as a ministerial priest, or hearing oneself called to the ministerial priesthood has opened a window of possibility. Initially, all that the WRMOSB ask is that such a person assume the presence of an Apostle being asked by Christ to join him — to leave what they are doing and follow him. The Apostles served a three year, hands-on apprenticeship. This apprenticeship included the opportunity for personal denial of Christ, succumbing to personal fear. Obviously, the Apostles overcame their fear as evidenced by Christianity present in the world today, with all its faults and benefits.
An aspirant, as did the Apostles, discovers just what it means to be a servant, as Christ served others, by being Present to others. As an aid in this process, the WRMOSB offers the following program of experiences, an educational component complementing an instructional component, a spiritual component, and a practice component that an aspirant may use as a point of departure in discovering if the ministerial priesthood is a viable vocation at this time.
The Program of Studies for the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict offers no academic credit and is a non-degree in nature. Our entire program satisfies our basic requirements for consideration for reception of Holy Orders.
If a person wishes to formally apply to the Abbot-Bishop of the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict South Africa, the aspirant completes the following initial requirements and application form available below.
In due time, the Director of Vocations will contact the aspirant for any further information as may be needed. When all the application papers are in order, the Director of Vocations will present the aspirant’s application papers to the Abbatial Council. The Abbatial Council will review the aspirant’s application and make a recommendation to the Abbot-Bishop of the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict South Africa. When the Abbot-Bishop renders a decision regarding your application, the Director of Vocations will contact you via e-mail.
If aspirant receives a Letter of Acceptance to formally enter the path leading toward Holy Orders, the aspirant will request a set of transcripts for all university or collegiate work completed or a copy of the aspirant’s high school transcript or equivalent. The aspirant will ask the university, college or school to forward transcripts to:
Director of Vocations
White Robed Monks of St. Benedict South Africa
PO Box 202
Mondeor
2110
South Africa
The aspirant will also supply any other information that may be requested by the Letter of Acceptance and forward same to the above address. The aspirant will also complete any educational and/or instruction requirements before embarking on the path toward Orders Depending upon one’s educational or experiential background that may include demonstrating an appreciation of the Philosophy of Religion and the attainment of a Phenomenological Perspective necessary to successfully traverse the Way to Ordination to the Priesthood of Christ within the context of the White Robed Monks of St. Benedict.