HOW WE BEGAN

St. Benedict Monastery had its beginnings as a mission of St. Scholastica Monastery, Fort Smith, Arkansas. On June 7, 1971, three professed Sisters of that Monastery took up residence in Canyon, Texas. The original purpose of the mission was to form a living group, which existed for the express purpose of living the monastic life rather than staffing an apostolate. The Canyon Monastery became a dependent Monastery in the spring of 1981 by a Chapter vote of St. Scholastica Monastery. On August 1, 1986, The St. Scholastica Monastery Chapter granted a charter (revised and updated in 1996) to St. Benedict Monastery, which granted the dependent monastery the right to hold Quasi-Chapters and to establish a novitiate for the purpose of training new members. By July 1993, three of the charter members had died and vocation work, thus, became a priority. This work has already yielded two new members in temporary profession and two postulants.

In 1991, 7 acres of land were purchased on the rim of a small canyon northeast of the town of Canyon, and in June of 1999, the Sisters took up residence in their new building on this property.

The Sisters of St. Benedict Monastery are committed to seeking God in a small monastic community with the living of the monastic life as their primary ministry. Throughout history, Benedictines have been known for safeguarding the cultural heritage of a people. In an address to the American Benedictine Academy, Sister Shawn Carruth, OSB, states that monastic life serves as a connective and integrative function with respect to secular American society. Living on the edge of the dominant culture, the Sisters of St. Benedict Monastery present a more holistic vision of society, particularly in the Texas Panhandle. By their bonds of monastic friendship and mutual respect and care for each other, the Sisters counter the prevalence and growing incidence of exploitive relationships and "throw away" attitudes in society. By their lifestyle and their attention to service-oriented work within the context of Benedictine balance, they witness against workaholism, pressure to produce, over concern for the "bottom line", consumerism and over consumption. Their practice of Lectio Divino and listening to God in the every day events of life reduces the prevailing noise pollution and frenetic activity of the larger society.

Monasticism is not something one learns rationally and linearly. Living teachers must, by the example of the life lived, inform and instruct the larger community. Each Benedictine Monastery becomes an integral part of its geographical area and its community of friends and neighbors. Past sisters have made heavy sacrifices in order to plant Benedictinism in the Panhandle of Texas, so that future generations will not lose the treasure that is the monastic lifestyle and values.

St. Benedict Monastery exists to give glory to God through a life of contemplation, community prayer and work. This charism is passed on to the community through interactions with members of the community, through our Oblate program, which consists of approximately 40 lay people who incorporate Benedictine values into their everyday life, and through the Sisters’ stewardship of the earth through involvement with the Promised Land Network, an ecumenical rural outreach sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Amarillo.