Not many people consider monastic manual labor as rooted in the very lifestyle of the first followers of Jesus, but Peter, James, and John worked hard at fishing. St. Paul was a tentmaker. And, if you think about it, Jesus Himself was identified as “the carpenter’s son.”

The first purpose of the monks’ manual labor is, of course, self-support. Maintaining the monastery buildings and grounds is a never-ending task. However, we are constantly reminded that “the job is not an end in itself.” Since we are called to be saints, the purpose of work is to help us grow in holiness. The admonition of Saint Benedict says it all: “Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus” — “That in all things, God may be glorified.”

Part of the monastic apostolate is our “Ora et Labora” days. Individuals and groups are invited to spend a day at the abbey working and praying with the monks. It’s a huge help for us and spiritually beneficial for our guests. Also, we have found that visitors and friends don’t always have the time to volunteer, but they still want to help. When they realize that maintaining the abbey costs thousands of dollars every year, they often want to show support with financial donations.