Mepkin Abbey, South Carolina- At Vespers on the celebration of the Holy Founders of Citeaux, our Brother Ambrose expressed his commitment to live our three vows of obedience, stability and conversatio morum for one year, receiving his black scapular and leather belt as external signs of this movement forward in God’s love.  Having completed a year as a postulant and two years as a novice, our Brother Ambrose presented his request to advance and profess simple vows and received a positive response.  Every monk must spend three years in a temporary expression of these vows as he makes ready for his lifetime commitment at solemn vows (which can only happen after 6 years).  To celebrate the profession of vows is a great joy for any community.  Brother Ambrose’s mother and three of his sisters were able to travel from Florida and be present to pray with us on this wonderful occasion.  In his remarks at Vespers, Father Joe, our superior, spoke of Brother Ambrose’s life, his journey, and how God brought him to know about Mepkin and come for a retreat.  On retreat, Brother Ambrose felt God stirring him to ask himself some questions that brought him to consider that he was receiving an invitation from God, all leading into a process of discernment, ultimately finding him in the monastic choir at Mepkin promising what our three vows express.  We thank all those who have supported Brother Ambrose with their prayers for these three years.  We know you share our joy at this great work God is bringing about in his life and in our life as a community.

Please pray for Brother Ambrose and all of our Order’s monks and nuns.

For those interested in exploring joining our way of life, we invite you to visit our page Becoming a Trappist