Silence is an essential element for those who live the monastic life. It is in silence that, freed from distraction, our hearts may listen attentively to the voice of God. A life of intentional silence creates a space that nurtures our desire to grow ever deeper in our relationship with God. This space for quiet is not an absence of communication. Rather, it encourages an openness to God, to the movements of our own hearts, and to each other.

Silence allows each person the opportunity to be in solitude while living with others in community. An atmosphere of quiet predominates most spaces in the monastery, but there are opportunities and places for necessary verbal communication. There are also times in the monastic day that expressly call for deeper silence, particularly during the nighttime hours. Those hours of “the Great Silence” are especially beautiful for prayer. The physical space around monastery buildings also fosters the ability to live a life of silence.