The Affiliate Stage

Taking the First Step

The Affiliate stage is a pre-formation period designed to help you discern your suitability for religious life and, in particular, your vocation to Benedictine monastic life.

During this second stage of discernment you would visit us in Duluth to experience the monastic rhythm of our life. How often you visit and how long you stay will depend in part on where you live. If you are a distance from the Monastery, travel assistance may be possible.

During this Affiliate stage, you would maintain your own living arrangements and job/school, whatever it is you are doing, but you would be encouraged to be in close contact with the Sisters you would get to know.You would have our encouragement and prayerful support as you listen to God’s voice speaking to you. You would pray with us, share meals with us, get to know us, and we would be blessed in getting to know you.

You would continue to read articles and books about Benedictine life and spirituality and talk with us about what you’ve learned, to ask us questions, to share your insights with us, and allow us to share ours with you.

Because you are unique, your call to religious life is also unique, as is your process of discernment. Thus the Affiliate Stage would last no less than six months or more than two years as you and the Affiliate Director prayerfully assess your potential to live the monastic life.

And when you and the Affiliate Director discern that you are ready for the next step, you would ask to become a Postulant.

Here we should also say that if you and other Sisters who have walked the discernment journey with you decide God has other plans for you, our prayers would follow you and include the wish that your remain in touch with us even though you would not become a vowed member of our Community.

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Sister Lois Eckes, Prioress

“To any woman who might be interested in exploring the monastic way of life at
St. Scholastica Monastery, I would say from my heart to yours…”