Duties & Activities
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The monks' prayer times
The Admont monks meet several times a day to pray the hours together and to celebrate Holy Mass. They do this on behalf of all Christians in the world in the concerns of our time.
LAUDS
06:15 am
Vigil and Lauds, in the choir chapel / cloister
CHAPTER MASS
07:00 am
weekdays, in the collegiate church
LAUDS
12:15 pm
Terce, Sext, None, in the cloisters
LAUDS
17:45 pm
Vespers, Compline, in the cloisters
The Rule of the Order
ORA ET LABORA ET LEGE - PRAY AND WORK AND READ.
With these three principles, the Rule of St Benedict of Nursia summarises life in the monastery in a nutshell. Written in Montecassino around 529, they still characterise daily life at the Benedictine monastery in Admont today.
At the centre is the first and most important task of every monk: To glorify God in prayer. Several times a day we gather for the Liturgy of the Hours and to the Holy Massto live together in the silence and power of prayer.
But monastic life encompasses much more: in addition to spiritual service, we monks also take on numerous other tasks - borne by a deep sense of community, responsibility and constancy.
A life in balance - between prayer, work and spiritual immersion.
Ora – Pray
The first and most important task of the monks is the prayer.
St. Benedikt wrote in his rule: At the hour for the Divine Office, as soon as the signal is heard, let them abandon whatever they may have in hand and let them come in great haste.
(Rule of Benedict Chapter 43,1)
Labora – work
In the times between prayers, the monks perform different services.
Idleness is the enemy of the soul. Therefore the monks should be occupied at certain times in manual labor (…).
(Rule of Benedict Chapter 48,1)
Lay - read
Therefore the monks should be occupied at fixed hours in sacred reading. (Rule of Benedict Chapter 48,1)
But whatever Admont Abbey undertakes, it is done in the spirit of the Rule of St. Benedikt: „Ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus! – So that in all things God may be glorified!“
(Rule of Benedict Chapter 57,9)
Tasks within the monastery
The monastery complex covers an area of 12.65 hectares and offers a wide range of tasks that the monks fulfil together with 500 employees. The abbot is the spiritual father and economic head and is responsible for all areas. The prior represents the abbot in his absence and is responsible for organisational processes within the monastery. Admont Abbey is known as a spiritual and cultural centre far beyond the borders of Austria.
Beside the museum the monastery is home of the world largest monastery library which contains about 70.000 books. The whole collection includes about 200.000 books with around 1400 manuscripts and printings, which are stored in the archive of the abbey. Hospitality is an important issue in the rule. There is a guest Master who accommodates people in the monastery.
Beside this tasks there are further services of the monks, for example master of the kitchen, novice master, rector of the oblates etc. Every monk is installed in a task regarding his personal talents.
Task outside the monastery
Not only inside the monastery, as well as outside of the house there are a huge range of pastoral tasks. The abbey runs Meeting House and a hall of residence for students in Graz to keep in touch with students and graduates of the Stiftsgymnasium. Also some fraternitys are served by Admonter monks.
The abbey is a regional motor, not only in economic issues. In every stage of life the monastery is active. For the elderly people the house runs a nursing home. Some monks are responsible for the pastoral attendance.
Abbey School
The monastery runs a Gymnasium (Grammar School) with about 450 students, where some confreres are teachers of various subjects and school organization.
