Saint Bede's unique sense of place is anchored by the monks of Saint Bede's Abbey. Since arriving in 1910, the monks have drawn strength from praying together each day, reflecting and meditating on the scriptures, living in community and responding to the spiritual needs of people they encountered in parishes, chaplaincies and missions. These practices -- taken together and shared with others -- deepened the purpose of Saint Bede's and extended its horizons. The Abbey has given priests, educators, craftsmen, administrators, scholars, artists and writers to the service of God and the human family. Monks of Saint Bede's have been leaders in education, liturgical renewal, religious publishing and ecumenism. The Abbey is known for its theological and monastic resources and for fostering dialogue across religious boundaries. This tradition of monastic witness, generous service and hospitality has emerged from countless initiatives, large and small. And from the very beginning it has gained strength from the generous and inventive collaboration of a great number of people who never would have predicted that their lives would be so enriched by contact with a Catholic, Benedictine monastic community. In order to continue its mission of service and work, the monks of Saint Bede's Abbey wish to invite its friends and supporters to share in their work by responding to the following sets of needs

All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ. -- Rule of Benedict, Chapter 53 There is a growing desire in our world for time apart to pray, to reflect and to experience the wonder of God in nature. Saint Bede's draws increasing numbers of people who immerse themselves in the daily round of monastic prayer, the beauty of the place and the rich array of cultural resources. The strain on the Abbey's few guestrooms has reached the point where we can no longer accommodate all who wish to spend time with us. And after many years of exploration and discussion, the monks have resolved to build additional abbey guest rooms. . Additional, rooms will include (how many rooms to be built?), a (library?), a (chapel?), (meeting rooms and places to gather for conversation and spiritual direction?). Our guest rooms offer a monastic living environment for lay people, allowing them to drink deeply of the tradition and practices that sustain the monastery. Guests will benefit emotionally and spiritually from spending times of renewal in the shadow of the Abbey. To help with this important spiritual outreach, Saint Bede's Abbey seeks assistance to:

• Construct more Abbey guest rooms: A Place of Spiritual Renewal
• Endow the facility to help with its upkeep and the added expense of this new venture
• Endow the program so that the cost of staying in this facility can be kept affordable to all
• Vocations: Recruiting New Monks: The novice promises stability in the community, conversion through a monastic manner of life, and obedience. Rule of Benedict, Chapter 58

All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ. -- Rule of Benedict, Chapter 53 There is a growing desire in our world for time apart to pray, to reflect and to experience the wonder of God in nature. Saint Bede's draws increasing numbers of people who immerse themselves in the daily round of monastic prayer, the beauty of the place and the rich array of cultural resources. The strain on the Abbey's few guestrooms has reached the point where we can no longer accommodate all who wish to spend time with us. And after many years of exploration and discussion, the monks have resolved to build additional abbey guest rooms. . Additional, rooms will include (how many rooms to be built?), a (library?), a (chapel?), (meeting rooms and places to gather for conversation and spiritual direction?). Our guest rooms offer a monastic living environment for lay people, allowing them to drink deeply of the tradition and practices that sustain the monastery. Guests will benefit emotionally and spiritually from spending times of renewal in the shadow of the Abbey. To help with this important spiritual outreach, Saint Bede's Abbey seeks assistance to: Construct more Abbey guest rooms: A Place of Spiritual Renewal Endow the facility to help with its upkeep and the added expense of this new venture Endow the program so that the cost of staying in this facility can be kept affordable to all Vocations: Recruiting New Monks: The novice promises stability in the community, conversion through a monastic manner of life, and obedience. Rule of Benedict, Chapter 58

• To foster vocations, Saint Bede's Abbey seeks assistance to: Expand vocational outreach and cultivation of prospective monks
• Train monks for leadership roles in vocation and monastic formation
• Endow the program so that the cost of staying in this facility can be kept affordable to all
• Educate new monks for educational, administrative and professional service
• Caring for the Sick and Elderly: Care of the sick must come before all else. Rule of Benedict, Chapter 36

As monks retire, their health needs must be met even as a new generation of monks is trained to take their places in the educational, pastoral and spiritual work of the Abbey. Operational cash flow can no longer cover the erratic and unpredictable escalations associated with quality health care. The Abbey must establish an endowment for the long-term stabilization of health care and retirement costs.

• To provide for the health and retirement needs of monks, Saint Bede's Abbey seeks endowment to: Enhance the care of elderly and sick monks
• Provide continuing and emergency medical care Benedictine Service
• The monks of Saint Bede's Abbey seek to deepen and strengthen their commitment to its traditional apostolates -- the Academy Abbey Press.
• In addition, the monks seek to maintain pastoral ministry in parishes, chaplaincies and missions, as well as to develop new forms of pastoral outreach to serve the emerging needs of this new century.

Programming for retreats and the ministry of spiritual direction at Saint Bede's continue to develop as people today feel a deeper hunger for prayer and guidance. To ensure the vitality of on-campus apostolates as well as pastoral outreach, Saint Bede's Abbey seeks endowments to:

• Prepare monks for service to the Academy and Abbey Press
• Prepare monks for pastoral ministry as priests, spiritual directors and retreat leaders
• Educate pastoral ministers for the Church
• Support expanded on-campus and off-campus retreat programs

In the Benedictine tradition of interfaith and intercultural hospitality all guests are received as Christ. Within the monastery, guests are offered a prayerful setting in private rooms for retreat, spiritual direction, Bible study, and brief lessons on Christian and monastic themes.