The Camaldolese are part of the great Benedictine Family founded by Saint Benedict in the sixth century. The Camaldolese branch was established through the reforming efforts of the eleventh century Italian monk Saint Romuald. His reform sought to revitalize the best of the communal and solitary dimensions of monastic life.

The Camaldolese Benedictine life was eventually brought to the United States in 1958 with the founding of New Camaldoli Hermitage in the Santa Lucia Mountains of Big Sur. Our life is dedicated to the love and praise of God in the bond of fraternal charity. We also offer a retreat ministry and seek in charity to support our guests in their prayer. Thus Camaldolese life is simply our response to our Lord's twofold commandment of love.

Setting

Our community is situated in the inspiring and rugged central coast mountains overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Located on its own eight hundred acres at an elevation of thirteen hundred feet, the Hermitage is surrounded by chaparral, redwood, madrone, bay laurel and oak forests. the view is both ocean and woods - a natural setting profoundly conductive to the contemplative way of life. Today we are about thirty monks together with about seven oblates and auxiliaries.

The simple complex of building is focused on the chapel whose tall bell tower rises above the rest. The peaceful and striking simplicity of the chapel's interior provides a unique contemplative space for God's presence. At the heart of the chapel rotunda is the altar, key expression of Christ's paschal mystery. The library and dining room/kitchen areas provide the other basic components for the common life of New Camaldoli.

Then there are the twenty-five individual monastic cottages or "cells" each of which provides a complete living unit and gives each monk a special space for the living of contemplative solitude. Each cottage includes a large front room (with desk and bookshelves, wood stove, and closet) as well as a small, simple chapel, a sleeping area, a bathroom with shower and a work area. Each cottage also has its own enclosed garden.

Prayer

The monk's day is marked by four formal times of communal prayer in the chapel. The current weekday prayer schedule begins with the office of Vigils at 5:45 am followed, after an intervening break, by Lauds at 7:00 am. Eucharist is celebrated at 11:30 am. Vespers is sung at 6:00 pm, and is followed by a voluntary half-hour of silent group meditation in the rotunda of the church. The Sunday schedule differs only for Eucharist and Vespers.

Labor

Forms of work are determined by the needs of the community as well as by the talents and aptitudes of each monk. In addition to the tasks which all community life requires, some of the monks are occupied with the guest ministry while other write, paint, work in administration, the bakery, the communal garden, and other occupations which contribute to community life. The balanced rhythm of the monk's day is meant to nourish a contemplative sprit, sustaining for the long term the vocation "which dares to live in an ongoing way in the presence and reality of God."

Solitude / Community

Within the Camaldolese Benedictine Hermitage, elements of both communal (coenobitical) and solitary (eremitical) life are combined. The daily communal celebrations of the liturgy provide a basis and framework for the "lectio divina" which is a spiritual reading/study leading into meditation, prayer and contemplation in the solitude of the monk's cottage. These separate cottages offer visible witness to the importance of Christian solitude; there the monk spends ample time journeying into God. The other building of the Hermitage give expression to the communal dimension of Christian and monastic life. The need to live with one's brothers provides a necessary support for the life of solitude as well as an important way to serve and love Christ in his members.

Other communal moments include the meals and recreation time. One meal is shared daily in community, while the other two are taken in the cell or together with others as each one wishes. Recreation time is regularly spent in common in order to deepen charity and mutual understanding. At New Camaldoli some monks live a more intense solitude than others, for there is a wide range of monastic forms possible, ranging from a fuller community participation to the life of reclusion. After deepening their monastic experience some monks will seek a life of greater solitude, either at certain periods (temporary reclusion) or continuously (permanent reclusion). This exceptional vocation continues one of the most ancient forms of religious life, that of the desert fathers. each monk, regardless of lifestyle, remains united in faith, obedience, and love to his brothers and to the prior, who ministers to the spiritual life of the community. The New Camaldoli extended family thus embraces a wide range of vocational forms, auxiliaries, resident oblates, candidates, novices seeking profession, and professed monks, the professed include priests and non-priests, monks living the ordinary rhythm of the Hermitage and recluses.

Formation

Regarding formation, monastic life itself constitutes the basic formation program. It is a life long journey on which we learn to listen with the heart to God's mysterious Word. To seek God is to search for the affable wisdom which fulfills. This is a paradoxical learning which supposes a willingness to unlearn, to let go and trust, to be open to the transforming action of God's spirit. During a year of postulancy, the year of the novitiate, and for some time after first profession (which is made for three years and may then be extended), formation is marked by a more communal style of life. As the new monk lives, works, and prays with his brothers, he learns much about that service of love which is a necessary foundation for and expression of any life of loving worship and contemplation.

Class instruction during postulancy and novitiate centers on Scripture and patristics, as well as on monastic spirituality and history. During the following years the new monk will continue his studies in these and other disciplines related to monastic life. Sometimes a more extensive study of theology or some other subject will require his living in Berkeley or Rome, where the Camaldolese have houses of studies. While living at Incarnation Priory in Berkeley monks attend the Graduate Theological Union or study elsewhere for various specializations. Older monks there work in a variety of ministries. Studies for the priesthood may be recommended if this vocation is indicated both by the monk's own inner attraction and by the judgment of the community. But the ordinary monastic Charism is complete in itself, with or without priestly ordination, and our community rejoices in a diversity of chrisms.

The Camaldolese Family

New Camaldoli is hoping eventually to found a rural cenobium. This would complete in North America the full threefold range of Camaldolese monastic life; rural hermitage, rural cemobium, and urban community. The Congregation includes, beside New Camaldoli and Incarnation Priory, several ancient houses in Italy and foundations in India and Brazil. There are Camaldolese nuns in the United States, Italy, France, and Tanzania.

Vocation

The life of the monk is a mystery to be experienced and lived. we come to recognize within our depths a wordless call and by grace we respond with our whole being. Persons interested in our way of life are usually invited to come for a week's retreat. An observership of two months is usually required before the year of postulancy. There is no rush in the great adventure of discerning one's God-given vocation.

The monks also welcome retreatants who wish to share the contemplative quiet of New Camaldoli. The Hermitage offers nine rooms for men and women, as well as five separate hermitages for longer retreats. Guests are invited to participate in our liturgical worship, but this is not required. Normally all retreats are silent and non-directed.