Cistercian Lay Contemplatives of Vermont

The Cistercian Lay Contemplatives of Vermont is a Christian community committed to living by a Cistercian Plan of Life developed in full accord with the Constititution of the Cistercian Order.

On September 12, 2010, after a year of discernment, members of the group formally committed themselves as a Cisterican Lay Contemplative community while on retreat at a Cistercian Abbey.

Our group emerged from a contemplative prayer group facilitated by a member of the Cistercian Lay Contemplatives of Spencer, MA begun in 2006 at a Roman Catholic Parish in South Burlington, VT. Spiritual direction and support in Cistercian formation is received through monks and monastic liaisons from Cistercian Abbey’s.

In response to the needs of those who are called to live the Cistercian charism, and due to distance are unable to travel to the closest Cistercian Abbeys, our community has developed a multifaceted approach to formation that insures the quality and the authenticity of formation as a Cistercian Lay Contemplative community. In addition to monthly meetings, formation is conducted through the use of recordings of monk’s conferences, shared written conferences, homilies and reflections as well as the use of web-based resources for formation from other Cistercian sources. Our members participate in a group retreat at a Cistercian Abbey annually. Members arrange for a week-long individual retreat at a Cistercian Abbey as their schedules permit.

Our community is blessed with an opportunity to learn from the rich monastic heritage generously shared with us by two Cistercian Abbeys.

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