Watch

Inside the Life of a Monk

Creator:
Published:
January 19, 2024
August 26, 2019
Trappist-Monks|Trappist-Monks-Square

Brother Paul Quenon, O.C.S.O., is a poet, photographer, and Trappist monk. To the outside world, he and his fellow monks aren't serving any practical purpose. But they have found a deeper meaning in that "uselessness."

"I shouldn't have to depend on others for my self-worth," Brother Paul said. "At the core, my value, my sense of worth comes from knowing that I am loved by God."

Video Transcript

New Haven, Kentucky: Abbey of Gethesemani, home of cloistered monks known as Trappists.

Brother Paul Quenon, OCSO: I think people feel they have to be productive because they get self-esteem from being able to show something — to show that they're worth something. So people are looking for their sense of worth in doing something, and in producing something, or making an impression on others. But I shouldn't have to depend on others for my self-worth. I mean, of course I get some of that, but at the core, my value, my sense of worth comes from knowing that I am loved by God.

I had to write a poem to explain that. This is called “Mad Monk's Life Ambition”:

Sorry monk that I am, 

I never amounted to nothing. 

Did someone lay a jinx on me and say, 

"You'll never amount to nothing?" 

How sad. 

Since I took nothing 

as the goal of my monastic life.

The monks pray together eight times a day; they rarely leave the abbey.

We're focused on one thing: God alone, as you might say. We're not serving any practical purpose. Well, we produce fudge, and we produce fruitcakes, but so what? There's no external justification for our life, so by all appearances, we're useless.

Brother Paul is a photographer and writer. His memoir is titled, In Praise of the Useless Life.

Sometimes a photograph will just surprise you. And I was looking out at the rising sun, and I turned around, and I saw my shadow on the wall. And the shadow turns this way, and the pipe goes that way. I thought that was kind of curious.

Is there a reason for the arts? Is there a reason to dance? Really, the purpose of singing is to sing. The purpose of to play is to play. So you live for the sake of life. The daily routine of the monastery eventually levels you to the plateau of your ordinariness. Ambition and striving fade into the background, and life lived in God is sufficient.

Creators:
Grotto
Published:
January 19, 2024
August 26, 2019
On a related note...
This Poet Uses Her Christian and Potawatomi Heritage to Share Beauty

This Poet Uses Her Christian and Potawatomi Heritage to Share Beauty

Grotto

6 Tips for Getting Your Passion Project Off the Ground

6 Tips for Getting Your Passion Project Off the Ground

Lillian Fallon

St. Francis Xavier Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

St. Francis Xavier Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

The Feast of the Annunciation Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

The Feast of the Annunciation Spotify Playlist | #GrottoMusic

Grotto

"Blood Moon"

"Blood Moon"

Clare Rahner

FIRE: A Famous Philosopher’s Description of Meeting God

FIRE: A Famous Philosopher’s Description of Meeting God

Rick Yoder

Meet the Chef Turning Food Waste into Gourmet Meals

Meet the Chef Turning Food Waste into Gourmet Meals

Maria Walley

Good and Decent S2|E7: Reaching Out

Good and Decent S2|E7: Reaching Out

Grotto

How I Move Forward Without Having It 'All Figured Out'

How I Move Forward Without Having It 'All Figured Out'

Isaac Huss

Building Community Bridges with ASL

Building Community Bridges with ASL

Grotto Shares

Meet the First ‘Working-Mom’ Saint

Meet the First ‘Working-Mom’ Saint

Emily Bouch

“The Lost Cardigan”

“The Lost Cardigan”

Judith Sornberger

Beyond Mentorship: Why Having a Hero Will Change Your Mindset

Beyond Mentorship: Why Having a Hero Will Change Your Mindset

Emily Mae Mentock

Moving from Hurt to Action in Today's Sex Abuse Crisis

Moving from Hurt to Action in Today's Sex Abuse Crisis

Sarah Yaklic

Learning to Live with Cystic Fibrosis with Joy

Learning to Live with Cystic Fibrosis with Joy

Grotto

Get Pumped for Football and Faith This Weekend

Get Pumped for Football and Faith This Weekend

Grotto

Mom First, Fashion Second

Mom First, Fashion Second

Grotto

A View of College Football from the Sidelines: A Kicker’s Perspective

A View of College Football from the Sidelines: A Kicker’s Perspective

Aaron Martinez, Grotto

Does Everything Happen for a Reason?

Does Everything Happen for a Reason?

Jessica Mannen Kimmet

Good and Decent EP 15: Occupation Proclamations

Good and Decent EP 15: Occupation Proclamations

Grotto

newsletter

We’d love to be pals.

Sign up for our newsletter, and we’ll meet you in your inbox each week.