Our Mission

NOVUM MONASTERIUM

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

A growing disbelieve in God is definitely one of the most remarkable signs. But at the same time many people engage in all sorts of other spiritual practices, such as paganism, occultism and alternative or newly invented religions. Often they will tell you they don’t believe in God. But you will hardly find anyone who will totally deny they believe in ‘something’. Deep inside there is an awareness of God’s existence. But God is no longer recognized as the source and objective of their awareness. It is the perfect breeding ground for opening the door to all sorts of alternative beliefs and spiritual practices. Instead they start ‘shopping’ for new ways of finding personal enlightenment and giving meaning to their lives. And usually they don’t want to call it religious. But it is ! But God has no part in it.

It is a strange paradox, isn’t it ? While God is no longer recognized and Christians are often ridiculed for their belief, spiritualism and occultism are gaining more and more ground. It seems the clock is ticking backwards and we are going back to the times that Christendom was still in its infancy. It is not so hard to see the Devil's hand in all this.

Try to see the bigger picture here. The world is getting cold and colder with each day. Egocentrism and intolerance have become rampant in today's society. And so is the indifference to the suffering of the weak. And despite all the progress science has brought us, wars, famine and religious oppression still can still be seen everywhere in the world. For vast masses the world isn’t really getting any better. But even those who don't need to complain often still feel that emptiness inside. International health organizations already predicted that depression will become pandemic in western society.

These are all manifestations of the increasing confusion and suppression that is keeping the people away from God... up to the point that in the not so far away future hardly anyone is left to testify of God's majesty and glory. That why must unite and make a stand !

REBUILDING GOD'S TEMPLE

It is our mission to respond to the signs of the times and rebuild God's temple. While God is pushed away from the lives of so many the Church is under attack also, both from the outside as inside. Unity must be restored within the Church and among all Christians, no matter what their denomination is. We embrace the concept of the Universal Church that is the home of all Christians in the world. We believe that the challenges of today ask for a radically new approach and a different kind of monasticism that is better prepared for the task. This also requires a different breed of brothers and sisters, since prayer and community life must go hand in hand with a zeal and spiritual combativeness to actively defend God's work in this world of growing disbelieve and indifference. We will go to places where our help is needed most, no matter how dark and wretched those place are. Someone must be willing to carry the torch and bring people back into the light. So many got lost and don't know where to go. Someone must be willing to break the chains of evil that is making the world deaf and blind. Are you ready to make that stand and fight for Christ ?

THE THREE PILARS OF OUR MISSION

1. COMPASSION & MERCY

Brotherly love is the key to everything. The magic word so to speak. From love comes forgiveness, mercy, a willingness to help other and relieve their suffering. From love also come a determination to let others share in the happiness of being with God. When loving you also worry if someone is living a life far from God... and you wonder what you can do. Where you find love you will find pure joy. A foretaste of what awaits us in heaven. It’s a gift from God, an partially within reach in this earthly life.

When Jesus was asked which commandment is the first of all, he said: the first is you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these (Mark 12:28-34; NRSV). The message is simple and clear: recognize and see God's presence in everyone. By loving others you love God also. Go and seek out those who suffer and are oppressed. Don’t turn your back on them. Forgive and show mercy, so souls can heal and hearts can open again for receiving the gifts from the Holy Spirit.

Brotherly love brings new life. Forgiveness is like a two-edged sword: it heals wounds and reconciles with God, while it also releases the suffocating bonds that keep you and the one you forgive interlocked in an atmosphere of anger, hate and suffering. That is an atmosphere in which the devil loves to dwell. He just loves it, and will try to make you go from bad to worse. But by releasing the bonds, the Holy Spirit can come in again and take over... and the devil is left with no other choice than to make a run for his life. Love simply puts the devil out of business.

Love, forgiveness and mercy bring you one step closer to restoring the purity of your soul in the image of God. After all, achieving holiness is the ultimate goal of every Christian… but helping each other achieving is even a more inspiring challenge. Nothing less is expected from you if you truly want to be a passionate Christian. It may not always an easy task, but nonetheless a very rewarding one in the face of eternal life that hopefully awaits us.

2. PRAYER, PENANCE AND SACRIFICE

We pray that God may relieve and protect the weak and oppressed, and grant them special graces. Keep in mind: the smallest in our world is the biggest in God's kingdom. So don’t look down upon them with contempt or self-pride, don’t judge them, but try to recognize their suffering in Christ. And you can be sure that Christ is with them. Can you say that about yourself too ? Do you feel pain when you see the pain of others ?

To be one in Christ means to share... to share the joys, but also to share the pains. When sharing the joys we are one in our happiness of being with God. But when sharing the pains, we suffer together in imitation of Jesus’ suffering at the cross. It is a sacrifice that brings us close to Christ. Try to understand the spiritual dimension of the concept of sharing in joy and suffering. It keeps you bonded with Christ while also undoing the grip the devil might have on you, and the one you love, and the one who love you. Brotherly love is like a spiritual fortress, that keeps you safe in God’s keeping, and keeps the devil outside. Nothing he can do. So whoever wants to meet Jesus must meet him in places where brothers and sisters of Jesus are needy, hungry, unwanted or sick. Whoever keeps himself distant from these places remains distant from Jesus. The concept is so simple... if you care to give it some thought.

Maybe you live a comfortable life... the more is expected from you to stand up for those who are weak and needy. Keep in mind, with your priviledges in this life also come greater responsibilities. Collect your eternal riches in heaven by sharing your temporary riches in this earthly life with those who need it. You can do that with prayer, so God may grant them graces, and with practical help of course. It really can’t be that hard, can it ? Don’t ignore their needs. But if you do, you risk disconnecting yourself from God. And the devil is always waiting for the opportunity to finish the job.

We also do penance for others so their hearts, ears and eyes open, and find their way back to God. In a sense we want to carry some of the burden they have placed upon themselves through a life of disbelieve and being disconnected from God. Through a life of prayer, personal and collective sacrifice and total submission to the will of God we intend to offer ourselves so that others may receive redemption and salvation. By placing the welfare of others above ourselves we intend to fight for their rightful place in God's Kingdom. After all, every living soul was born into this world as a pure soul in a perfect relation with God. Restoring that relation is what we intend to achieve by our penance and sacrifice. We pray to God that He accepts our sacrifice that must come from a total self-denial and unconditional submission to His will. You must pray for us too.

3. THE SPIRITUAL SWORD

We are resolute and persistent in our mission. We are not easily impressed by the obstacles we might and will encounter. And we expect plenty of those. We see and recognize the devil's hand in all the suffering, ignorance and indifference that is drifting so many people away from God. The world cannot heal when so many people are disconnected from God. That is a perfect breeding ground for the devil who often can go his way with us.... that is, for as long and in so far God allows it. Because now and in the end God has the final word.

Most people don't want to talk about the devil. Even in the Church many rather walk away from the subject. Denial of his existence is a common response. But he is real ! If we like it or not, his presence and interventions are part of our life. He is influencing others on a massive scale to do his bidding. Ignorance, vanity and pride often opens the door to their souls. We cannot longer ignore that and must face reality. The world is sick, wounded and adrift. And you can be sure of it that the devil will oppose us too and see to it anything is done to obstruct our mission. God will decide how successful we will be in doing that.

But the more the devil makes us suffer, the bigger our burden... the bigger our sacrifice. So let the devil oppose us, for our pain will be a sacrifice for the salvation of others. That will be a burden that we carry in love for those who need the salvation. So, the devil will lose one way or the other. And keep in mind… the devil’s defeat testifies of God’s glory. Eventually he always loses. His defeat may not always be visible, but God’s glory and magnificence is. So why evading the topic, or being afraid of it… with God on your side you always prevail. Your victory may not always be visible, but in heaven it will not go unnoticed.

With the help of the Holy Spirit we are willing and ready to go into spiritual combat. We are willing to go to the darkest place if that is where God leads us. We will face dangers if we must. Our objective is to oppose the devil’s work and reconcile as many people as possible with God so that the heavens will be filled with joy and laughter. God will decide how far He will let us go in achieving that goal. With or without us God will prevail. We don't want to be presumptuous. But that is why you must pray for us too. Because we need it. After all, we are only men - weak, imperfect and insignificant. We also are totally dependent on the graces that God may grant us. Without God's grace we can do nothing. Please pray for us. May the Holy Spirit be with us... and you. We pray for you too.

Last but not least... don’t forget to pray to our Holy Mother Mary. Her intercession often does wonders !

DON'T FORGET TO PRAY FOR OUR POPE AND HIS INTENTIONS FOR THE WORLD

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