The community living under an Abbot and a Rule is the essence of monastic life, lived in a Benedictine Monastery. Its rhythm of prayer, silence and work gave rise to the known ‘Pax Benedictina’ and to the motto “Ora et Labora”.
Members:
| Fr. James Mylackal (Conventual Prior) | Fr. Joseph Kulathinal |
| Fr. Thomas Kodakassery | Fr. Dunstan Kurumbel |
| Fr. Mathew Molath | Fr. Thomas A. Ezhanikatt |
| Fr. Joseph M. Parambukattil | Fr. Jose Parathottam |
| Fr. Brian H. Peris Bhatt | Fr. Showraiah Guvvala |
| Bro. Robert Nayak | Bro. Faustin Baliar Singh |
| Bro. Chinnappa Sagili | Bro. Jayaraj Nagipogu |
| Bro. Amit Kumar Nayak | Bro. Anarkala Bharskar Rao |
| Bro. Nagipogu Jayachandra | Postulants |
Prayer
The Sylvestrine community is a family, the abbot being a true father to the monks, according to the Rule of St.Benedict. Painstaking efforts and constant vigilance are taken to maintain the fraternal spirit among the
brethren. What nourishes best this communion in the monk, is his own communion with the triune God in common liturgical prayer and Eucharist and lectio divina. Prayer life is nourished above all by the ‘lectio divina’ - a prayerful
reading. The monk who pursues it faithfully will become more and more a “man of God”, humble and wise and a channel of salvation for brothers and for the
entire people of God. (Constitutions 30). Every Christian, but especially a monk, always wants to hear the world of God to make it his own, to guard it and to obey it as a response to God in private and communal prayer. Union with God depends on constant and fruitful listening to the word of God. Lectio divina is seeking God in the written word. The object of the reading is first of all sacred Scripture, then the Fathers, tradition, the examples and the teaching of the saints and finally reflection on the Church’s theology. (Declaration 68-70)
Work
They are truly monks when they earn their living
by the work of
their hands (RB). The monks of Navajeevan do engage in manual labour at least two hours a day unless occupied otherwise with school or parish activities. Students and young monks in formation engage in gardening, cleaning and scrubbing works of the monastery.
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Timetable: |
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| 05.45 | Rising |
| 06.15 | Office of Readings, Lectio Divina |
| 07.00 | Morning Prayer, Community Mass |
| 08.00 | Breakfast, Morning Job |
| 09.00 | Classes, Activities |
| 12.45 | Midday Prayer, Lunch, Recreation |
| 14.00 | Rest, Class, Study |
| 15.45 | Tea, Work, Games |
| 18.00 | Study |
| 19.45 | Rosari, Eve. Prayer, Supper, Recreation |
| 21.15 | Night Prayer, Lectio Divina, Study |
| 22.30 | Rest |