ORA et LABORA

ORA / Pray

At Our Lady of the Rock, we are, as St. Benedict described, “a School of the Lord’s service”: a place where the members of the monastic community can seek God, follow Christ more closely, and be a living example of how people of diverse backgrounds and personalities can live together in total lifelong commitment to each other. We are a center from which the ideals of stability, balance, and Christian values radiate outwards as a refuge and a guiding light in society.

Our mission is to pray for the needs of the Church, especially in this archdiocese, to meet the needs of those who come to us, and to augment the services of the Catholic Church in the San Juan Islands.

We fulfill St. Benedict’s call to ORA (prayer) in our peaceful chapel in the woods by inviting all to join us as we daily carry out the Divine Office (eight prayer services) and Mass in Gregorian chant.

LABORA / Work

The LABORA (work) at Our Lady of the Rock is fulfilled by supporting ourselves and serving our neighbors and guests with a variety of works all focused around our 300 acre farm where we:

  • Raise rare breed farm animals.
  • Maintain a sustainable, diversified farm.
  • Offer internship programs for both students and adults in holistic farming education.
  • Create and sell products from our farm and the talents of our community.
  • Offer monastic hospitality to individuals, families, and groups.