By Sister Marlene Miller, OSB

Stability is one of 3 promises Catholic Benedictine women and men make at our final monastic profession.

The vow of stability is to the Sisters to whom we have promised to live, pray, support, and work with, in good times and bad, in sickness and health, into eternal life.

Monastic stability embraces the dailiness of living with depth versus comfort. It means dealing with the humdrum of everyday life. It means, as the ancient said of monastic life, “we fall down and we get up, we fall down and we get up, we fall down and we get up.” Together.

Stability helps us grow together in love and mutual respect. It helps us to live totally in God and for each other.

Stability centers us on being greater than ourselves. It is our commitment to each other, the world, God.