An ecumenical Benedictine community
Solitaries in the world
We are men and women who live a life of prayer, silence and solitude in our own homes, in the midst of work, family and ordinary responsibilities, while sharing a Rule, a tradition and the companionship of one another.
Who we are
A contemplative life, without leaving the life you have
Some people are drawn to a life shaped by prayer, silence and solitude, yet are not called to a monastery, or have work, family and commitments that keep them in the world. The Community of Solitude offers a shared Rule and real spiritual companionship for living that calling right where you are.
Rooted in the Benedictine and Camaldolese traditions, we carry the cloister in our hearts.
Our monastic cell is wherever we happen to be.
Our way of life
Solitude held within community
Lived in the world
We live in our own homes and neighborhoods and earn our own living, as chaplains, teachers, carers and, yes, computer geeks. Shopping, driving and the work of the day all become part of our prayer.
Solitude, not isolation
A solitary is someone deeply aware of being alone with God in the middle of ordinary life. We hold that solitude together, through a shared Rule, regular companionship and a Convocation every three years.
Rooted in a living tradition
We follow the Rule of St. Benedict, the Brief Rule of St. Romuald and our own Constitution, and we learn from the Desert Fathers and Mothers and the Camaldolese saints.
Our inspiration
Separate hermitages, one community
At New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur, California, Camaldolese Benedictine monks each live in a small hermitage of their own, yet belong to one monastic family. They share a chapel, a table and a common life of prayer.
We carry something of that pattern into the wider world. We live apart, in different places and circumstances, while sharing a Rule and a common contemplative commitment. We are not a residential monastery, and we are not simply people who prefer solitude. We are a community whose members live solitary lives within a shared spiritual structure.
Daily practice
Simple practices, faithfully kept
Prayer, silence and solitude are tools, not ends in themselves. They make room for a deeper, more constant conversation with God.
The Divine Office
Each morning and evening we pray the Office, using whatever book serves us best: the Book of Common Prayer, a Roman breviary or one of our own making. Faithfulness matters more than quantity.
Lectio Divina
After the Office, slow and prayerful reading of Scripture is the solitary's most important practice. It is a daily seeking of the heart of Christ in the Gospels, and a school in how to become fully human.
Silence
Even with our mouths closed, our minds drift to the future or the past. Silence draws us back to the present moment, to be where Christ is, here and now.
Ecumenical and open
One foundation, many journeys
Our Rule and common life rest on the Benedictine and Camaldolese traditions. Within that shared foundation, members are free to explore other religious and spiritual traditions as part of their own contemplative journeys, and many find their prayer enriched by what they discover.
In the spirit of Taizé and the Benedictine Women of Madison, we are ecumenical. Baptized Christians who can honestly affirm the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds are welcome, whatever their age, gender, or clerical or marital status.
“Sit in your cell as in paradise… and sit there like a little chick, content with the grace of God.”
— St. Romuald, from his Brief Rule
Together, apart
A community across many places
Our members live across the United States, in Canada and in Nepal. Every three years we gather for Convocation to pray, share and simply be together. In July 2025 we met at St. John's Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, and in 2022 at New Camaldoli Hermitage in Big Sur.
If this life speaks to you
Explore at your own pace
You may feel called to a life of prayer, silence and solitude without leaving the world in which you live. We would be glad to explore that calling with you, with no pressure and no expectations.
Step one
Discover
Read about our charism, our Rule and Customary, and the books we recommend for discernment, such as Michael Casey's Sacred Reading and Charles Cummings' Monastic Practices.
Step two
Explore
Write to us with your questions and begin a conversation. We try to reply within two or three business days, and asking commits you to nothing.
Step three
Discern
If the fit feels right, keep discerning with us through our formation process, supported by a spiritual director and your own church community. It takes a village to raise a solitary.
Begin a conversation
Whether you have a single question or feel drawn to explore membership, we would be glad to hear from you. We will answer honestly about who we are and what our life involves.
Or write to us directly at inquiry@communityofsolitude.com