Our God continues to make a way forward for Urban Monasticism. The time has come for us, as an organization, to appoint our two Establishing Abbots who will help us to see Urban Monasticism established in our Church and world. This is a one-time and temporary position. This title was chosen to identify their dual role. Firstly, they are focused on establishing our community. Their other focus will be on establishing Urban Monasticism within the Church more broadly. 

Establishing our community has many responsibilities. The core of this responsibility is relational. For us to feel a sense of unity and community, we need people who will draw us together. Right now, we are doing a lot of this with our weekly newsletter and monthly online gatherings. There are more things in process that will help us get to know one another better, pray for one another, and to hopefully shrink the distance between us. They are going to continue to focus on building our resources for living the monastic life. This will include establishing our discernment process so that you can become an Urban Monastic. Good progress is already underway on this process. 

Establishing Urban Monasticism within the Church is their other focus. Here is where the ecumenical work of building bridges and relationships across the church begins. It is our explicit goal to work with traditions and denominations so that they 1) recognize Urban Monasticism as a religious expression of the Church and 2) recognize the vows that members of their tradition take with us as valid. There will be other work to establish Urban Monasticism more broadly within the Church. A part of our hope is that our community and leadership can bring more understanding, appreciation, and visibility to the monastic tradition of the Church. 

On Friday the 21st of August, Paul Prins and Jordan Prins were voted to be our establishing abbots by our leadership team. They have accepted this role, and amongst the two of them, they will divide up their responsibilities. This is a new title for each of them and is an acknowledgement of the role they have held within our community and organization. Urban Monasticism is committed to a model of shared leadership where the leaders differ in gender. They will hold these positions until enough Urban Monastics have professed their vows. At that point an election will take place to choose our first two general abbots, and it will mark the conclusion of the establishing period.

Join us in celebrating Jordan as she takes on her role as an establishing abbot.
Join us in celebrating Paul as he takes on his role as an establishing abbot
Continue to pray for them and for our leadership team.
Pray for everyone in our community and those who God is bringing towards the monastic life.
Pray for the establishment of Urban Monasticism in our Church and world.

Our Establishing Abbots

along with their preferred titles.

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Photo Credit
Jordan Prins on 17 May 2024 in Paris.