Meet Daniel Sanchez
As a young boy, I always served Mass. My family had moved across the street from our parish, St. Patrick’s in La Salle, and we had moved into the old convent that the Daughters of Charity had lived in. Down the block, the other way, was Queen of the Holy Rosary, and few blocks the other way was Resurrection Parish. Across the street was the grade school I went to, Trinity Catholic Academy.
I was blessed to have always had all of that around me. The Catholic identity was all around me, so I was not afraid to be Catholic. I had always been blessed to have gone to Catholic schools, Trinity Catholic Academy, St. Bede Academy, and now the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary at St. Mary’s University.
There was a time back in high school when I was a low point in my faith. One of the monks asked me to go to TEC and the rest was history. At that time, I thought I was the only one that loved my faith and was becoming afraid to embrace it.
Once I got to TEC, I realized how many young people loved being Catholic, and it was then that I was encouraged and eager to embrace the fullness of the Catholic faith. I really enjoyed my time at TEC and am grateful to the people for re-igniting my faith and most importantly, reestablishing my trust in the Lord, which through discernment brought me to the seminary.
Update of What I Have Been Doing Since High School -- August 2018
In 2011, I made my first visit to St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama. I had been more and more seriously discerning a call to the monastic life, particularly to the Benedictines. I very much felt drawn to community life and the charism of the Benedictines. There was a great peace that I went away with after my initial visit to St. Bernard. A few months later I was back for another visit. I loved the chanted prayers throughout the day, the silence, the work and the joy of the monks.
In August of 2012, I entered the novitiate and was given the religious name Marion, for our Blessed Mother. A year later, on the Assumption, I professed my simple monastic vows. Benedictines profess vows of Obedience, Stability and Conversation morum. We are obedient to our abbot and his successors. We are always monks of the monastery that we join; we don’t get transferred to other monasteries. Lastly, we vow to embrace a monastic manner of life. We cherish poverty and chastity, prayer and work, and to glorify God in all that we do. On August 20,2016, I professed my solemn vows.
At St. Bernard, we have a school, a farm, retreat center and our world famous Ave Maria Grotto. We also bake bread and do other sort of crafts that we sell in our gift shop or occasionally at a farmers market. So whether you are a teacher, a baker or carpenter, there is a place for you in the monastery.
Since entering St. Bernard Abbey, I have been assigned various jobs. My first official assignment was librarian and shortly after I was additionally assigned as assistant sacristan. I now serve as director of our Ave Maria Grotto and our Retreat & Conference Center, Assistant Director of Vocations, socius of novices, Secretary of the St. Bernard Preparatory School Board and most recently appointed to the abbot’s council of seniors.
Life in the monastery has been a great blessing. Like any vocation, it has its difficult moments. When you live with the same 30 or so guys can be difficult once you learn all their quirks and other seemingly annoying habits. At the same time, you get to live with 30 or so guys who have come for the same reason as yourself. That reason is to seek God in the monastery. When I think about that I am usually able to get over their quirkiness and myself. The analogy often given for the monastery is that life in the monastery is like life in that of a rock tumbler. You have a bunch of rough rocks (monks) that need polishing (sanctifying). After awhile, you learn how to work around each other and to cooperate with one another. Then, all of the sudden, some new rough rocks (novices) are thrown in and you quickly realize that you were not as polished as you thought. It is truly a beautiful gift to be growing constantly and dying daily to your own wills and desires.
Our community has been blessed with vocations and for that we are most grateful to God. We are also grateful for those of you who pray for vocations. We have been blessed with the fruits of your prayers. Be assured of our prayers for all of you.
I was blessed to have always had all of that around me. The Catholic identity was all around me, so I was not afraid to be Catholic. I had always been blessed to have gone to Catholic schools, Trinity Catholic Academy, St. Bede Academy, and now the Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary at St. Mary’s University.
There was a time back in high school when I was a low point in my faith. One of the monks asked me to go to TEC and the rest was history. At that time, I thought I was the only one that loved my faith and was becoming afraid to embrace it.
Once I got to TEC, I realized how many young people loved being Catholic, and it was then that I was encouraged and eager to embrace the fullness of the Catholic faith. I really enjoyed my time at TEC and am grateful to the people for re-igniting my faith and most importantly, reestablishing my trust in the Lord, which through discernment brought me to the seminary.
Update of What I Have Been Doing Since High School -- August 2018
In 2011, I made my first visit to St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, Alabama. I had been more and more seriously discerning a call to the monastic life, particularly to the Benedictines. I very much felt drawn to community life and the charism of the Benedictines. There was a great peace that I went away with after my initial visit to St. Bernard. A few months later I was back for another visit. I loved the chanted prayers throughout the day, the silence, the work and the joy of the monks.
In August of 2012, I entered the novitiate and was given the religious name Marion, for our Blessed Mother. A year later, on the Assumption, I professed my simple monastic vows. Benedictines profess vows of Obedience, Stability and Conversation morum. We are obedient to our abbot and his successors. We are always monks of the monastery that we join; we don’t get transferred to other monasteries. Lastly, we vow to embrace a monastic manner of life. We cherish poverty and chastity, prayer and work, and to glorify God in all that we do. On August 20,2016, I professed my solemn vows.
At St. Bernard, we have a school, a farm, retreat center and our world famous Ave Maria Grotto. We also bake bread and do other sort of crafts that we sell in our gift shop or occasionally at a farmers market. So whether you are a teacher, a baker or carpenter, there is a place for you in the monastery.
Since entering St. Bernard Abbey, I have been assigned various jobs. My first official assignment was librarian and shortly after I was additionally assigned as assistant sacristan. I now serve as director of our Ave Maria Grotto and our Retreat & Conference Center, Assistant Director of Vocations, socius of novices, Secretary of the St. Bernard Preparatory School Board and most recently appointed to the abbot’s council of seniors.
Life in the monastery has been a great blessing. Like any vocation, it has its difficult moments. When you live with the same 30 or so guys can be difficult once you learn all their quirks and other seemingly annoying habits. At the same time, you get to live with 30 or so guys who have come for the same reason as yourself. That reason is to seek God in the monastery. When I think about that I am usually able to get over their quirkiness and myself. The analogy often given for the monastery is that life in the monastery is like life in that of a rock tumbler. You have a bunch of rough rocks (monks) that need polishing (sanctifying). After awhile, you learn how to work around each other and to cooperate with one another. Then, all of the sudden, some new rough rocks (novices) are thrown in and you quickly realize that you were not as polished as you thought. It is truly a beautiful gift to be growing constantly and dying daily to your own wills and desires.
Our community has been blessed with vocations and for that we are most grateful to God. We are also grateful for those of you who pray for vocations. We have been blessed with the fruits of your prayers. Be assured of our prayers for all of you.
