St. Anselm’s Abbey
A Benedictine Monastery in the Heart of Washington, DC
According to the Rule, guests are “never lacking in a monastery” and St. Benedict gives rather precise instructions for their reception. At St. Anselm’s we try to follow the spirit of his instructions by offering a warm welcome to our visitors while at the same time ensuring that the life of the monastery maintains its regular rhythm.
Our guest rooms afford simple and basic accommodation primarily for men. Since these rooms are nearly all within the enclosure of the monastery, we cannot as yet receive more than one or two women guests at a time. There are plans for a guest wing and guest refectory outside the enclosure which will enable us to receive women in equal numbers. At present, guests eat with the monks in a refectory which can, at times, become somewhat crowded.
Guests may enter the monastery chapel at any time and they are especially welcome to attend the liturgical offices and daily Mass. Any guest seeking spiritual direction can either make his own contact with a monk or do so through the guestmaster. Many of our guests, including some who come for the inside of a day, spend their time at St. Anselm’s in retreat.
For many years St Anselm’s has received fellow Christian guests who are not formally in communion with the Church of Rome, those of other faiths, and those of none. They are all welcome.
It Is Good To Praise The Lord!