On the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, we reflect on the profound moment when Christ began His public ministry, embracing the Father’s will. In a similar way, monastic profession is a decisive step in a monk’s life — a commitment to seek God entirely, leaving behind the distractions of the world to live for God.

Baptism of Christ
by Fra Angelico
Monastic profession is the act by which a monk vows to live the monastic life until death. What makes up these vows?
The monastic life is one wholly dedicated to God. Just as Christians rest on Sunday to honor the Lord, monks set aside the cares of everyday life to live in total freedom for God. Every aspect of their life — prayer, work, and study — becomes a means of glorifying Him. For Benedictines, this dedication finds its heart in the solemn worship of God through the Church’s liturgy.
After a period of discernment, a monk makes his solemn profession by taking three vows: stability, conversion of manners, and obedience. These vows are not merely obligations but tools for living the Gospel more fully:
- Stability anchors the monk to a particular monastery.
- Conversion of manners embraces chastity, poverty, and a life of continual striving toward holiness.
- Obedience reflects Christ’s own submission to the Father’s will, guiding the monk in service to God and his brothers.
Through these vows, the monk turns his gaze entirely to God, striving to love and serve Him above all else. The monastic profession has long been seen as a second Baptism. The monk is consecrated a new to God in his monastic life in a way that is parallel to the way that one’s Baptism dedicates everyone to the service of God. By abandoning his past life, the monk is forgiven of his past sins to start anew:
“A monk is he who turns his gaze on God alone,
who aims his every desire at God alone,
who is bound to God alone…
who, possessing peace with God,
becomes the source of peace for others.”
— St. Theodore Studite