The Order of The Most Holy Savior, popularly known as Brigittine, was founded in the year 1370 by St. Birgitta of Sweden to give praise and honor to God. Elements which characterize the Brigittine Order include a deep love of Christ, especially in remembrance of His sufferings, the fullness of liturgical worship, a respect for learning and authentic devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the holy Mother of God, all incorporated into a simple monastic life style.

The Brigittine Order exists at present with thirteen monasteries of contemplative nuns and a congregation of contemplative-apostolic sisters whose mother-house is located in Rome, in the actual former dwelling of St. Birgitta.

The Brigittine Monks existed from the fourteenth to the middle of the nineteenth century, when they were dispersed, largely due to the European wars. (In 1970, a Brigittine Monk, Richard Reynolds, martyr, was declared a saint.)

“It is for others to serve God, but for you to cleave to Him. It is for others to believe in God, to know, to love, to fear Him, but for you to taste, to understand, to apprehend, to enjoy Him.”

- William of St. Thierry

This website explains the present lifestyle of the Brigittine Monks whose monastery has the Canonical status of a Priory “Sui Juris”. The community was founded by Brother Benedict Kirby on March 14, 1976.



Our style of life ...

...is monastic, according to the Rule of St. Augustine, and given to prayer and contemplation. This is an ancient style of life in its concept of withdrawal from the main stream of the activities of society. However, we seek to place its ancient traditions into this era, conveying its attraction and needfulness to the culture of our times. The Brigittine monastic habit, dark grey in color, is worn. Following the original pattern of monasticism, the monks do not ordinarily receive Holy Orders.

The community celebration of the Eucharist is the apex of the monastic day. The entire Liturgy of the Hours is sung at scheduled times throughout the day with the Rosary and spiritual reading, including Scripture, at specified times.

The life of a Brigittine Monk has its strength in the spirit of the intimate union with Christ through the daily prayers which the community offers for itself and for all mankind, especially for the unity of all Christians. Following an ancient Brigittine tradition, the community also carries on a continual crusade of prayer for the souls in purgatory and the conversion of sinners.

Silence prevails during the hours of the day making that permeating peace which finds communion with God. However, spontaneity of speech may arise with restraint in respectful consideration of each person. Relaxing recreation periods are daily. Community living is realized in the rhythmic life of prayers, work and leisure. The joy of Christian living in the unity of community imitates the life of Jesus living in the bond of love with his apostles. We endeavor to create a joyous, peaceful life following the monastic concept of community as that of a family in all its human aspects of affection and warmth.

The Community attempts to be self-supporting. Each person feels the responsibility to contribute in whatever talents he has to offer or in the work to which he is assigned. Work is done at the monastery and we do not engage in types of work that may not be done within the enclosure.

Time is allotted that each person may develop his needs and talents to maintain a balance of living. An atmosphere is created that each may know and understand the joy of living this life in Christ the Lord.

A complete formation program is offered including a postulancy, the length of which is determined by the needs of the individual; a one-year novitiate, and a period of temporary commitment extending from three to six years. After the completion of this period, a permanent offering of oneself to Almighty.

Come Follow Me…

Dear Brother in Christ,

May the peace of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ be with you!

Thank you for your interest in the Brigittine Monks. The Brigittines live the monastic contemplative life. We do not have any active apostolic work. We chant the entire Liturgy of the Hours and use the Roman Breviary. We are non-clerical choir monks.

We have a chaplain who says daily Mass for us which is sung. We try to balance our life between work and prayer, the traditional monastic observance. We support ourselves by making gourmet fudge. The Monastery is located in Amity, a serene section of the Willamette Valley.

If you are interested in living the monastic life, please copy and paste the following email address into your email browser - vocations@brigittine.org - or call the monastery office at 503-835-8080 or text vocation director at 503-437-3192.

Well, it means that the monks and nuns are called to be, in a very special way, the lovers of Jesus, and so their life is one of solitude, the most essential characteristic of the contemplative. Lovers want solitude above all things, they want to be alone with their love, and so the contemplative wants to be alone with his Love, too.

Contemplation is the soul’s beholding, with the eyes of love, Jesus her lover. So there are no outward works in the contemplative life, it is a life of solitude and prayer.

Without solitude there is no contemplation.

Then there is the solemn worship of Jesus in the Choir, and with the Brigittines, the Adoration of Jesus on the Altar Throne.

To the one who looks on the mere outside of things has no understanding of the reality of them, this life seems useless, and they exclaim: “To what purposes is this waste?” They cannot understand how, when life is opening with all its promises before them, souls can leave everything and “shut themselves up” so completely from all that is their eyes seems delightful and satisfying.

The cloister is only for lovers in whose hearts has come the answering response to the love of Jesus. He has drawn them by the restless power of His Divine Love, and they come to give Him everything; and they must give everything because they love. Only the lover can give all.

The life of the cloister is austere, self-renouncing, the more austere, the happier they who dwell there. Love delights in sacrifice and immolation to the one loved, so the more complete the renunciation, the better.

The soul caught up in the love of Jesus has no thought, no desire, no wish for anything save such things as will please Him she loves. Love is only understood by love. To those who are not lovers, the words and actions of lovers seem extravagant, foolish, incomprehensible, but they are not so to the lovers. It takes love to understand love. So to the cold and calculating, the words and acts of the lovers of Jesus are unintelligible. They have never felt love’s heat, and cannot understand its drawing power.

Love unites, lovers desire union so much, they would pass into each other, if they could, but natural love has limits beyond which it cannot pass. Its union can only reach a certain point, beyond which it cannot go. What is denied to human love is granted to Supernatural Love, for the end of the contemplative life is the passing of the soul into Jesus, so that she becomes one with Him and is lifted up into the participation of His Divine Nature Itself. The soul and Jesus are one; they have passed into each other; the end which love desires is attained, two have become one.

When the soul has passed into Jesus she is a new creation, she is acting with His power, she has all His Nature to draw upon; there is no limit to what she can do because there is no limit to what He can do.

The apostolate of the cloister transcends that of all mere external activities. The heart of the contemplative is the heart of an apostle; it thrills with eager longing for every interest of the Heart Jesus. The soul has no interests other than those of her lover. She sees everything with His seeing, desires all that He desires, and has His compassion for the multitude and His eager longing for their salvation. Every interest of the Heart of her Love is hers. She is dead to all save Him alone, Who has called her; she is held fast in the embrace of Everlasting Love. What can she say except: “My Love, I want all You want, I have no will save yours.”

That is the life of contemplation, the life lived in the love of Jesus. The more perfect the oneing of the soul with Jesus, the more prevailing the contemplative’s power. The contemplative reaches out over all the world, no barrier can resist the power of his prayer, for his prayer is the prayer of Jesus, and nothing can resist Him.

External activity can, at most, only influence a comparative small circle, while the contemplative embraces the world in his apostolate.

And all the while love grows. Jesus is coming and every coming seems new, for He is ever coming, until at last love grows so strong that the slender thread of life is broken, and love comes to Love’s perfect consummation in Heaven.

Self-Assessment For Candidates Of The Monastic Life

When a man is considering a monastic vocation, he is asked to assess himself honestly as regards psychological maturity by asking himself the following:

• Do I have a mature understanding of the Catholic faith?

• Do I have a mature understanding of the Christian vocation?

• Have I honestly assessed my talents and limitations and set my vocational sights realistically?

• Do I really try to understand those around me, and do I listen to their views with real concern and charity?

• Can I accept difficulties and contradictions without losing patience?

• Am I able to get along with those who disagree with me?

• Can I see the humorous side of situations?

• Can I accept responsibility for my own actions?

• Can I accept direction without becoming defensive and self-pitying?

• Do I desire above all that Almighty God be loved and served without measure, and am I willing to completely surrender myself to him for this purpose?

Monastic Horarium

On Ordinary Work Days:

4:45 am Rising

5:00 am Vigils (Office of Readings) and Lauds (Morning Prayer) (Angelus)

6:45 am Lectio Divina

7:45 am Terce (Mid-morning Prayer)

8:00 am Conference or Work

12:00 pm Sext (Mid-day Prayer)(Angelus and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)

12:30 pm Main Meal

1:00 pm Solitude

3:00 pm None (Mid-afternoon Prayer)

3:30 pm Conference or Work

5:30 pm Vespers (Evening Prayer) (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament & Angelus)

6:30 pm Evening Collation

7:30 pm Rosary, Night Litany and Compline (Night Prayer)