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Most Protestants don't know much about monasticism or about Benedictine spirituality. But once they meet Mary Stamp, all that changes. Stamps crisscrosses Minnesota lecturing and giving retreats to Protestants --- most of them United Methodists -- who receive her warmly. That's not surprising. Stamps is proof that one can be a devout Protestant and a monk at the same time.
She's an involved member of New Horizon United Methodist Church in St. Cloud, Minn., where she sings in the choir. She is also the foundress of St. Brigid of Kildare Monastery for women, located on property owned by St. John's Abbey of Collegeville, Minn.
Stamps has lived at the monastery a simple hise surrounded by Woods,. fields, a garden and birdfeeders - for three years. She made her final profession as a Benedictine monk on St, Brigid's feast Feb. 1, 2001, taking vows of stability, obedience and fidelity to the monastic way of life as set out in the rule of Benedict.
The call to establish the first monastery for women in the Methodist tradition came after 15 years of prayerful discernment she told NCR. While studying for her doctorate at the United Methodist Seminary at Emory University in Atlanta, Stamps...