Fr. Jay Kythe

What has been the greatest lesson you have learned during your three years of first vows?

The motto of our Abbey is Dominus Providebit – The Lord will provide. I have marveled at how the Lord has provided for me throughout my life and continues to do so. There is a rebellious spirit in all of us, especially in me, that wants me to maintain control over my life, and it often takes His Divine initiative of love to reign in this rebellious spirit! These last three years of monastic life have helped me to understand how much the Lord loves me and desires to care for me. Only in this context can I surrender control of my life over to Him. He has manifested His loving care for me primarily through my confreres. Chapter 72 of the Rule speaks of how we must put up with each other’s weaknesses, and my brothers have done that often for me, making me marvel at how much the Lord provides for me through them. I came to monastic life, and I learned that I am the grateful recipient of much love. I also learned to expand my heart in loving my confreres. There is that old saying that “charity begins at home,” and if I can be charitable in this new home, I can be charitable anywhere! My brothers have taught me how to be charitable and how to expand myself to their service, especially when my rebellious spirit may not want to.

How have you been challenged during these three years?

I came to monastic life thinking that it would be less busy than my former life as a parish priest, and in some ways it has been more busy. My challenge has been to find a healthy sense of balance that includes good leisure along with prayer and work. The horarium in monastic life has been most helpful, providing a backbone and structure to my day, teaching me that prayer is the most important thing there is. With that I can fit everything else into my day, around the set times of the Liturgy of the Hours. And those things I cannot fit easily – especially the many emails I get – I surrender to Him who can handle those concerns better than I can. I learned how much I was really “addicted” to staying busy, and I had to learn how to slow down and enjoy this beautiful life that God has given me. Opportunities for recreation and leisure lift me away from the busyness and let me seek Him in peace and interior silence.

As you make this commitment to St. Benedict’s Abbey, what advice would you give to future monks and anyone discerning religious life?

Be open to how the Lord wants to surprise you! The only reason a man joins a monastery is “to seek God.” Look for Him, for you will find Him “peeking” back at you. The primary way He does this is in prayer. Monks participate in two “L’s” in their life: liturgy and lectio. In both these ways God desires to speak to us. He communicates to us through this Opus Dei – the “Work of God” – which in fact is less our work and more God working on us! How does the practice of the Liturgy of the Hours and the sacrifice of the Mass change us? And how can you pray and rest in Him in your times of private lectio? There are many other ways that the Lord wants to surprise us with His presence: community life, planting gardens, the apostolate, good hobbies, leisure, the very stones of the monastery that shout out stability, the guests that come to visit us, etc. I encourage you to be open and look at how the Lord wants to surprise you daily. • Parents: Prem Kythe (father) and Bhagwan Devi

“Kiran” Kulshrestha (mother, deceased) • Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana • First vows: December 8, 2014 • Seminary: Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity,

Saint Paul, Minnesota • Priestly ordination: May 25, 2002 • Favorite saint: Saint John of the Cross, because I want to love God like he does • Favorite devotion: The Way of the Cross • Reading now: Too many books • Favorite food: My mom’s yellow rice with a mint buttermilk sauce

• Favorite childhood toy: The Millennium Falcon filled with my Star Wars action figures • Favorite place: Along the shores of Lake

Pontchartrain (the place no longer exists, where

I used to have picnics with my family) • Best job I ever had: Being a parish priest • Worst job I ever had: Being a parish priest • If I weren’t a monk I’d be: lost. • You didn’t know: I converted from Hinduism. • Why I want to be a monk: I believe this is the place God has called me in order to love me here, in this way, so I can get to heaven. • Qualities I admire in other monks and priests:

Daily perseverance in monastic prayer • Best advice I’ve received: “Stay close to Jesus!” – from a retired priest upon my becoming a pastor