Fr. Cassian Elkins O.S.B.

Growing up in the Deep South, my mother and grandmother prided themselves in handing down several things: their Catholic faith, their love of Cajun culture, and more importantly, their gumbo recipes. I hold all these things very close to my heart and they have shaped who I am today, both spiritually and physically. Because of this gift handed down to me, I felt compelled to share this with others in a very special way.

I was fortunate to attend Catholic school through my elementary and middle school years. At an early age, my fascination with religion and science began to emerge and with the privilege of attending a Catholic school, my faith began to take root and grow. While in Middle School, I found great solace in books and information; it was as if a door had been opened that could never be closed. I excelled in my studies and was very active in sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities. I always loved to sing, and the church choir gave me the ability to do what I loved while praising God at the same time.

From a very early age, I began thinking about becoming a priest. I was already involved with my Church and was an altar server for over ten years, so this seemed like the next logical step. After graduating from High School, I entered Seminary in the Fall of 2000. After several years at Seminary, I left because I did not feel called to diocesan life, and felt the Lord calling me to something more stable and more community-based. After a few years of discernment and schooling, I entered the Dominicans, a religious order focused on teaching and preaching. After several years in formation, I began to feel the draw toward a more monastic life.

My first exposure to Benedictine life was in Covington, LA. St. Joseph’s Seminary College and Abbey provided an amazing glimpse into Benedictine life. I greatly admired the simplicity of monastic life and how radical it was, such a profound sign of personal surrender and sacrifice. As I spent more time inquiring about monastic life, the more I fell in love with it. What drew me to monastic life in general was the structure and community atmosphere. The overall ideal of monastic life, ora et labora, is a perfect balance that is connected with my personality.

I visited several Benedictine monasteries but was drawn again and again to Subiaco Abbey. When I visited Subiaco, I was delightfully shocked to see such down-to-earth brothers. Many brothers shared their own vocation story and I was thrilled that my story shared many qualities with theirs. In my prayer, I listened to where God was calling me. Listening is so important.

As the Introduction to the Rule states: “Listen, O my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart.” For St. Benedict, the monk responds to God’s call. I daily pray for the virtue to keep listening to His call.