Membership in our community of Lay Cistercians of Gethsemani Abbey is open to any Christian adult who feels called to live a lay contemplative lifestyle in the spirit of the Rule of St. Benedict and the Cistercian tradition. Our lay community has an informal relationship with the Abbey of Gethsemani.

LCG members: The process to become a member of and LCG group begins when you contact a local community in your area. The local group will review your request, and, if accepted, invite you to enter the two-year discernment and formation process. For inquirers accepted as LCG candidates, as you begin the formation process, we will make an attempt to assign a mentor for you. The mentor will serve as a spiritual companion and guide you through the process. For more details, please click on the Discernment Process page below.

If there is no local group in your area, you are welcome to become a "Friend of LCG" by writing to info@laycisterciansofgethsemani.org. There is no formation, mentoring, or group meetings required for Friends of LCG).