Q: What is the purpose of an Abbey?

A: Ultimately, the purpose of an abbey is the pursuit and glorification of God, lived in the context of a religious community; nothing more and nothing less. If an abbey is following its purpose, this is exactly what makes it effective. Its members will become holy because of contact with Christ, through the sacraments and liturgy and through the living of community life; it will have fruitful apostolates because they will be contacts with Christ. The type of life that the Norbertines live is referred to as a mixed or semi-contemplative life, in contrast to religious orders that are purely contemplative: the Carthusians or Trappists for example.  This mixed life was taken up by other religious orders founded a century after the Norbertines, the Dominicans being a good example of this.  In distinction to congregations founded for a specific purpose, such as teaching in schools or missionary work, orders such as the Norbertines are flexible in what work they do, as long as this does not interfere with the living of community life and prayer, so that all works done (whether teaching, preaching retreats, spiritual direction or writing) are an overflow and sharing of the life of contemplation that comes from living community life and daily contact with and participation in the divine liturgy.