St. Mary’s Monastery, Tabora: The Rhythm Of Prayer And Work

St. Mary’s Monastery in Tabora represents ancient and ever-relevant Benedictine tradition of monasticism finding a new home and a new voice in heart of Tanzania. Founded in 1970s by a group of Tanzanian monks who sought to establish an authentically African expression of Benedictine spirituality, this monastery has become a thriving center of prayer, work, and hospitality. For pilgrims, a visit to St. Mary’s offers a rare and precious opportunity to experience timeless rhythm of monastic life and to drink from deep wells of wisdom contained in Rule of St. Benedict, a rule that has been guiding souls to God for over 1,500 years.

The spiritual life of St. Mary’s Monastery is entirely structured around Rule of St. Benedict, with its core principle of “ora et labora” (prayer and work). The monks gather several times a day, from before dawn until after dusk, for the Divine Office and the celebration of the Mass. This rhythm of prayer punctuates and sanctifies the entire day, transforming work, study, and even rest into a continuous offering to God. Visitors are warmly welcome to join the monks for these liturgical prayers in the chapel, experiencing the beauty of Gregorian chant (sung in Swahili) and the power of communal worship that has been heartbeat of Church for centuries. To participate in this rhythm is to have one’s own internal clock reset to sacred rhythm of God’s time.

The “labora” (work) of monastery is as important as “ora” (prayer). The monks are self-sufficient through a variety of activities, including farming, beekeeping, and crafts, all of which are carried out not as a job but as a form of prayer and service. The monastery’s farm produces food for community and for sale in local markets, while delicious honey and beautiful crafts produced by monks provide income to support monastery’s operations. Visitors have opportunity to learn about activities and even to participate in them, experiencing firsthand beautiful integration of prayer and work that characterizes Benedictine spirituality, where simplest task can become a prayer when done for glory of God. The monastery offers simple guest accommodations for those seeking a deeper, more immersive experience of monastic life.

These personal retreats provide an opportunity to participate fully in rhythm of the community, joining monks for prayer, meals, and work. The profound silence and simplicity of monastic life create an ideal environment for spiritual reflection and renewal, allowing pilgrim to detach from usual distractions and listen more attentively to voice of God. It is a chance to live, even for a short time, by maxim of St. Benedict: “That in all things, God may be glorified.”The natural setting of monastery, with its productive gardens and peaceful walking paths, provides additional opportunities for prayer and contemplation.

The monks have created several outdoor shrines and prayer stations around the property, each offering a different perspective on beauty of creation and the constant, loving presence of God in natural world. A walk around grounds becomes a mini-pilgrimage, a journey through a landscape shaped by human hands and divine grace. A Pilgrim’s Reflection: Set your alarm to join monks for one of night offices, such as Vigils or Lauds. Praying in the middle of the night, when rest of world is asleep, is a powerful experience of Church’s constant prayer. Throughout day, try to offer your work, your meals, and your rest to God, following the Benedictine principle of sanctifying the ordinary.