The Monastery

• Reality

Five men of varied backgrounds and faiths struggling to find their way—a former gang member, a recovering alcoholic, a cynic, a former Marine and an aspiring Episcopal priest—take a leap of faith and join a Benedictine monastery for 40 days. For the duration of their stay, they agree to the monastery’s strict rules and regimen of prayer, study, reflection and manual labor set out by St. Benedict 1,500 years ago — a regimen that the monks believe, if followed correctly, can transform lives.