Novice joins Benedictine community at Saint Meinrad
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
In a brief ceremony at the monastery entrance, Keegan Porter was clothed in the Benedictine habit at Saint Meinrad Archabbey on August 5. The novice now begins a year of monastic formation, including study of The Rule of St. Benedict and monastic history.
Novice Keegan, 35, is from San Diego, CA, where he was a member of Saint Thérèse of Carmel Catholic Church.
He attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ, graduating in 2014 with a Bachelor of Social Work degree.
Before joining the monastery, Novice Keegan worked in a variety of positions within the field of senior living and care home facilities. Those positions included caregiving, activities, dining, facilities, and training.
As a novice, he will take a year off from formal studies and trades. The novitiate is a time of prayer and learning intended to help a novice discern his vocation as a monk. At the end of this year, a novice may be permitted to profess temporary vows of obedience, fidelity to the monastic way of life, and stability in the community of Saint Meinrad.