Daily life at Belmont Abbey is designed to allow time for prayer (both in community and individually), work, spiritual reading, personal interests, and the various dimensions of living together (meals, fraternal relations, housework, etc.). Within the monastery there is a library, a reading room (with newspapers and journals), a refectory (dining room), infirmary (for care of monks who are aged or ill), supplies-room, tailor's workshop, parlors for meeting with guests, and other facilities.
The model of Benedictine life is the family. The Abbot, who is elected by the Belmont monks, acts as father of the community. Each of the monks assists him in covering the daily tasks of the house. For example, the Abbot appoints a procurator to take care of financial affairs and relieve the individual monks from having to give time to external business. Although meals are prepared by a hired cook, the monks assist in the care of the refectory (dining room). The sacristans care for the church and prepare for the liturgies. Most of the housekeeping and other day-to-day tasks are handled by the monks, too.
