BY KATHI STEARNS

Staff Writer

CONYERS--A former chemical dependency counselor joyfully embraced a new vocation at the age of 47 as he became a professed member of the Trappist Monastery of the Holy Spirit.

Brother Pablo Maria Diez, OCSO, made the solemn profession of his monastic vows Dec. 8, 1996. Dom Bernard Johnson, OCSO, the abbot of the community, was the principal celebrant of the Mass of solemn profession held on the Second Sunday of Advent and the feast of the Immaculate Conception. Former abbot Dom Armand Veilleux, OCSO, now procurator general of the order in Rome, was also in attendance.

The abbot's greeting and the hymn, "Fisher of Men" were presented in both Spanish and English. The solemn profession began after the homily of the Mass with the call of the candidate.

With the community seated in their places and the abbot in front of the altar, Brother Pablo Maria prostrated himself in the center of the sanctuary. "Having heard the Word of God, Brother Pablo Maria, what do you seek from God and from his holy Church?" the abbot queried.

"The blessing of God and fellowship in the Holy Spirit, with this monastic community," responded the candidate.

After the community consented to the profession of Brother Pablo Maria, the abbot interrogated him. During the formal interrogation Brother Pablo Maria gave his life as a gift of love to God and the brothers of his monastic community. He then renewed his baptismal promises as he chose a life of obedience, stability and conversion of manners as a means to advance in the school of the Lord's service until death. Finally, he embraced a life of solitude and silence dedicated to continual prayer and joyful penitence.

The members of the monastic community rose as Brother Pablo Maria read his formula of profession.

"…I promise my stability, my fidelity to monastic life and obedience until death in accordance with the Rule of St. Benedict. I do this before God and all his saints, in the Monastery of Our Lady of the Holy Spirit, constructed in honor of the Blessed and ever Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, and in the presence of Dom Bernard Johnson, abbot of this monastery."

Brother Pablo Maria then sat at a small table where he signed his profession; he then placed it on the altar. Next he sang three times, "Receive me, O Lord, according to your word, and I shall live; do not disappoint me in my expectation." After the third time the community responded with the singing of the "Glory Be."

Brother Pablo Maria then knelt for the solemn blessing, which consists of three prayers addressed to the three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The abbot then sprinkled a cowl with holy water and put it on the newly professed monk. Once the abbot had clothed the professed, the members of the community took their ordinary places in the sanctuary. Brother Pablo Maria, accompanied by the prior, knelt in front of each of the community members, asking for prayers and receiving each one's embrace. Brother Pablo Maria then took his regular position with the members of the community who invoked the prayers of the saints with the singing of the Litany.

The Mass continued with the presentation of the gifts by family and friends of Brother Pablo Maria and the celebration of the Eucharist. During the recessional the abbot carried aloft from the sacristy the parchment of Brother Pablo Maria's profession for all to see.

A native of Colombia, South America, Brother Pablo Maria is the eldest of 11 children. He was baptized Catholic shortly after his birth. He first came to the United States when he was 24. As a young adult growing up in Miami, he recalls himself as "self-centered and lost in a materialistic world" that was consumed by a need for self-gratification. The ?70s were a turbulent time and tested him as much as any other youth of his age. He saw his friends lose their way and even their lives as they experimented with the temptations of the era.

"I was a man who was in a lot of darkness," Brother Pablo Maria said. "I was looking for fame, money, prestige and material things and spent the majority of my time taking risks."

Seven years later while attending a beach party in Miami with approximately 10,000 people, a feeling of loneliness overtook him. This led to his conversion experience.

"It is hard to explain, but even though I was surrounded by 10,000 people and had all the material possessions one could desire, they did not fill the emptiness I felt inside me," Brother Pablo Maria said. "At that moment I knew that I needed God and His graces."

A year later he became involved in the charismatic renewal. "I was baptized in the Spirit and loved the outward expressions of praise that are used for glorifying God," Brother Pablo Maria said. "Also, I liked the love that was evident in the small prayer communities; I loved the power of the Holy Spirit and the beauty of speaking in tongues."

At this same period Brother Pablo Maria worked as a chemical dependency counselor in Miami.

Nine years later a friend asked him for a ride to the Conyers monastery because he wanted to explore the possibility of becoming a monk.

"I was unable to give him the ride," Brother Pablo Maria said. "But I felt something in my heart calling me to visit this monastery. Ten days later I decided to come here for a retreat."

"In a sense it was a very painful experience for me," he said. "I was used to a more outward expression of praise and worship. I was used to yelling out words of praise, and that was not done here. But when I was at the monastery the feelings of loneliness and emptiness disappeared. The charismatic renewal was a beginning point which led me to an appreciation and understanding of contemplation, which in turn led to an internal joy that I had never experienced before."

Brother Pablo Maria's two-month observership began in January 1990. After completing this phase of monastic life, a candidate is required to leave the monastery for one month. Brother Pablo Maria traveled to Miami where he continued to reexamine his calling for three months.

"I spent a lot of time praying because I had so many doubts," Brother Pablo Maria said. "I loved the apostolic life, but wondered if I could give up my counseling practice and embrace a monastic life dedicated to contemplative prayer. But as time went on I realized my heart and soul were longing to be back at the monastery. This was the place where I had received the interior freedom to allow God to use me as His instrument in whatever way He wanted."

Therefore he returned to the monastery and began his six-month postulancy in June 1990. On Jan. 6, 1991, he began his two-year novitiate. Brother Pablo Maria made the simple profession of his vows on Dec. 8, 1993.

During his years of preparation and study at the monastery Brother Pablo Maria developed a love for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a deep devotion to the Blessed Mother. It gave him special happiness to celebrate his solemn profession on the feast of the Immaculate Conception as well as during the week that the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe was observed.

Brother Pablo Maria said that the selection of his religious name reflected a new man in Christ and a new life. He selected "Pablo," which is Spanish for "Paul" because of St. Paul's conversion experience on the road to Damascus, and "Maria" because of his devotion to the Blessed Mother.

At the monastery Brother Pablo Maria assists the novice master and works in the infirmary.

Approximately 500 to 600 invited guests, including his sister, Patricia Diez of Miami, attended his solemn profession. A reception following the profession was held in the monastery crypt and featured a mariachi band.

Brother Pablo Maria joined hands with his sister, invited guests and members of his new monastic family and led them in a dance celebrating his new life.

"It was truly a day for dancing and rejoicing," Brother Pablo Maria said. "For it was the day I said to my Lord, 'I am your servant.'"