The Priory of Saint Gabriel proudly announced their newest Companion At Arms, Lawrence Monks
Lawrence Monks was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1967, into a home shaped by two Christian traditions. Giving his testimony, Monks stated, "My father was Roman Catholic, my mother Presbyterian. From the beginning, faith was present in my life, not as an abstraction, but as something lived, practiced, and spoken about. Soon after my birth, our family moved to Houston, Texas, where I was raised and where the foundations of my spiritual journey were laid. Coming from a family of three older brothers and a sister, family has always been central to my life. Several decades ago I married my high school sweetheart, Celina, and together we have been blessed with a son, Bryan Monks, a daughter-in-law, Hailey Monks, and a grandson, Brock James Monks, who at five months old represents both joy and hope for our future. My faith is not something separate from my family life; it is something I desire to pass on, lived out through example rather than words alone. My father’s devotion to his faith led me and my siblings to being raised in the Roman Catholic Church where served for many years as an altar boy. Those early experiences—standing close to the altar, assisting in the liturgy, and witnessing the reverence of sacred worship—left a lasting impression on me. Even when I did not fully understand what I was participating in, I sensed that I was near something holy and meaningful. "As I entered high school, doubt began to take hold. Like many young people, I started to question the existence of God and the truth of what I had been taught. By that time, my doubts had grown strong enough that I began to avoid church altogether. This period of distance from organized religion extended through most of my college years. Outwardly, I carried on with life, but inwardly, a quiet restlessness remained. At the age of twenty-two, I reached a turning point. I realized I could no longer live suspended between belief and disbelief. I told myself that I would either truly find God or honestly accept that there was no God at all. For the first time ever, I prayed from the heart—not out of habit or obligation, but with sincerity—asking God to prove that He really was there. Not long after that prayer, I met a local pediatrician who shared with me stories from his patients about their near-death experiences. The accounts were striking, especially because they came from a doctor and his patient children—unfiltered, untrained in theology, yet profoundly consistent in their descriptions of God as love. This encounter led me to research further, and I discovered the work of another pediatrician named Dr. Melvin Morse who wrote a book entiotled Closer to the Light. Reading about children who spoke naturally of encountering God, peace, and love moved me deeply and reopened my heart to faith. From this influence, I felt a strong need to return to church. On my very first day back, I heard the Gospel reading of Jesus’ Great Commandment—to love God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. That message struck me with new force and clarity. I realized that Faith was no longer merely about doctrine; it was about a way of life grounded in love. This renewed faith eventually led me to the Eastern Orthodox Church, where I was drawn by the depth, beauty, and continuity of its theology and worship. There I learned about theosis—the process of becoming more fully united with God—which profoundly shaped my understanding of Christian life as transformation rather than mere belief. At the same time, I came to believe deeply in the importance of communion among all believers. That conviction became personal when I realized that my son and daughter-in-law, who attended a Baptist church in Dallas, could not receive communion in the Orthodox Church. This tension between theological depth and Christian unity weighed heavily on my heart. During this time, I began teaching high school at St. Thomas Episcopal School in Houston, where I teach Western Civilization as well as Accounting and Business. Because of this vocation—and out of a desire for a church home that combined sacramental worship with a broader vision of communion—my wife Celina and I joined St. Thomas Episcopal Church, a traditional Anglican parish that follows the 1928 Book of Common Prayer. There, I found a balance of reverence, historical continuity, and communion for all faithful believers that resonated deeply with my heart. Throughout this journey, a long persisting calling has stayed with me–to be a part of a strong brotherhood. This encouraged me to join the Nationa Guard, and from there seek a stronge form of Christian community marked by discipline, devotion, and shared purpose, much like a monastic order that is lived out in the middle of the world rather than apart from it. This inner calling to be a part of an almost monastic calling of regular people was reignighted as I taught Western Civilization at St. Thomas. Reading about and teaching everything surrounding the Crusades and the broader heritage of Christian Europe naturally led me to look more into the Knights Templar, whose combination of faith, brotherhood, discipline, and service captured my imagination. That research eventually brought me to the Knights Templar Grand Priory of America. In it, I recognized echoes of my lifelong longing: a serious, devout Christian brotherhood, and more impressively–a sisterhood that my wife may join, committed to living the faith fully, visibly, and honorably in the modern world. My journey—from childhood faith, through doubt, questioning, rediscovery, and deeper understanding—has been guided by a single desire: to know God, to love Him fully, and to live out that love in committed fellowship with others who seek the same path. My story is not one of certainty achieved once and for all, but of continual growth—faith tested, lost, found, and deepened. It is a journey still unfolding, rooted in love, tradition, and the enduring call to live as a faithful Christian in service to all people with whom I may be able to serve."
