Five men struggling to find their way make the choice to give up the good life ... for a life of good. 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, these five men of varied backgrounds and faiths 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.

The Monastery  offers unprecedented access into the lives and rituals of 30 Benedictine monks, and follows these five courageous men as they attempt to bridge the divide between the ancient values of monastic life and modern struggles of secular life. Filmed at the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in northern New Mexico, The Monastery offers a rare glimpse into a closed community that follows an ancient discipline. The group is guided by Abbot Philip Lawrence, who pairs each participant with a monk as a mentor to share their experiences and daily struggles.

Each of the five hour-long episodes follows the men as they struggle with the rigors of monastic life. Shot as an observational documentary, The Monastery is an unusual and powerful series that details the men’s spiritual journeys in a genuine and authentic format. Throughout their 40-day experience, the men have private video cameras to record their heartfelt thoughts, reactions and revelations.

Will 40 days and 40 nights in a monastery effect life-changing results for these five men struggling to turn their lives around?  Tune in to to watch their journey — and maybe to begin your own.