Benedictine Way

New Every Morning – Resolutions for 2017

2017-10-01T18:32:20-04:00December 31st, 2016|Categories: Suburban Hermit|Tags: , |

This morning I tried to think of the New Years resolutions I might make if I were truly a Benedictine hermit. They would be based in the three duties of Prayer, Study and Work. These three are important because they minister to the three aspects of the human person. Reading (or Study) illuminates and stretches the mind. Prayer [...]

My Heart is Fixed – On Stability

2015-12-15T13:35:18-04:00December 15th, 2015|Categories: Suburban Hermit|Tags: , , , |

This post is an excerpt from my book St Benedict and St Therese--The Little Rule and the Little Way The monk’s vow of stability is intimately linked with his vow of obedience. When the monk submits to his superior he fulfils his vow of obedience. When he submits to his particular environment and set of circumstances he [...]

On the Necessity of Reading

2015-12-02T20:04:59-04:00December 2nd, 2015|Categories: Suburban Hermit|Tags: , , , , |

One of the gifts of the Benedictine tradition is the form of prayer called Lectio Divina  or Holy Reading. In a world where speed reading is expected, skimming is required and glancing through summaries is de rigueur the monastic tradition is a contradiction. Lectio diving requires us to slow down and read the text meditatively. There is a technique. The first [...]

Benedict’s Ninth Through Twelfth Steps of Humility

2015-12-02T12:15:57-04:00December 2nd, 2015|Categories: Suburban Hermit|Tags: , , , |

Here is the final segment of my comments on St Benedict's twelve steps of humility. The other segments can be located under the tags "Benedictine Way" and "Rule of St Benedict" The ninth degree of humility is that a monk restrain his tongue and keep silence, not speaking until he is questioned. It's a good thing [...]

Monks’ Repast

2015-11-26T07:56:31-04:00November 26th, 2015|Categories: Suburban Hermit|Tags: , |

St Bruno in the Refectory My first visit to a monastery was during Lent. It was suitably austere, cold, damp and penitential. My second visit was in July, and it was the feast day of St Benedict. We had sherry and canapés. Plenty of wine with the soup, steak, fresh salad, new potatoes, then [...]

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