Benedict instructs his monks about silence after worship: When the work of God is finished all should leave the church in deep silence and show reverence for God. Our own worship should be punctuated with silence and stillness. Altar servers are instructed to enter the procession in a slow and stately manner. A certain solemnity is [...]
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Many years ago a very holy old Anglican priest of the old school died and left his “occasional book” to me. This book was a collection of quotations and words of wisdom that he had compiled over the years. He was a very cultured and well educated man, like so many of the old Anglican priests [...]
The cloister is like the heart of the monastery. From the outside the monastery is imposing like a fortress. The walls rise up and the windows are small. When you enter the feel at first is like a great old school or university. It is perhaps intimidating. You are small and alone. The church inspires and [...]
In the monastery a portion of the Rule of St Benedict is read aloud each day. For November 11, Chapter 34 on Whether All Should Receive Equal Shares is read. You can read the whole passage here. He who needs less should thank God and not be discontented; but he who needs more should be humbled by the thought [...]
I have not the courage to force myself to seek beautiful prayers in books; not knowing which to choose I act as children do who cannot read; I say quite simply to the good God what I want to tell Him, and He always understands me. -- St Therese
The Refectory, Quarr Abbey, Isle of Wight, UK Let the brethren serve one another, and let no one be excused from the kitchen service except by reason of sickness or occupation in some important work. For this service brings increase of reward and of charity... The one who is ending his week of service [...]
Prayer the church's banquet, angel's age, God's breath in man returning to his birth, The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage, The Christian plummet sounding heav'n and earth Engine against th' Almighty, sinner's tow'r, Reversed thunder, Christ-side-piercing spear, The six-days world transposing in an hour, A kind of tune, which all things hear and fear; Softness, [...]
Monks in Chapter Everything will be done at the proper time. -- Rule of St Benedict Idleness is the enemy of the soul, and so monks should be occupied at some times with manual labor, and at certain times with holy reading. -- Rule of St Benedict The monk renounces a life of agitation [...]
Medieval Monastic Library From the beginning the monastic way of spirituality has emphasized the importance of reading and study. Here's why: studying the old books safeguards your spirituality from being merely a subjective, emotional and ephemeral experience. Knowledge ground prayer in reality. The old books are the ones that have stood the test of [...]