Books about Benedictine from Amazon.com

Everybody has a rule of life, but it's a rare person who takes the time to spell her ethos out. St. Benedict's Rule, formulated in the sixth century, is among the most comprehensive and vital rules of life in the history of monasticism Benedict was a tough guy--his standards of obedience, humility, and contemplation can sound awfully rigid to contemporary ears. But his rule has nurtured millions of lives not only in the cloisters, but in every city, suburb, and countryside where people strive to lead simpler lives. --Michael Joseph Gross.
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In the tradition of Thomas Merton, Kathleen Norris gives us an intimate look at how religious life fills a gap in the soul. Her poetic sensibilities internalize the monastery as a symbol of spirituality, with its sanctity and humor, questioning and uncertainty, rhythm and vigor. Beyond moral precepts and Bible stories, Cloister Walk is a very personal account of religion lived fully. It depicts a depth and beauty of spirituality in monastic life that has survived the vicissitudes of Roman Catholic politics and pomp..
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In Finding Sanctuary Abbot Christopher Jamison, host of the BBC television series "The Monastery," suggests the teachings of St. Benedict are a tool for everyday life—for those who are religious and for those simply searching for spiritual guidance.

"The Monastery" involved five non-monks living the monastic life for forty days while TV cameras tracked their progress. The sight of monks responding thoughtfully and helpfully to ordinary people's struggles was a surprise to millions of viewers who had presumed that monks were "out of touch."

St. Benedict wrote his Rule for monastic living 1,500 years ago when he was abbot of Monte Cassino, the monastery that sits atop an inspiring mountain to the East of Rome. The name, "The Rule of St. Benedict," often misleads people into thinking that Benedict wrote "a book of rules." In fact, he wrote insights for Christian living, with practical suggestions for daily practice. The insights still guide people today and many of the rules have been adapted to local conditions as Benedict requested.

In every generation monastics integrate modern realities and the wisdom of the Rule in a new fusion. That fusion is the spiritual energy enabling monasteries to be places of sanctuary today as they have been for centuries. And that sanctuary can be recreated in the hearts of people of good will. This book explains how St. Benedict's wisdom can be applied to busy modern lives, and how sanctuary, peace, and insight can be achieved by people living inside and outside of monasteries..
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Wise and enduring spiritual guidelines for everyday living –– as relevant today as when The Rule was originally conceived by St. Benedict in fifth century Rome.

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How I met Father Joe. I was fourteen and having an affair with a married woman. These are the opening lines to the first chapter of this outstanding memoir by former National Lampoon Editor Tony Hendra. How could we resist diving into this deliciously satisfying story about a lifelong mentorship with Dom Joseph Warrilow, a.k.a. Father Joe? After the devout Catholic husband catches the illicit couple in the kitchen, the husband does not attack Hendra. Instead he decides the young boy needs salvation. Amazingly, the husband leads Hendra to the one man who could save his soul: Father Joe. This is a tribute to a spiritual mentor, written in an easygoing, guy-talk style. It is no small feat to be brilliantly funny, ruthlessly honest, and spiritually profound at the same time, but Hendra has the winning combo. For more than 40 years Hendra would return to this mesmerizing old soul to tell him everything---from the details of his first sexual encounter, through questioning the social value of satire, to his crisis in faith after losing two children through miscarriages. But it's not just the North Star wisdom of Father Joe that captivates readers; it is the chance to follow Hendra as he gradually matures into a humble and spiritually solid man who can still crack a wicked good joke. Such a gift. Thank you, Tony Hendra. --Gail Hudson.
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For those who want to grow spiritually, Benedictine Daily Prayer provides an everyday edition of the Divine Office. People who desire to pray with the church can do so in a simple manner by following this Benedictine daily prayer model. Based on solid and traditional prayer patterns of more than fifteen hundred years of liturgical prayer within the Benedictine monastic tradition, Benedictine Daily Prayer helps readers celebrate and appreciate God's presence that is found everywhere, especially within the Divine Office. It offers a richer diet of classic office hymnody, psalmody, and Scripture than shorter resources are able to provide.

Benedictine Daily Prayer is designed for Benedictine Oblates, Benedictine monastics, and men and women everywhere. It's small enough to fit in a briefcase for travel. Scripture readings are from the NRSV.

Benedictine Daily Prayer includes "Introduction," "An Aid to Praying Benedictine Daily Prayer," "Monastic Calendar," "Sunday and Weekday Readings," "The Ordinary of the Liturgy of the Hours," "The Weekly Psalter," "Supplemental Psalms and Canticles for Vigils and Lauds," "Festival Psalter," "Common for Feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary," "Common for Feasts of Apostles," "Common for Feasts of Martyrs," "Common for Feasts of Holy Men and Women," "Office for the Dead," "Proper of the Season (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Triduum, Easter, Pentecost)," "Proper of the Saints," and "Appendix: A Selection of Benedictine Prayers.".
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Originally published in 1996, Always We Begin Again found its niche in the hearts and souls of those seeking spiritual moorings. Written by a busy attorney, this concise and modern paraphrase of the sixth-century Rule of St. Benedict has helped thousands of people to lead more balanced lives focused on God.

Now this spiritual classic is available in an expanded hardcover edition complete with ribbon marker. Added to the original text are the words of Benedict from which McQuiston drew his original inspiration, allowing the reader to see anew how the ancient Rule still speaks to seekers today. This is the perfect gift and companion for family, friends, and soulmates.

"John McQuiston II...provides one of the most practical tool available for the devout lay person who seeks a daily Christian praxis within the strictures of a successful business or professional life." -Publishers Weekly

"This slim volume was written by an attorney whose desire for a more profound connection with the spiritual life led him to the Benedictine's door...Simple it may be, yet it is moving and powerful in its quiet grace. A lovely guideline for daily spiritual life." -Napra ReView

John McQuiston, II is an attorney at law and active lay leader in his congregation in Memphis, Tennessee..
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In their zeal for reform, early Protestant leaders tended to throw out Saint Benedict with the holy water. That is a mistake, writes Dennis Okholm, in Monk Habits for Everyday People. While on retreat in a Benedictine abbey, the author, a professor who was raised as a Pentecostal and a Baptist, observed how the meditative and ordered life of a monk lifted Jesus' teachings off the printed page and put them into daily practice. Vital aspects of devotion, humility, obedience, hospitality, and evangelism took on new clarity and meaning. Paralleling that experience, Okholm guides the reader on a focused and instructive journey that can revitalize the devotional life of any Christian who wants to slow down and dig deeper..
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When St. Benedict formed his first small community of monks at Monte Cassino on the hilltop, Italy--and much of Europe--was ravaged by war. The Roman Empire was breaking apart, and politics, cultural life, and even the Church, were all in disarray. In the midst of these tumultuous times, Benedict offered his followers a "little rule," a guide about the size of a checkbook, that showed his monks the way to peace as they learned to prefer Christ above all things.

Though it was written nearly 1500 years ago, the Rule of Benedict still offers the practical tools for living a Christ-centered today. Here in St. Benedict's Toolbox, readers will find a primer on how to use these tools in their own tumultuous lives. Each chapter examines one aspect of the Rule, from ways of praying to ways of embracing humility, and offers suggestions for prayer, reflection, journaling, and action. As they learn to use Benedict's tools, readers will discover the power--and the timeliness--of this ancient way of life..
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