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Wisdom from the Monastery: The Rule of St. Benedict for Everyday Life
For all who are on a spiritual journey or starting out on a search for meaning in their lives, there is a vast array of competing belief systems, therapies, and guides available. Above the noise and clamor of this busy marketplace, a centuries-old voice speaks words of invitation:
Who is there with a love of true life and a longing for days of real fulfillment? If you should hear that call and answer ‘I,’ this is the answer that you will receive from God. . . .
So begins the ancient Rule of St. Benedict, written fifteen hundred years ago as a simple manual for monks living in community together. Because of its gentle wisdom, realism, and depth, the Rule has always stretched beyond the walls of monasteries. Today, growing numbers of men and women are discovering that it can teach them something invaluable about themselves and how to live meaningful lives.
Wisdom from the Monastery contains a contemporary translation of the Rule of St. Benedict and short reflections on the seven basic elements of Benedictine spirituality that are a tried and true recipe for healthy, balanced, and purposeful living.
An ideal place to begin a lifetime of exploration and discovery, Wisdom from the Monastery is an excerpt from The Benedictine Handbook, also available from Liturgical Press.
Who is there with a love of true life and a longing for days of real fulfillment? If you should hear that call and answer ‘I,’ this is the answer that you will receive from God. . . .
So begins the ancient Rule of St. Benedict, written fifteen hundred years ago as a simple manual for monks living in community together. Because of its gentle wisdom, realism, and depth, the Rule has always stretched beyond the walls of monasteries. Today, growing numbers of men and women are discovering that it can teach them something invaluable about themselves and how to live meaningful lives.
Wisdom from the Monastery contains a contemporary translation of the Rule of St. Benedict and short reflections on the seven basic elements of Benedictine spirituality that are a tried and true recipe for healthy, balanced, and purposeful living.
An ideal place to begin a lifetime of exploration and discovery, Wisdom from the Monastery is an excerpt from The Benedictine Handbook, also available from Liturgical Press.
- GenresSpiritualityReligion
168 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
4 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Patrick Barry
4 booksThere is more than one author in the Goodreads catalog with this name. This entry is for Patrick ^3 Barry.
Patrick Barry OSB was born Noel St. John Barry in Merseyside during World War I. His father was a doctor from Ireland. Noel was sent as a boarder to Ampleforth and on completion of his education there, instead of becoming a doctor as expected, he joined the monastic community. He became a monk in 1939, taking the name Patrick. He took a degree at St Benet's Hall, Oxford and was ordained a priest in 1945.
He returned to Ampleforth to become a teacher of classics and the school librarian. In 1964 he was appointed headmaster of the school and remained in that post until his retirement in 1980. In 1985 he was elected sixth Abbot of Ampleforth, was re-elected in 1992, and retired from that office in 1997.
He then lived at St Louis Abbey, Missouri, USA, for ten years, with frequent visits to Santiago in Chile where three co-educational schools modelled on Ampleforth were established.
He returned to Ampleforth at the age of 91 and continued to take an active part in the monastic community until his death at the age of 98.
Patrick Barry OSB was born Noel St. John Barry in Merseyside during World War I. His father was a doctor from Ireland. Noel was sent as a boarder to Ampleforth and on completion of his education there, instead of becoming a doctor as expected, he joined the monastic community. He became a monk in 1939, taking the name Patrick. He took a degree at St Benet's Hall, Oxford and was ordained a priest in 1945.
He returned to Ampleforth to become a teacher of classics and the school librarian. In 1964 he was appointed headmaster of the school and remained in that post until his retirement in 1980. In 1985 he was elected sixth Abbot of Ampleforth, was re-elected in 1992, and retired from that office in 1997.
He then lived at St Louis Abbey, Missouri, USA, for ten years, with frequent visits to Santiago in Chile where three co-educational schools modelled on Ampleforth were established.
He returned to Ampleforth at the age of 91 and continued to take an active part in the monastic community until his death at the age of 98.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 12, 2020
The book is an excerpt from The Benedictine Handbook. 3/4 of it is the Rule, a translation I didn't care for. There are my others I like a lot better. I didn't realize this book included so much of the Rule. I also didn't find much for practical advice in the seven short chapters of reflection on the Rule.
May 31, 2022
This book was ok. It had potential, but I felt it fell far short of it.
It is essentially a collation of short essays reflecting on different aspects of the benedictine monastic system/rule. Some of these were thought provoking, but others I found a little too abstract or bland. Also the structure of the book was not immediately obvious and ended up being confusing.
It is essentially a collation of short essays reflecting on different aspects of the benedictine monastic system/rule. Some of these were thought provoking, but others I found a little too abstract or bland. Also the structure of the book was not immediately obvious and ended up being confusing.
June 9, 2018
No one can improve on The Rule except with a good introduction. The short closing articles are variable, but I profited from the ones on perseverance and the art of lectio divina.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews