interesting reflection,long but generally well put... EJG

A Call to a Modern Monastic Movement

By John Michael Talbot

Looking back at Christian history one sees a monastic phenomenon of the Spirit at several stages. The original monastic phenomenon spread like a fire from east to west, originating with the virgins, widows, and ascetics of Syria and Palestine, and the hermit and cenobitic monks of Egypt. It spread west and dug its roots deep into our corporate consciousness with Celtic monasticism and finally with the near universal inclusion of the Rule of St. Benedict. A resurgence of the original fire was seen in the 11th century monastic semi eremitical and cenobitical reforms with the Camaldolese, Cistercians and Carthusians, just to name a few. Even today there is a monastic revival going on in the midst of the deserts of Egypt with the Coptic Church, right where so much of monasticism began.

What about us? What about the United States? Sadly, there are a few monastic vocations, but there is no rush to the cloisters of North America. Even though we all respect monks and nuns and have a vague understanding that they are somehow an important part of the spirituality of the Church, few of us really want to give this vocation a try for ourselves.

Today there are far more vocations to associations affiliated to monasteries than to monastic life proper. Traditionally these are called oblates, seculars, or domestics. Today they outnumber actual monastic members about 10 to 1. Why? Part of the answer is that we westerners prefer a spirituality that does not demand too much of a change in our private life. We are pretty good at a spiritual meeting once a week, once a month, or once a year. We are not good at “moving in” with a spiritual movement. This does not mean that those in such associations with monasteries are insincere, or somehow less committed than residential members of monasteries. Some are simply not called and/or not able to follow such a call. But we must also see the decline in vocations to monastic life proper as unfortunate.

The Church has repeatedly said that monasticism is at the heart of the Church. Why? It is at that heart of the Church because monasticism has historically been the most intentional and intense depository of the mystical life of the Church. Mysticism is the heart and goal of our doctrines, ecclesial structures, and sacraments. Why? Because love is the heart of the gospel, and love itself is a mystery. Love builds on our senses, emotions, and understanding, but surpasses them all.

The greatest expression of love’s mystery is the Paschal Mystery, or the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is why the Liturgy of the Church starts with praise, penance, and the liturgy of the Word, and then goes to the height and pinnacle of it all: the Eucharist, the real presence of Jesus in a way that includes senses, emotions, and thoughts, but surpasses them all while renewing them all. So, monasticism forms a most unique receptacle where this love mystery is most intentionally and intensely the goal of everything in daily life.

This Mystery can be found in some very practical and discernable characteristics that should challenge us in our everyday American lifestyle. Some of these are related to the traditional “evangelical counsels” of poverty, chastity, and obedience common to all consecrated life, and consecration of life. They are lived most intensely in monastic life.

Monasticism embraces gospel poverty in the face of American consumerism. We are the minority of the world’s population consuming the majority of the world’s resources. We can try to rationalize it, economize it, and even spiritualize it, but it is wrong. When the many who have the little realize this they usually rise up against the few who have the much. These revolutions are usually bloody and violent. War is the result. Monasticism stands as an oasis of peace and a sign of hope to a war torn world. Monasticism calls monks to give up all personal possessions, and for the monastic community to live an authentic life of gospel simplicity. This means “living simply so that others might simply live.” It means differentiating between our wants and our needs, for habitually indulging our wants kills the needy, and addicts us to consumerism. It means having more to give to the poor of the world so that peace can really have a chance to spread. Will you do something about this? If so you might be called to monastic life.

Monasticism embraces gospel chastity in contrast to the rampant sexual promiscuity and breakdown of the nuclear family in America. We do this so that all may better know the intimate love of Jesus, and so bring healing to an individual’s need for love, and then to the nuclear family. The traditional expression is found in intentional celibacy. Families associated with monastic communities make extra efforts to maintain marital chastity. Both speak prophetically to a society that seeks to heal its interior needs in superficial sexual relationships. Will you do something about this? If so you might be called to monastic life!

At the core of it all, monasticism embraces gospel obedience in contrast to the rampant individualism of the west that gives rise to the above-mentioned ills. When we are always “number one,” then we are willing to roll over anyone or anything that stands between us and our goal. Obedience also means to learn to really “listen,” to learn how to be silent externally and internally when others try to speak to us. How many of us really listen to others? Usually we are too busy formulating our answers and comebacks while a person is speaking to us to really hear what they said. In monasticism this means binding ourselves in listening obedience to the guidance of spiritual fathers, mothers, and elders who have walked the way before us in order to learn the way of listening as a way of life. It almost always takes a whole life to learn it completely, or at least substantially. Will you do something about this? If so you might be called to monastic life!

There are other uniquely monastic commitments equally important. We desperately need the stability of remaining in committed relationships in a community for life until death in contrast to the revolving door relationships of modern America. We need a conversion of life to help transform our habitual lifestyle patterns that so often bring affliction and even death to all our relationships. We also need to experience a “conversatio,” a “conversation,” made up of both listening and wholesome speech as we face the various troubles of modern life. Today we tend to talk at one another, rather than really have a conversation with each other. The same could be said regarding our conversations with God through prayer.

The world’s hectic daily life, torn between workaholism and frittering away one’s life with trivial and superficial pursuits, is healed through the monastic horarium, or daily schedule, that balances one’s day between a quality experience of prayer and work, solitude and community. Common prayer is a time to participate communally and personally. Meals are a time to be nourished through physical food, the spiritual food of the reading of the Word, and fellowship with others directed by what we hear. Work is a time to do humble tasks together and alone while turning the word of God in our hearts and minds. Study helps us to do everything in our life with real understanding and love. Private time is used not only for sleep and mindless recreation, but for a relaxed sacred reading that recreates the whole being. Recreation is a time to “recreate” ourselves through relaxed time with others,

We desperately need both authentic community and authentic solitude in a society that is constantly submerged in a frenetic motion of people crammed together with other people with neither real communal relationships, nor wholesome solitude. We need silence in contrast to the constant noise of our way of life. We need Jesus in contrast to a fallen world that crucified him. Will you do something about this? If so you might be called to monastic life!

As I said in an earlier article: “I am referring to the heresy of individualism, and all that goes out from it, consumerism, materialism, hedonism, and the like. The evidence of the failure of this heresy is all around us. Global warming from environmental abuse threatens the delicate balance of the earth’s current eco system. War across the planet is due to the many who have the little rising up against the few who have the much. Sexual immorality and the breakdown of the nuclear family threaten the very social fabric of civilization as we know it. The so called “high-tech high-touch” computer revolution has created an entire generation of people who have access to great knowledge, but attain little wisdom. Though we may have access to communication with thousands and millions at a time, many cannot carry on authentic human relationships with any real success. It has not made us more human. It has made us more like machines in the long run. Are computers bad? No. I write this on a laptop, and send it out via the internet. But we are not yet using them successfully.

How many of you reading this right now are willing to flee this sinking ship of modern society? Traditionally this call has gone forth from monks, and hundreds of thousands have responded without computers or mass media. Will you respond today? How many will give up possessions and control to find the greatest wealth known on earth or in heaven? How many who are single will embrace only Christ as your spouse in celibate chastity, and so bring salvation to the entire world? How many will give up superficial freedom to embrace the deeper freedom from your false self through obedience to a Rule and a spiritual father or mother in Christ? How many will venture into the solitude to find your true spiritual home, silence to find your true voice, and self renunciation to find your true self in Christ? How many will give up all to gain everything?

And this is not just for celibates. How many families feel trapped in the web of modern society? All through history faith-filled families have affiliated with monasteries in order to live more simply according to the teachings of Jesus. During the Reformation these took the form of communities that became the “plain people” like the Mennonites, Quakers, and Amish. At Little Portion Hermitage we welcome such families really ready for this life to join us in residence. ...
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Can we of the Church in the Untied States embrace such a radical gospel life as monks, or will we remain in the “safety” of corporate and technological America? It may seem safe now, but it might be the real core of a greater problem in years ahead. The time has come to choose and to act. I stand before you as a messenger of God calling you to dare to give up all and follow Christ within or associated with a monastic community. If they can do it in today’s Egypt, why can’t we do it here? Will you be among the first to respond, or will you wait for others to respond first? Are you a “sideliner,” or a “player,” a “watcher,” or a “doer?” Dare to really live! Dare to really renounce yourself as a monk in order to discover who you really are in the wonderful plan of God. Let’s see a modern monastic phenomenon in our time. But a real spiritual movement must unfold a person at a time, one by one, until it becomes a powerful wave of Spirit and renewal for an entire nation. Will you do something about this? If so you might be called to monastic life!

In Jesus,
John Michael Talbot
The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage,Arkansas

I haven't read the whole thing but it looks like it might be a good article Thanks for posting.

As a side note, I am aware that John Michael Talbot himself is married, and I don't believe his order has been approved by Rome. I could be wrong about the latter statement; does anyone have info. on this?

God bless
Lauren

For what it's worth,on the website of his community, The Brothers and Sisters of Charity, they are described as a Public Association of the Faithful. Does that imply some canonical approval?

BTW, good post, I liked the article too.

That is one of the stages that communities go through on the way to gaining full canonical approval.

I've heard nothing but good things about this community from being around people that have talked about it.....

Glory to Jesus Christ!
Yes, he is lawfully married in the Roman Catholic Church.The Community is a mixed state one, like many in Europe, like'The Beatitudes Community' which is pontifical Rite.

His community is not an order but a Public association of the faithful, under the local Roman catholic Bishop, thus in Communion with Rome, and approved by the Bishop.
"The Brothers and Sisters of Charity, a Public Association of the Faithful, was founded by John Michael Talbot in 1980. We are a Catholic-based covenant community of celibate brothers, celibate sisters, and families, called as a monastic spiritual family into deep live relationships with and in Jesus Christ. "
http://www.littleportion.org/

not my kinda thing, but his reflections, based on allot of travel, and experience with wisdom,and as a convert to the Catholic Church, are good ones..

I've met him a couple of times, he's a wonderful man. . .and his community is filling a need for those who would not ordinarily be able to experience community, as well as those sections of the community that do share 'traditional' community life as a sister or brother.

Fabulous article, by the way.

The community has two "expressions" of the life. There is the Monastic which means you live with the community in Arkansas. The other is the Domestic and that means you live the life in your own home.

I was a Domestic member for awhile, I made my temporary profession, and then left.
For me the problem was lack of community. The nearest other members were three hours away, so supporting each other was very hard.

It is a beautiful way of life and I would encourage anyone interested to contact the community.

Thanks so much for clarifying!!

Are there communities like this in urban settings? Perhaps monasticism is defined partly by seclusion from cities, but I could see myself drawn to a pseudo-monastic movement that remains within a city and seeks to serve as a model of Catholic life in the midst of an urban neighborhood. The major drawback to going somewhere like the Little Portion community is that I've always felt more "at home" in the city and after a while the evangelistic side of me would long to return.

Yes, there is the wonderful Community of The Beatitudes,are worldwide30 countries, based in France...they are Pontifical Right Private Association of the Faithful, usually Urban- Rural, some in the wilderness, and a few in the City, like Denver..the Priests of this community are wonderful, i have 2 friends who are Missionary Priests with them...its a tension though Families and Consecrated Virgins and Priests living working praying together..but a good tension...
The Catholic Community of the Beatitudes in Denver is the first house in the U.S.A. and started in August 1999. Community residential members at present, include a family, three priests, and three sisters pursuing a consectrated life. There are also several people affiliated with the community and those discerning full membership in a non-residential capacity.
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http://www.beatitudes.us/home.html


http://beatitudes.org/maisons/maisons.htm