St Benedict Monastic Book Center
books about monastics and by monastics--for all Christians!
FRIENDSHIP AND COMMUNITY: THE MONASTIC EXPERIENCE 350-1250 by Brian Patrick McGuire
A
truly marvelous exploration of the theme of friendship as experienced and
written about in exquisite Letters among monastics, especially in the west,
where friendship held a higher place than in the east. This is one of
those books, well written and crafted by a gifted author, yet worth the price
simply for the quotations it contains! The gospel is a call to community of
faith and love, and the monastics of the west (and east too, though with less
emphasis on friendship as a means to holiness) give witness to a lively communal
life, enriched by bonds of friendship and mutual fraternal love. A beautiful
book about a vital aspect of monastic spirituality.
Order it now: FRIENDSHIP AND COMMUNITY
THE CISTERCIAN WORLD: MONASTIC WRITINGS OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY (Penguin Classics)
The
Cistercian Fathers, following the Rule of St Benedict more literally, are models
of evangelical austerity warmed by a great fraternal love. These fathers'
writings are full of the Bible, of profound psychology, of light and warmth!
Vital for today! Here are selections of some of these great monastics: St.
Bernard of Clairveaux, Aelred of Rievaulx, William of St. Thierry, Isaac of
Stella, John of Ford, and other luminaries.
(The Trappists are rooted in the Cistercian heritage--they are Cistercians of
the Strict Observance, O.C.S.0.).
Order it now: THE CISTERCIAN WORLD
THE SILENT LIFE by Thomas Merton (Fr. Louis OCSO)
Thomas
Merton, the well known writer, entered the Trappist Order, and became Father
Louis Mary, OCSO. He wrote many books, articles, journals on an incredibly wide
range of topics. And, of course, he wrote many books on monasticism itself.
Among the best is this entitled "The Silent Life." Merton gives a rich
background and context to both the spirit of monasticism and its
unfolding history. He discusses, too, some of the great monastic orders
like the Benedictines, the Cistercians, the Camoldolese, and the Carthusians.
The Carthusians always held a special attraction to Merton and this chapter
opens up some vistas into this little-known Order, perhaps the most austere of
any, and the only major ancient Order that has never needed a reformation! This
is a wonderful book--still, thankfully, in print.
Order it now: THE SILENT LIFE
GREGORIAN CHANT by the Clervaux Benedictine Monks of the Abbey or St.Maruice and St Maur
Look at this beautiful selection of classical chants!
1.
Tu es pastor ovium
2. Stabat Mater, in mode 6
3. Lauda Sion
4. Te Deum, hymn in mode 3
5. Adoro Te, hymn in mode 5, (Liber Usualis No 1855)
6. O sacrum convivium
7. Ave, verum Corpus
8. Tantum ergo Sacramentum
9. O salutaris hostia VI, motet
10. Salve Regina
11. Ave Maria, sequence in mode 6
12. Sub tuum praesidium, antiphon in mode 7
13. Alma Redemptoris Mater
14. Inviolata
15. Regina caeli laetare, allelluia, antiphon in mode 6
16. Victimae Paschali Laudes I, Sequence for Easter
17. Veni, Creator Spiritus
Order it now: GREGORIAN CHANT
ST THOMAS AQUINAS:THE DUMB OX by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
What
a book this is! Written about a saint, larger than life, by a convert to the
Catholic Church, himself larger than life! St Thomas--and his philosophy
and theology and spirituality--become "larger than life" in this
little gem. Chesterton was not a trained philosopher or theologian, yet great
"Thomists" have acclaimed this book as the best ever written on St
Thomas Aquinas, the Angelic Doctor. Read it and you will know afresh why when
fellow students called Thomas "the dumb ox" his teacher/mentor St
Albert the Great said: "Someday his bellow will resound through the whole
world"--NOW KNOWN AS
"THE UNIVERSAL DOCTOR!"
Order it now: ST THOMAS AQUINAS: THE DUMB OX
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI by Gilbert Keith Chesterton
Catholicism
is incredibly rich and her saints show forth, in their fascinating variety, some
aspects of the Infinite Love and Life of the Triune God and the Image of Jesus
Christ. Along with St Thomas Aquinas, the great intellectual--yet humble and
faith-filled--theologian, the Church honors the Poor Man of Assisi as one of the
most stunning "icons" of Christ--whose life, so "romantic"
and "radical," still inspires countless believers today. Chesterton
has captured something of the drama, the beauty, the daring, and the JOY of
Francis and his remarkable following of Christ. This book is a jewel!
I don't know what gift God gave Chesterton--but he surely gets to the heart of
things in his two incomparable books on Sts Thomas and St Francis and in this
work, ST FRANCIS SINGS HIS WAY INTO OUR OWN HEARTS!
Order it now: ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
THE SELECTED POETRY OF JESSICA POWERS
MMany
monastics have written poetry, ranging from some of the great hymns of the
liturgy, to the mystical jewels of St. John of the Cross, to these stunning
modern poems of Jessica Powers, who became the Carmelite Sister Miriam of the
Holy Spirit. Here we see a poetic theology! And she finds words to express the
beauty of God's love and glory in simple things, in creation, and above all, in
the miracle of the Divine Indwelling. This is a beautiful book indeed!
Order it now: THE SELECTED POETRY OF JESSICA POWERS
This document, going back to the sixth century, is one of the most pivotal and influential ever written--the source of immense vitality, holiness, culture, art and beauty. Saint Benedict's Rule still shapes the lives of numerous men and women, stamping them with something of his zeal, God-centeredness, humanity, and balance.
Order it now: THE RULE OF SAINT BENEDICT
LIVES OF THE DESERT FATHERS by Benedicta Ward, Norman Russell
Even
before the days of Saint Benedict, the monastic movement had revitalized the
Church in the east with the flocking to the desert of some wishing to radically
break from the world growing cold. In simplicity of life and a holy folly,
these desert fathers have taught generations the essence of the following of
Christ. Burning with love and filled with longing for the abiding presence of
God in their hearts,
the Desert Fathers remain, to this days, Fathers in the faith.
Order it now: LIVES OF THE DESERT FATHERS
SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIP by St Aelred of Riveaulx
One
of the great flowerings of the Benedictine monastic tradition was the Cistercian
movement of the 12th century--combining evangelical auserity with warm fraternal
charity. Perhaps the greatest book ever written on spiritual friendship is this
classic by the abbot of Riveaulx, Aelred. Here the heart soars in praise
of true friendship centered in Christ. "God is friendship; and whoever
abides in friendship abides in God" are the daring words of this great
Cistercian Father! See why he can say this in truth!
Order it now: SPIRITUAL FRIENDSHIP
THE
GOLDEN EPISTLE: A Letter to the Brethren at Mont Dieu by
William of St Thierry
William of St Thierry, companion of St Bernard in the early Cistercian movement, writes a "golden epistle" of praise to the brethren at Mont Dieu, the Carthusian-disciples of St Bruno. Here, in the west, William finds the same blossoming of life in Christ as in the east in the days of the Desert Fathers! This has become known as the "golden epistle" since this fervent letter expounds a truly breath-taking vision of the monastic vocation and what it means to live in Christ: Trinitarian, Christological, and sacramental! PURE GOLD!
Order it now: THE GOLDEN EPISTLE
THE
LOVE OF LEARNING AND THE DESIRE FOR GOD: A Study of Monastic Culture by Jean Leclercq
OSB
This is one of the best books ever written about monasticism in the west and its riches and influences. Dom Jean Leclercq exudes the very spirit he writes about so surely and warmly. His use of sources is enlighenting--and exquisite! One gets some feel for the basis for the flowering of the Liturgy and of scholarship and the arts in the western world, thanks to the monastaries, where there mingled both the love of learning and the desire for God.
Order it now: THE LOVE OF LEARNING AND THE DESIRE FOR GOD
THE SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAIN by Thomas Merton (Fr. Louis, OCSO)
A
modern bearer of the great Benedictine/Cistercian heritage was the well known
author, Thomas Merton, Father Louis, O.C.S.O (Order of Cistercians of the Strict
Observance/Trappists). In this book, Merton details the steps of his conversion
to Christ and the Catholic faith, and it is perhaps one of the classic
"conversion stories" ever written--influential, powerful, and quite
beautiful. Maybe his greatest work even if the earliest Catholic book he wrote
among so many.
Order it now: THE SEVEN STOREY MOUNTAIN
BREAD IN THE WILDERNESS by Thomas Merton (Father Louis OCSO)
This
is a beautiful book! Thomas Merton shares the fruit of his monastic meditation
on the Psalms, and points us to the Presence of Christ in His Paschal Mystery as
the very heart of
this great collection of prayers and songs from the Old Testament, which the
Church has used for her own prayer since the beginning until this very
day. More and more Catholics are praying the Liturgy of the Hours with its
appointed psalms. This book will open up riches upon riches.
Order it now: BREAD IN THE WILDERNESS
PRAYING THE PSALMS by Thomas Merton (Father Louis, OCSO)
For those who want a shorter, but stunningly beautiful, introduction to the Psalms as the prayer of Christ in His Church, this may be the book! Thomas Merton distills the teaching of the Fathers of the Church who found Christ in the great prayers of Israel. A treasure for those who pray the Psalms and wish to deepen prayer. Some of the quotations of St Augustine, in this little book, are more than worth the price--reasonable as it is!
Order it now: PRAYING THE PSALMS
JESUS: DIALOG WITH THE SAVIOUR by a Monk of the Eastern Church
Even
if you have to wait some weeks before getting this book, the wait if well worth
it. This book, written by a Monk of the Eastern Church (Lev Gillet), was
published by a western monastery and has an introduction written by Father Louis
Bouyer. A book to savor line by line, page by page, chapter by chapter, as the
radiance of Christ shines forth from this "dialog" of the heart.
Louis Bouyer says: throw away your other tomes and books, pick this up,
"and as soon as you open it, your whole house, as the Gospel says, will be
filled with the odor of sweetness."
Order it now: JESUS: DIALOG WITH THE SAVIOUR
FAVOURITE GREGORIAN CHANT--a CD with Lucien Deiss, conducting
IIn
this CD, Fr Lucien Deiss directs The Chevilly Fathers of Saint-Espirit in
rendering some of the finest and most beautiful--and representative--Gregorian
Chants. Gregorian chant has its roots in monasticism and is the Church's
liturgical worship in song. Even Vatican II says that, all things being equal,
Gregorian chant has "pride of place" in the Roman Rite Liturgy. Listen
to the contemplative and prayerful chant of this CD and see why Gregorian chant
is truly timeless and music even for our times. (The image is not the cover
of this CDAnthology of Gregorian Chants
Order it now: FAVOURITE GREGORIAN CHANT
ETERNAL CHANT--AN ANTHOLOGY--[BOX SET]
This 3 CD set gives an even wider selection than The Favourite Gregorian Chant single CD--and shows more of the immense versality of Gregorian chant to celebrate all the mysteries of faith and seasons of the liturgical year. Truly this heavenly music is eternal!
Order it now: ETERNAL CHANT--AN ANTHOLOGY
THE HOLY AND GREAT FEAST OF EASTER--Monks of Chevetogne
Easter
is celebrated with a unique fulness in the Eastern Churches! In this CD, the
monks of the great Dual-Rite Monastery of Chevetogne, sing many of the great
chants of the Byzantine Tradition as transmitted by the rich Slavonic tradition
of monasticism to celebrate the Great Feast of Pascha/Easter. Christ is Risen!
Indeed He is Risen!
Order it now: THE HOLY AND GREAT FEAST OF EASTER
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