St. Benedict's Toolbox

St. Benedict's Toolbox
Author: Jane Tomaine
Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.
Total Pages: 225
Release: 2005-05-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0819226130

Download St. Benedict's Toolbox Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

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.

St. Benedict's Toolbox

St. Benedict's Toolbox
Author: Jane Tomaine
Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2015-07-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0819231991

Download St. Benedict's Toolbox Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

A practical, down-to-earth guide on the Rule of St. Benedict and its use in daily life. In the sixth century when the Roman Empire was breaking apart and politics, cultural life and even the Church were in disarray―tumultuous times not unlike our own―Benedict of Nursia designed what he termed “a little rule” that showed his monks the way to peace as they learned to prefer Christ above all things. Jane Tomaine translates St. Benedict’s ancient rule for a modern audience and offers readers 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 being in relationships and community, and offers tools for reflection, prayer, journaling, and action. This updated edition includes historical background to the Rule, a new chapter on relationships and community, and a guide for group use. “[A] wonderful book, one of the best introductions we have in print today to the spirit of St. Benedict. It speaks clearly to Episcopalians of our day about the great spiritual treasure of the Benedictine tradition.”―The Rt. Rev. R. William Franklin, Assisting Bishop of Long Island.

Lessons from Saint Benedict

Lessons from Saint Benedict
Author: Donald S. Raila
Publisher:
Total Pages: 200
Release: 2011-05-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9780983061540

Download Lessons from Saint Benedict Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Part of a collection written over twenty years, Lessons from Saint Benedict contains 26 letters written by Donald Raila, O.S.B., a Benedictine monk of Saint Vincent Archabbey. Using the 1500 year old Rule of Benedict and Benedictine spirituality as his foundation, Father Donald offers words of spiritual encouragement and guidance for persevering through the journey of daily life. With the Gospel and Rule of Benedict as guides, Raila says, we can learn to see God's graces in every dimension of our lives, even the most seemingly mundane. Father Donald provides both serious and light-hearted examples from his own life to demonstrate how we can renew and strengthen our spirituality through the daily grind, and perhaps even find joy in the process.

Praying with Saint Benedict

Praying with Saint Benedict
Author: Stephen Isaacson
Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.
Total Pages: 206
Release: 2021-11-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 164065447X

Download Praying with Saint Benedict Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

The Rule of St. Benedict offers a rich opportunity to explore a grounded devotional practice, and this book’s fresh perspective will bring the Rule into your daily life. Praying with Saint Benedict was written for the thousands of lay Christians who are drawn to the Rule of St. Benedict and desire to incorporate it into their daily devotional practice. Those who study the Rule aspire to apply the Benedictine values of community, hospitality, humility, simplicity, and prayer in their daily lives. This unique book incorporates the passage of scripture that Benedict cites, three contemplation questions that facilitate lectio divina, and a concluding prayer. Unlike other commentaries on the Rule, the reflections here tend not to be historical or theological, but rather present personal, relatable thoughts and applications.

The Way of St Benedict

The Way of St Benedict
Author: Rowan Williams
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 161
Release: 2020-01-09
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1472973089

Download The Way of St Benedict Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

With typical eloquence and wisdom, in The Way of St Benedict Rowan Williams explores the appeal of St Benedict's sixth-century Rule, showing it to be a document of great relevance to present day Christians and non-believers at our particular moment in history. For over a millennium the Rule – a set of guidelines for monastic conduct – has been influential on the life of Benedictine monks, but has also served in some sense as a 'background note' to almost all areas of civic experience: artistic, intellectual and institutional. The effects of this on society have been far-reaching and Benedictine communities and houses still attract countless visitors, testifying to the appeal and continuing relevance of Benedict's principles. As the author writes, the chapters of his book, which range from a discussion of Abbot Cuthbert Butler's mysticism to 'Benedict and the Future of Europe', are 'simply an invitation to look at various current questions through the lens of the Rule and to reflect on aspects of Benedictine history that might have something to say to us'. With Williams as our guide, The Way of St Benedict speaks to the Rule's ability to help anyone live more fully in harmony with others whilst orientating themselves fully to the will of God.

A Pastor's Toolbox

A Pastor's Toolbox
Author: Paul A. Holmes
Publisher: Liturgical Press
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2014-01-28
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0814638333

Download A Pastor's Toolbox Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Today’s parish leaders are expected to be holy and prayerful spiritual guides, great preachers and compassionate confessors, but also to make important decisions in key areas like finance, budgeting, hiring and firing, fundraising, risk management, relationship-building, and more—often with virtually no transition or training. And with all the requisite education in philosophy and theology they must provide future pastors, in addition to formation in priestly spirituality and pastoral care, seminaries can do little to prepare priests to deal with the difficult temporal issues pastors face. A Pastor’s Toolbox is designed to help fill that void. It is loaded with valuable information, insights, and practical tools that pastors need in order to begin handling the complexities of parish management in the twenty-first century.The book is an outgrowth of The Toolbox for Pastoral Management, a nationally recognized joint project of The National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management and Seton Hall University. The Leadership Roundtable is a nonprofit organization of Catholic lay leaders, religious, and clergy working together to promote excellence and best practices in the management, finances, communications, and human resources development of the Catholic Church in the U.S. through the greater incorporation of the expertise of the laity. Learn more at www.TheLeadershipRoundtable.org.

Always We Begin Again

Always We Begin Again
Author: John McQuiston II
Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.
Total Pages: 116
Release: 2011-04
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0819224286

Download Always We Begin Again Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Revised 15th Anniversary Edition Edition Foreword by Phyllis Tickle This book holds timeless appeal for readers who hunger for a meaningful and creatively balanced framework for life. It offers a simple blueprint, based on the Rule of St. Benedict, to order one's time and create physical and inner space, to step back from the demands and pressures of the moment, and to step into a place of peace. While strict adherence to the Rule may be possible only in a monastic setting, its bedrock, the ordering of each day, is accessible to seekers of any creed or of no creed at all. The brief readings and meditations in this small book offer a bridge between a busy day and a moment of restorative and blessed silence. "The original edition emphasized thankfulness, and this revision emphasizes loving-kindness... It continues to be my hope to put the wisdom of the Rule to work in my life, and when I fail (as I do consistently) to begin again." -From the Preface

The Benedictines

The Benedictines
Author: David Knowles
Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers
Total Pages: 100
Release: 2009-05-12
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1725225786

Download The Benedictines Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

What then, are the particular aspects--moral and intellectual--of the full Christian life that are emphasized by Benedictines in the form of the life they lead? It is an objective form of life, sane, strong, unchanging from year to year, a life of work and liturgical prayer which can be seen and heard, lived in conditions which aim at representing all that is best in the basic family life of Christianity, aided by all human courtesies, reverences and affections. It is nothing secret or esoteric, nor an impossibility, but an ordered form of ordinary life. It is a religious life which is free from all that is doctrinaire or experimental. It is the Christian life writ large for all to see, with all the non-Christian elements removed that are normally interwoven with the devout life as lived in the world. The message of Saint Benedict is simple and direct. Work, obey, keep silent, praise God in common, and if you wish to pray to Him alone, enter the church and pray.

Living with Contradiction

Living with Contradiction
Author: Esther de Waal
Publisher: Church Publishing, Inc.
Total Pages: 169
Release: 1998-03-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0819224987

Download Living with Contradiction Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

A modern interpretation the Rule of St. Benedict to infuse Christian spirituality to all aspects of our daily lives These simple and inviting reflections on the Rule of St. Benedict take as their starting point our search for wholeness in a world that is fragmented and increasingly polarized. Many people today struggle to balance the demands of professional and personal lives, and find little satisfaction or peacefulness in either. Yet the ancient wisdom of St. Benedict offers a clear and helpful pathway that leads directly to healing, transformation and new life. Written in de Waal's inimitable style, this book is for old friends of the Rule of St. Benedict and novices alike. Holding up segments of the Rule, de Waal's meditations on Benedict's words illuminate the wisdom of the Rule not only for those of Benedict's time, but for all of us today as well.

Heart Whispers

Heart Whispers
Author: Elizabeth J. Canham
Publisher: Upper Room Books
Total Pages: 149
Release: 1999-11-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 083581291X

Download Heart Whispers Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Heart Whispers offers accessible insights from Benedictine spirituality to help us explore the need for faithful living in today's often stress-filled world. By listening with "the ear of the heart," the sixth-century monk Benedict gained a fresh perspective on Christian spirituality as he lived by three simple vows: stability, obedience, and conversion. A Leader's Guide is also available for those who wish to study Heart Whispers in groups.