Can we be monks and still live at home?

By Mandy Harvey
This article first appeared in the July 2015 edition of New Times.

Posted Dec  1, 2015 in Faith

Until recently, the Uniting Church might seem an unlikely environment to hear the words “monk”, “nun” or “monastic” bandied about in ordinary conversation. After all, monks and nuns live in monasteries, and monasteries are all Catholic, aren’t they? Besides, who would want to live in a monastery?

Earlier this year, the Uniting Church SA welcomed Elaine Heath from the Missional Wisdom Network to talk about the relevance of intentional monastic communities within the mission of the church today – an important topic to declining congregations when New Monastic communities are clearly on the increase. But is this all pie-in-the-sky for us ordinary church folk with families, jobs and “a life” who can’t give up everything to live in community? Can we be monks while living at home?

This question has been pondered for many years by Rev Gary Stuckey, Director of the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre. Two years ago, Gary founded the Companions of St Benedict, a dispersed monastic community within the Uniting Church, aimed at those who feel called to nurture their relationship with God through a monastic way of life, but who don’t feel called to live together.

“What most people don’t realise is that the precursor of what became monasticism began in the homes of ordinary people who felt called to a life of prayer within their daily lives,” explains Gary.

“The monastic way of life recognises that we can seek God in every part of our lives, our homes, our families, our work places, as well as in church, so it does not mean that everyone has to live in a monastery.”

But if you’re not actually living together, what makes a monastic community different to any other church?

“In many ways they are the same. Both aim to help people grow in relationship with God, and through this to love the world around them,” Gary says.

“There are many forms of monastic community, but the Companions of St Benedict is a group of seekers inspired by the spirituality and practices of monks such as St Benedict, the ancient desert mothers and fathers, and by more modern monastics like Thomas Merton and Joan Chittister.

“We also find inspiration from others who, like us, seek to live contemplatively outside of monastery walls, including Esther de Vaal, Cynthia Bourgeault and Richard Rohr. We find guidance and wisdom within monastic and contemplative spirituality for discipleship and deepening our relationship with God.”

The strength of the Companions of Benedict community suggests that the monastic way of life may not be quite as alien to ordinary life as people think. Monastic communities such as this can provide unique pathways for people seeking wisdom or to strengthen their faith.

For more information about growing dispersed monastic communities and living monastically at home, please contact the Companions of St Benedict through the Stillpoint Spirituality Centre on 8178 0048 or Turn on Javascript!

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