Customer Reviews

St. Benedict's Toolbox: The Nuts And Bolts Of Everyday Benedictine Living

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
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Jane Tomaine's Benedictine Toolbox contains tools that everyone can use. Too often books with exercises that purport to be for people living ordinary lives really are geared toward lay semi-monastics. Tomaine's book provides exercises that work for individuals, for groups, as well as for entire parishes, who want to experiment with the ancient Way of St. Benedict in the modern world. The book is accompanied by a useful website that expands the material: http://stbenedictstoolbox.org, and includes some journal forms that can track use of the tools.

A book that is accessible and heartily recommended. Busy people seeking a path to a deeper spiritual life, Benedictine oblates (such as I) and associates particularly will enjoy it.

And Mother Jane answers email!

Pax!

This book thoroughly lives up to its title. As a practical "how to" manual, it offers an amazing array of tools useful in very ordinary situations. Furthermore, it is firmly based on monastic tradition and excel-lent literature on the Rule of Benedict, as well as Tomaine's own life experience. Her interpretation of Benedictine obedience is a good example of her practical yet deeply spiritual approach: "Obedience is not what we expect from others. Obedience is what we do ourselves for others." Regarding stability she writes: "God in Christ is our Rock and as Christians, we want to put on Christ and become a rock too. We want to have a firm and solid center at the core of our being, so that we can withstand the unpredictability and transience of our world." A good bibliography adds to the value of the book for anyone interested in Benedict's 1500-year old Rule as a resource for living sanely in today's world. Sr. Lenora Black, OSB

As an Oblate of St. Benedict I have read many books on the Rule of Benedict. This is the most useful book on the Rule that I have read in several years. Jane Tomaine helps us understand the Rule of Benedict as it applies to our daily lives in the 21st Century. She begins by relating the Rule of Benedict to a foundation of Christian faith/life... our Baptismal Covenant. Regardless of your specific denomination, age, or faith tradition, you are likely to find a wealth of useful tools, practices, and explanations... of ways to seek (and establish) a fresh, consistent, awareness of God in your everyday life.

While the Rule of Benedict dates back 1500 years, Jane Tomaine makes the wisdom of the Rule of Benedict accessable to every person interested in living a life of faith today. You really can enjoy and use this book without any previous exposure to the Rule of Benedict.

This book is a great tool for living out the Rule of St. Benedict in our daily life. It spoke to me a great deal, especially about "grumbling"! The author doesn't assume that we can apply the rule overnight, but understands it takes time for "conversion" through an application of "stability" in our life. It is one of the best spiritual books I have read! (I have over 300 to compare it to!)

This book shows how to live a truly Christian life using the principals found in the Rule of St. Benedict. Not just for those in the cloister, the Rule, and this book, are full of sound, practical ways for anyone to live their life. Benedict believed that holiness was found in community (family, friends, co-workers, *everyone* we meet) and in doing everyday tasks well.

A practical, hands-on and realistic approach to the Rule of Saint Benedict. In true Benedictine spirit it is applicable to all people within all situations, yet is steeped within the monastic tradition. A useful and truly useable book.

I am a lover of the Rule, and I am a lover of this book! It is wonderfully useful not just personally, but for retreats, prayer days, and spiritual direction exercises.

You can't go wrong here. Great little gift for those who follow the Rule.

We are using this book in a group at our church as a tool to help us learn how we might use St. Benedict's Rule to guide our daily lives. We're finding the exercises a great help and the book has become the tool we're using to build a "community of the heart".

Excellent book for study and devotionals. It will be used in the spring at a major religious retreat for Worker Sisters and Brothers of the Holy Spirit.

This little book is worth its weight in gold. It is a marvelous guide for helping us live together in community. It guides us in strengthening our relationship with our Lord and helping us to love and serve our neighbors. I have found it to be very practical, The tools in the toolbox stimulate our thinking and challenge us to examine our relationships. I have recommended it to others as a helpful tool for spiritual growth.Rule of Saint Benedict in English