Customer Reviews

Strangers to the City: Reflections on the Beliefs and Values of the Rule of St. Benedict - Hardcover (Voices from the Monastery)

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Those familiar with Michael Casey's style will not be disappointed with this new book. What he covers is not new from the perspective of previous books that he has written, but covering such topics (see below) from a new perspective is always welcome. He maintains his ever present directness, eg "Christian monasticism is not a system of spiritual self improvement; it is a means that some people need to sustain and deepen their relationship to Christ" (p142). His observations from the "cloisteral paradise" (reality vs ideal) to "the white martyrdom" (of everyday life) are both interesting and insightful.

The chapters in the book are: 1. Distinctiveness 2. Asceticism 3. Leisure 4. Reading 5. Chastity 6. Dispossession 7. Antecedent Willingness 8. Mutuality 9. Generativity 10. Christ 11. Contemplation 12. Holiness 13. Perseverance

From the back cover: "One of the World's experts on monastic spirituality, Michael Casey offers his wise teachings on what it means to live today in the distinctive path of St Benedict. Eloquent and incisive, Casey invites us to embrace the challenge of gospel living, which is opposed to the dominant, secular culture around us. He presents thoughtful reflections on the values of poverty, asceticism, silence, leisure, reading, chastity and poverty, placing each of these ancient beliefs in a vibrant, contemporary context. Strangers to the City is for all who are interested in deepening their faith through the dynamics of the monastic experience."

Here is probably the best book by Michael Casey. With his usual expertise and humor, he ponders each value of the Rule of Saint Benedict and considers it in the context of our current society. This book is of great value for all who try to implement the Rule of Saint Benedict in their daily lives, whether in a monastery or in the world. A great source of practical wisdom most necessary in a world which is losing sight of the meaning of all things.

Michael Casey's text is a simple, prayerful work which provides an excellent insight into the virtues and trials of the Benedictine, particularly through his experience thereof as a Cistercian monk. In each section, he considers how the virtues inculcated in the community life work toward that building of St. Benedict's "school for the service of the Lord." The work does not attempt to outline these values in a vocation-independent way as though he were giving advice to lay people about how they should live according to the lessons of Benedict. Instead, he plainly lays forth the wisdom he has gained in his years of living as a sign of Faith as a Cistercian, shining for all to see and internalize in this experience. (To me, this is a very positive element and a humble admission of the role of each vocation as a beacon of the experienced Light of Christ instead of being a spotlight which one shines upon another as a single dictum.) This frankness, as well as the text's simplicity (without being simple-minded) radiates the experiences of the values which drive back to the vows of stability, obedience, and conversion to the monastic life. I suggest it to all who would like to sit and listen to a quiet, humble voice from within the monastery.

michael casey presents the many intriguing and life-giving values that emanate from the rule of st. benedict in ways that do not bore but even enthused the reader on a topic so ancient that many modern readers might consider irrelevant. monasticism already sounds esoteric, only for one extreme of the human spectrum of personalities and character. yet, the book makes the rule of st. benedict and monasticism truly timeless foundations for right and happy living. this is a very striking combination of truths nowadays. "right" does not always jibe smoothly with "happy." more often than not, human experience, past and present, put these two realities at odds with each other. if you're living "righteously," you might not enjoy the beauty of life. and if you're happy in life, there must be something wrong in the way you're living it. not so in st. benedict's rule and brand of monassticism. here, you're happy because your're right, and you're right to be happy!

Excellant lectio for those serious about adapting their lives
as "Lay " monastics in today's world.

Michael Casey, OCSO is consistently on the mark.

A most rewarding read, this book is not only for the contemplative in a monastery but for any person who seeks a rich spiritual wisdom. The spirituality of St. Benedict is accessible and challenging. It is community focussed and calls for emptying of self in a most profound way. Yet, the insights offered by Casey inspire the disciple living in the city to ongoing conversion and growth in humility, happiness and love.

This book is very insightful. We have a group of Benedictine Oblates and have been using the book for a group study. It is amazing how the rule applies to every day life, today, just as well as it did all those years ago.

Perhaps one of the best reads for me this year! Casey is wonderful at understanding the human condition and having good answers for it! Gave it for several gifts this year.

Casey's book is, along with Andre Louf's The Cistercian Way, the best introduction to the motivations, emotions, and values enshrined in contemporary (Cistercian) monasticism. It is a sort of everyday phenomenology of monastic life from the perspective of monks and nuns. Casey covers everything from the feelings likely to arise among young men and women (not so young anymore, admittedly) that enter a monastery, the nature of the vows and how they change as they are being lived, the centrality of Christ, and perseverance. All this is supported by just enough theological background the make the topics hang together, a model of the much deeper theological foundation that monks acquire over time. As Casey says towards the beginning of the book, a good dose of theory is very practical.

For those considering a vocation to the monastic life, this book is unsurpassed as a place to start (again, along with Louf's work).