Monks, it might seem, live in a parallel world detached from chaos. But that distance is what gives monks a clearer understanding of it, says visiting English Benedictine Abbot Christopher Jamison. Source: The Catholic Leader.
A monk for 53 years, the 74-year-old recently retired as the Abbot President of the English Benedictine Congregation after nine years.
He is best known outside monastic circles for the BBC series The Monastery, as an author and a radio regular in the UK.
Abbot Jamison is regarded as a missionary monk who connects an ancient tradition with the contemporary world.
During his visit to Brisbane, he spoke about how the 1500-year-old monastic tradition could translate to modern times.
Even the “mindfulness movement” drew on monastic tenets of contemplation, community and compassion.
“I have no problem with mindfulness but it’s only half the story because what Christians believe in is heartfulness,” he said.
“Namely, ‘I am doing all this in order to love other people,’ as opposed to the contemporary thing, ‘I’m doing all this for my health’. And that’s the difference.”
Reflecting on a sixth-century Benedictine rule to combat burnout in a time of constant notifications and doomscrolling, he offered a monastic tip, “Switch off your phone”.
The monastic tradition had a lot to offer the Church at the moment, he said.
However, there was one misunderstood concept that was crucial to the future of the Church.
“Everybody needs to arrive at a good understanding of obedience,” he said.
“People have a visceral reaction against obedience these days.”
That’s what the Church must help overcome because there could be no community without obedience.
“People always think it’s blind obedience; what we offer is free obedience,” he said.
“Our obedience is the obedience of a family,” where there was space for disagreements.
“Benedict allows that a monk can challenge what his abbot asks him to do. That’s why it’s free,” Abbot Jamison said.
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Benedictine Abbot Christopher Jamison on obedience, synodality and future of the Church (By Kymberlee Gomes, The Catholic Leader)
