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In the School of Contemplation (Monastic Wisdom Series)
Dom André Louf (+2010) was abbot of the Trappist-Cistercian monastery of Mont-des-Cats in northern France from 1963 to 1997. This book brings together talks given to a variety of audiences in which he shared his spiritual experience from both his life of prayer and his life in community.
Each chapter offers inspiring insights on the spiritual experience, the priority of love, and other areas of our Christian community life, obedience, prayer, psalms, the liturgy, and more.
In this book we enter "a school of contemplation" wherein the monastic experience enlightens our lives and service to the world and the Church.
Each chapter offers inspiring insights on the spiritual experience, the priority of love, and other areas of our Christian community life, obedience, prayer, psalms, the liturgy, and more.
In this book we enter "a school of contemplation" wherein the monastic experience enlightens our lives and service to the world and the Church.
208 pages, Paperback
First published August 15, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 23, 2019
Go ahead and just read everything by André Louf.
September 28, 2021
In the School of Contemplation is a collection of Louf's thoughts on Christianity, mostly situated within the context of his Trappist-Cistercian monastery in France. Some of his insights are profound, and I especially found his ideas on community helpful.
Before a monk could truly become a part of the brotherhood, Louf argues, he must give up his idealized vision of what he could/should be. He must recognize it as a form of projection; rather than accepting his fellow monks as they are, he is forcing them to bear the weight of his ideal self. Once he relinquishes this projection, however (or once he is forced to reckon with his disappointment after realizing that other monks are just ordinary people), will he then truly join his monks in genuine fellowship.
His other essays cover a range of topics, including the Psalms, prayer, liturgy, and the Holy Spirit. Though honestly, I did overall feel that I was not the intended audience for this book.
Before a monk could truly become a part of the brotherhood, Louf argues, he must give up his idealized vision of what he could/should be. He must recognize it as a form of projection; rather than accepting his fellow monks as they are, he is forcing them to bear the weight of his ideal self. Once he relinquishes this projection, however (or once he is forced to reckon with his disappointment after realizing that other monks are just ordinary people), will he then truly join his monks in genuine fellowship.
His other essays cover a range of topics, including the Psalms, prayer, liturgy, and the Holy Spirit. Though honestly, I did overall feel that I was not the intended audience for this book.
August 8, 2021
Louf is very dependable in this collection on monastic topics...balanced with a keen sense of how best to connect traditional monastic themes to contemporary monastic living.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews