cover image Touched by God: Ten Monastic Journeys

Touched by God: Ten Monastic Journeys

, . . Continuum, $19.95 (237pp) ISBN 978-0-86012-451-1

Anyone whose imagination has been captured by monastic life will find this collection of personal stories by 10 men and women living under the Rule of Benedict absorbing as well as enlightening. Inspired by a similar anthology published in 1982 as A Touch of God , this volume retains the same format of simple narratives, freshened by new stories from editor Johns and others who represent the variety of monastic expression today. The narrators range from 26-year-old Joanna Gilbert, who is discerning a monastic vocation while living in a community of young laypeople basing their lives on Benedict's Rule, to Monica Mead, who made her profession in 2002 at 74 after raising a family. Each story shatters stereotypes by offering a keenly transparent view of life inside both monk and monastery. Whether discussing the shock of shedding the trappings of status and independence or the adjustment required for growing into a life of silence, each author provides an intimate and informative look at the path to monasticism and its continuing journey. (July)