Rule of St Bendict and The Pluscarden Abbey Handbook

Recommened by Fr Martin Birrell, Oblate Master at Pluscarden Abbey

I have been asked for a review of a book in five hundred words, but I don't do reviews ,only recommendations, and so I present  a recommendation but not of one book but of two. I preface these recommendations with an explanation of their relevance to everyone at this time not only  to a select few. These two books are essential reading for those who want to climb out of lockdown and social distancing and isolation into peace, happiness and community. As an attempting Christian and monk I attempt to live in permanent community and have been so grateful for this especially in this year that has passed under lockdowns.

But I should say that as an attempting Christian I do not acknowledge that there is such a possibility of total isolation. The Ground of our being, God, is communitarian and Trinitarian and we have our roots of existence from moment to moment in Him. That having been said there is an inborn, God-given impulse to imitate Him, that is in opening out ourselves as well as to Him ( first and foremost!)also to one another of our fellow beings in communities which themselves open out in ripples in marriages, families, "companions" eating at the same table or living under the same roof, or  penitent support groups who, acknowledging their common woundedness, try  to heal one another by forgiveness and affirmation.

All this is easier said than done hence the two books recommended to us by me for those climbing out of lockdown and self-isolation. The first is the "Rule of St Benedict" which is a "how-to" book for living in community in a stable group cooperating with one another and focussed on God the source of happiness and stability (for all human beings-- you can't reinvent the wheel!)

The second book I recommend  is(less obviously perhaps)  "The Pluscarden Abbey Oblate Handbook"- which is not of narrow interest to a small group of a particular Abbeys' devotees but is the essential tandem to the Rule of St Benedict to those who have no immediate knowledge of a particular monastery as a live, working model so to speak. Without a book such as this Handbook  used in a particular monastery it would be like the proverbial book on how to ride a bicycle with no access to an actual bicycle that one might even borrow or  a place to cycle with proficients in a safe environment.

There you have it--almost-- my two recommendations with less than one hundred words left. You can get both books from The Abbey Shop, Pluscarden Abbey, Elgin, Moray, IV30 8UA.

"But what of the contents?" you say-- well the contents are like the good angel  counterpart of the corona virus-- best caught off a community not taught. so come and visit the Abbey after lockdown or even better come and stay-- write Fr. Giles the guestmaster. same address.

As the Rule says “ We can see with what loving concern the Lord points out to us the path of life”

Fr Martin Birrell