Contemporary Monasticism

Abstract

This chapter surveys the unprecedented change experienced by monks and nuns following the Rule of Benedict from 1960 to the present. It describes the monastic world as it stood in 1960, how it changed as a result of the Second Vatican Council, and how it grapples with declining numbers of members, ageing communities, and new technologies, among other things. It concludes by suggesting areas that will need to be dealt with in the future if the institution of monasticism is to continue: the need for consistent and creative leadership, the strengthening of the mystical dimension of monasticism, the formulation of a new asceticism, and appropriate adaptation.