FB-2

I-6

This biography of St. Bruno inflamed my love of the eremitic life and the Carthusian path in that life. Full accounting, as far as what is available currently in accessible volumes. Pope JPII's letter to the Carthusians on 900th anniversary and good bibliography among the appendixes. ( )

This is an excellent look at the Carthusian life and their history. The author, Robin Bruce Lockhart, is a journalist and a man of faith who has had the privilege of having been able to visit several Charterhouses around the world. And from these visits he shares the insights he gleaned from them.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part starts with fundamentals of monastic and eremitic spirituality. He shows the eremitic life starting with the early church fathers in the desert. And shows how this life found its way into Europe.

In Part two we are introduced to Saint Bruno, the founder of the Carthusian Order, and his life. A history of the Carthusian order, a life of its founder, St. Bruno, a summary of his life.

We then follow the history of the Order to present times, which is quite an amazing story. We get a glimpse of the life within a Charterhouse for a Father, Brother and Nun. And what sorts of individuals join the order. He also shares what is required to join and the process one would go through to become a member.
Then this part of the book gives us a description of present Carthusian governance and bureaucracy that allows the Order to continue to exits.

Part three of the book he covers how the contemplative methods are good for all of us and how we might be able to try and practice them in our on home before starting our secular days. There is a section on words of wisdom to meditate on from some of the greatest thinkers of all time.

The book has some appendices, which includes the letter to the Order from Pope John Paul II on their 900th Anniversary. A sample of an individual monk or nun's regimen of prayer and work. We see they pray for us day and night, this necessitates two separate sleep periods of about three hours each. The book concludes with a list of Charterhouses that were in operation in 1999 and a wonderful bibliography. ( )

This is an excellent look at the Carthusian life and their history. The author, Robin Bruce Lockhart, is a journalist and a man of faith who has had the privilege of having been able to visit several Charterhouses around the world. And from these visits he shares the insights he gleaned from them.

The book is divided into three parts. The first part starts with fundamentals of monastic and eremitic spirituality. He shows the eremitic life starting with the early church fathers in the desert. And shows how this life found its way into Europe.

In Part two we are introduced to Saint Bruno, the founder of the Carthusian Order, and his life. A history of the Carthusian order, a life of its founder, St. Bruno, a summary of his life.
We then follow the history of the Order to present times, which is quite an amazing story. We get a glimpse of the life within a Charterhouse for a Father, Brother and Nun. And what sorts of individuals join the order. He also shares what is required to join and the process one would go through to become a member. Then this part of the book gives us a description of present Carthusian governance and bureaucracy that allows the Order to continue to exits.

Part three of the book he covers how the contemplative methods are good for all of us and how we might be able to try and practice them in our on home before starting our secular days. There is a section on words of wisdom to meditate on from some of the greatest thinkers of all time.

The book has some appendices, which includes the letter to the Order from Pope John Paul II on their 900th Anniversary. A sample of an individual monk or nun's regimen of prayer and work. We see they pray for us day and night, this necessitates two separate sleep periods of about three hours each. The book concludes with a list of Charterhouses that were in operation in 1999 and a wonderful bibliography. ( )