What do you seek? Monastic wisdom for living today

The aim of this book is to introduce the history, spirituality and faith contribution made by those who have chosen to live the religious life under vows. John-Francis Friendship is a former Franciscan brother and now, released from vows, a member of the Franciscan Third Order. Interspersed with the history of many religious orders is an account of his own spiritual journey. It is both tantalising and frustrating that the story ends before his decision to leave the First Order of Brothers. In the Foreword, the Bishop of Manchester emphasises and regrets the extent to which contributions from those in religious vows has either disappeared or become submerged from public consciousness. Referring to a comment of Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, he comments that ‘Europe was not evangelised by clergy, but by monastics’ (xiii). Those who live and minister in rural areas, market towns or cathedral cities will be aware of this heritage in buildings, place names and much more. The book is divided into ten sections that guide a reader through understandings of the call to a religious life. We are told the manuscript in draft form has been worked over by members of several religious orders. Consequently, we could assume that the construction of each section models the integrated spirituality of a monk or nun. The mixture of history, accounts of the founding of many religious orders, quotations from spiritual writers and personal journey appears to have their approval. Alternatively, it may be characteristically Franciscan or even idiosyncratic to the author quarrying his pocketbook of helpful quotations. John-Francis is at home with his material and invites the reader into what has supported him and to what might support those considering or living such a vocation. His reflections are perceptive, even suggesting that some part of every life is that of a solitary. He illustrates well how a vocation to the religious life made independence possible for some Victorian and Edwardian women. His underlining of sacrificial lives dedicated to service in the poorest areas of the world is a story worthy of more public telling. Vocations to the traditional religious life are in steep decline. John-Francis acknowledges and explains this. He gives reference to new religious orders and other expressions of community living and this could have been profitably expanded. Oddly, the cover subtitle title is not the same as that on the inside flyleaf, but the aim is the same. This engaging book serves to remind or to introduce us to the fundamentals of the religious life and to suggest that in many developing forms such commitment can and should continue.