COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. — Liturgical Press recently published Demythologizing Celibacy: Practical Wisdom from Christian and Buddhist Monasticism by Father William Skudlarek OSB. In September 2007 the Abbot Primate appointed Father William, a monk of Saint John’s Abbey, General Secretary of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue. Drawing on the monastic interreligious dialogue, Father William considers the Buddhist view of celibacy, which is not mythologized as a response to a divine call or as a superhuman way of life. He examines their regard for it as simply — and profoundly — a path to freedom, peace, and happiness. As Christians become aware of the benefits of celibacy for monks who observe it without reference to the Gospel, they may be able to appreciate all the more its importance and value for those who wish to follow Christ as celibates, and in this way come to share in the freedom of the children of God.
“A major contribution is the encouraging of an awareness of the importance for healthy celibate living of paying attention to one?s thought world and not just to the control of behavior.” –Rt. Rev. Abbot Jerome Kodell, OSB; Subiaco Abbey, Arkansas
Monastic Celibacy East and West
14 April 2008
