Benedictine Communalism

One day, during my first semester teaching at Mount Marty, I was heating my lunch in the faculty lounge toaster oven. Some cheese dripped onto the tray and burned. I decided to let it cool before cleaning it. But after eating, I forgot about it. The next day, I found a note that read: “He will regard all utensils and tools of the monastery as sacred vessels of the altar, aware that nothing is to be neglected” (31:11). This sort of regard is one of the responsibilities of the monastery “cellarer” — the monk in charge of the physical life of the monastery. 

A more appropriate note may have been: “Whoever fails to keep the things belonging to the monastery clean or treats them carelessly should be reproved” (32:4). Maybe my anonymous messenger didn’t want to sound too harsh.

Chapters 31-4 of the Rule are a unit. They each concern the goods and tools of the monastery. Just as the cellarer must practice proper oversight of the goods and tools of the monastery, so his fellow monks must show appropriate attitudes toward the use, possession, and distribution of the monastery’s property. These four chapters reflect Benedict’s communalist approach to the possession and use of resources.

A monk is not to own any property himself. He is to depend on the abbot’s distribution of necessities according to the varying needs of the brothers. Some may see here a tension between the ascetic severity of monastic dispossession and the affections that are to create communal life. However, this misunderstands the relationship between private ownership and communal integrity.

The proper attitude toward dispossession can only be achieved within the security of a properly communal context. And a community will only thrive to the extent the members of the community hold all goods in common. Perfect community requires perfect dispossession and vice versa. Of course, no individual or community is perfect. Benedict understands the difficulties that can come with such a communalist arrangement. In chapter 34 he completes his instruction forbidding favoritism while warning against the pride of the weak and the ingratitude of the strong.

Benedict’s teaching beautifully reflects the Christian life. Through Christ, the Father has entrusted us with the goods and tools of heaven. These goods are not ours to possess. Creation remains the possession of the Creator. The monk is not to seek possessions, “especially since monks may not have the free disposal even of their own bodies and wills” (33:4). This describes all Christians before the Father. We are not our own. How can we own anything else? The Father distributes goods to us as we have need. Those of us who, in weakness, need more, are often puffed up by the Father’s kindness, while those of us who, in strength, need less, become envious and ungrateful.

I’m grateful for the anonymous messenger who found my burnt cheese. We are not accustomed to thinking theologically about things like toaster ovens. But Benedict reminds us
that a healthy community is attentive to everything.