Listen My Son: St. Benedict for Fathers

Rating:
Summary: Ancient spiritual wisdom for contemporary parents.
Review: "Perhaps the greatest need in the human heart is the need for life to have meaning....Meaning flows from relationships and the vocation of the Christian parent is to develop first one's relationship to God, and then the loving relationships within the family. In the face of extraordinary pressures, nurturing the vocation of parenthood requires energy and discipline...." -From the introduction

For centuries The Rule of St. Benedict has provided guidance for many monastic communities. In recent years, individuals outside the monastery also have discovered the merit in living according the Benedict's ideals. Now, Dwight Longenecker takes Benedict one step further, and uses the Rule to help men become better parents. Just as the abbot of a monastic community reads Benedict's Rule for guidance, Longenecker says, so, too, can men read the Rule to help them guide the family.

Listen, My Son (the opening words of Benedict's Rule) breaks the Rule into small daily portions and provides commentary specifically geared to help men be better husbands and parents. Without underestimating the emotional, spiritual, and physical demands of fatherhood, Longenecker also holds up the joys of developing a strong bond with God-one that nurtures the individual man, and that provides him with the ability to grow himself and his family in faithfulness, service, and love.

Dwight Longenecker was born and raised in Pennsylvania. He studied theology at Oxford, and was ordained into the Anglican ministry. After ten years serving as a curate, school chaplain, and country parson, he and his family were received into the Catholic Church. He now works in England as a District Organiser for the St. Barnabas Society and as a freelance writer and broadcaster.

Rating:
Summary: as a mother
Review: As a mother, I was intrigued by the title of this book, and now wish that I had read it long ago, when my children were younger. The advice is age-old and not just for fathers, rather, it is inspiring for all adults, but especially parents trying to keep a family together in these chaotic days.

Rating:
Summary: as a mother
Review: As any who have read an ancient work in translation will tell you, any commentary that is included can be a blinding distraction, or the most illuminating aspect of the literature. In this case, Longenecker's accompanying prose is surely the latter. Benedict's Rule is related to the work of a father with practiced ease and grace. The work is profoundly instructive.
In fact, my only gripe is with the slightly unwieldy, slightly overlong introduction. Though it should by no means be skipped, I remember feeling a little anxious to get on to St. Benedict. Very high marks though, I thoroughly recommend this book to any father, or mother for that matter.

Rating:
Summary: high marks...
Review: As any who have read an ancient work in translation will tell you, any commentary that is included can be a blinding distraction, or the most illuminating aspect of the literature. In this case, Longenecker's accompanying prose is surely the latter. Benedict's Rule is related to the work of a father with practiced ease and grace. The work is profoundly instructive.
In fact, my only gripe is with the slightly unwieldy, slightly overlong introduction. Though it should by no means be skipped, I remember feeling a little anxious to get on to St. Benedict. Very high marks though, I thoroughly recommend this book to any father, or mother for that matter.

Rating:
Summary: thoughtful, helpful book
Review: Dr. Longenecker's meditations on the rule of St. Benedict are both inpirational and pragmatic. This book offer a useful re-tooling and reapplication of these essentially monastic directives for use in family life. It makes me want to work more dilligently at being a better father and person.

Rating:
Summary: thoughtful, helpful book
Review: My mother gave this book to all her sons (including me) for Christmas a year ago. This was my first exposure to Saint Benedict and his Rule. At that time I had very little exposure to the monastic life. As I read this book I could really begin to appreciate the devout nature of Benedict and his followers. It is clear that these men who give up their lives for Christ, these monks, truely have a calling to this vocation.

I really liked the interpretation that went along after each rule by Dr. Longenecker. This was especially valuable as I had not been experienced these teachings before. I highly reccommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about the contemplative life.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent initial experience with St. Benedict
Review: My mother gave this book to all her sons (including me) for Christmas a year ago. This was my first exposure to Saint Benedict and his Rule. At that time I had very little exposure to the monastic life. As I read this book I could really begin to appreciate the devout nature of Benedict and his followers. It is clear that these men who give up their lives for Christ, these monks, truely have a calling to this vocation.

I really liked the interpretation that went along after each rule by Dr. Longenecker. This was especially valuable as I had not been experienced these teachings before. I highly reccommend this book to anyone who is interested in learning about the contemplative life.