Jamie brought this out in a conversation on Resonate recently. Neo-monasticism was and still is a hot topic, as folks are looking at more intentional and sustainable communities. I have a friend in Victoria renting out a house with a few others that are fleshing out what the community will look like...the communal rule, and how they will live missionally in their city space. Another group in Kelowna is doing the same, with it's mission to some 300+ folks living in poverty on the city streets.
Below is how St. Patrick's Church uses priories as communities of formation and mission. Certainly not as strict as the usual monastery image, but offers real possiblities for the idea of new monasticism in urban spaces.
A Priory is a covenanted community under the oversight of a prior that utilizes aspects of monastic spirituality to foster Christian formation and mission.
Priory is a term from the monastic tradition. It denotes a smaller community of monastics that are attached to a larger monastic community.
The characteristics of a Priory are:
Instead of being built primarily around Bible study or the examination of a specific topic, the Priory meets around a shared meal and prayer using the Daily Office.
The Priory is designed to foster Christian friendship with the assumption that in Christian discipleship more is caught than is taught.
The Priory meets twice a month. This is to give enough time for the communities to grow in friendship but allow freedom in one’s schedule for other commitments and especially for friendship with other people inside and outside of church.
Each member makes one year covenant with other community members to attend the meetings of the group and fulfill any other commitments the groups agree to. This covenant is central to the aim of the Priory and will foster and strengthen the bonds of Christian friendship and ignite Christian discipleship.
The Priory intentionally encourages each of the members to commit to and live out the 4 Practices – Saint Patrick’s Rule of Life.
The Priory prays the Daily Office when together, and each member will also pray it daily at home.
Each Priory is led by a person who will not only serve as organizer and facilitator for priory meetings, but will act as a kind of lay pastor seeking to encourage and strengthen each community member in their Christian pilgrimage and help the group grow together into deeper Christian friendship. The group leader is called a Prior.
Each Priory will do common mission to reach out together to non-disciples through hospitality and to serve the surrounding community in concrete
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