The buzz surrounding the Benedict Option has spawned many spinoffs, each looking to a particular spirituality to focus the renewal of Church and culture. As a Benedictine oblate, I agree with Rod Dreher that the Benedictines provide a crucial and necessary witness on how to rebuild Christian culture. We need strong local communities that find new w...

In Fraternus, one of the hardest things to teach or re-teach to men is the art of conversation with young men and boys.  Men are very objective oriented, and our habits of work and education reinforce this – “what’s the mission and the course of action needed.” This simply doesn’t work in conversation, and I can prove it.  If I enter...