Literature
In 1974, the Dutch priest and writer Henri Nouwen was allowed to live with the community of monks as a temporary member for seven months. This is rather unusual, because while the Trappists do accept retreatants for some days, it is usually not possible to become a "temporary monk", as Nouwen did. The permission was granted particularly due to Nouwen's close friendship with abbot John Eudes.
After his retreat, Nouwen's diary was published in 1976 under the title "The Genesee Diary - Report from a Trappist Monastery." This book is now deemed one of the fundamental works about Trappist spirituality and contemplative life in general. It is also widely recommended to be read by prospective monks during their vocational discernment.
Read more about this topic: Abbey Of The Genesee
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