Speaker
Being Truly Alive: Monastic Wisdom For The 21st Century
April 1, 2019
The Rule of St. Benedict was written originally for people living in monasteries. Today, a burgeoning number of people in the secular world are re-discovering its timeless wisdom—attracted by The Rule’s emphasis on community-and-consensus building, simplicity, hospitality, humility, prayer, and praise, and what St. Benedict calls listening “with the ear of the heart.” Judith Valente, a national journalist and author of four spirituality books, will explore how busy Christians can apply The Rule to daily rhythms in ways that nurture the spirit and bring us closer to God. Whether one is a community member or leader, young professional, or stay-at-home parent, The Rule speaks to our fundamental need to cultivate an interior life amidst the daily chaos.
Judith Valente is the author of four spirituality books on how to live a more contemplative life in the secular world, as well as two collections of poetry. She began her career at The Washington Post, then wrote for The Wall Street Journal in that paper’s Chicago and London Bureaus. She was twice a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in journalism and has won more than 20 broadcast awards. Her books include: How To Live: What The Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning and Community; The Art of Pausing: Meditations for the Overworked and Overwhelmed; Atchison Blue: A Search for Silence, A Spiritual Home and A Living Faith; and the anthology Twenty Poems to Nourish Your Soul. Her poetic, yet easily accessible style has made her a sought-after speaker and retreat leader. Ms. Valente lives in Illinois and is a lay associate of the Benedictine monastery Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison, KS
