Wann ist ein Mönch ein Mönch?

What factors play a role in a man's decision to enter a Benedictine monastery? How does he perceive everyday monastic life, how does he shape his vocation as a monk and how does he deal with crises? On the basis of life history interviews with 29 Benedictine monks belonging to the seven convents of the Swiss Benedictine Congregation and the Uznach monastery, these questions are examined from a historical perspective.
from a historical perspective. It shows that a fundamental shift in the ideal image of monks has taken place over the last 60 years.
Since the time of the Second Vatican Council, Benedictine monasteries have changed in many respects. On the one hand, its resolutions brought about changes in the liturgy or, for example, the legal equality of lay brothers and priest monks. On the other hand, the monasteries, which at the beginning of the 1960s had more members than ever before, were confronted with a drastic decline in the number of monks. While the professional opportunities offered by the Benedictine monastery still played a significant role in the decision to join a monastery among the older generations of monks, religious motives are now more important for younger monks. This has also changed the ideal image and the answer to the question of what it means to be a Benedictine monk. While the older generations incorporated the heavy workload, which resulted in a stunted prayer life, into their monastic identity, the younger monks are successfully demanding a balance between prayer and work from their superiors.