Irish Monasticism: Origins and Early Development

Preface
Abbreviations
SECTION I. Christian Monasticism in General
	Chap. I.—Progress towards Monasticism
		§1 Its Foundation in Christian Teaching
		§2 The Idea of Combat in the spiritual life emphasised by St. Paul. Asceticism thus a necessity
		§3 Private Asceticism within the Christian Communities of the first three Centuries
		§4 Privileged Position of Ascetics in Christian Society
		§5 Manner of Life led by the Ascetics
		§6 Asceticism in the desert. St Anthony. The Anchorites
		§7 Development of the semi-eremitical life in Egypt
			(a) Chenoboskion
			(b) Nitri a
			(c) Cellia
			(d) Scete
			(i) Other Colonies
	II—Cexobitism ; or Monasticism in the Strict Sense
		§1 Pachomius
		§2 The Pachomian Constitution in Detail
		§3 The 11 White Monastery at Atripe. Schenoudi
		§4 Other Egyptian Monasteries
	III.—The Spread of Monasticism throughout the Christian World
		§ 1 Its Progress in the East
			(a) Palestine
			(b) Syria and Mesopotamia
			(c) Lands of Greek Speech
		§2 Its Progress in the West
			(a) Italy
			(b) Africa
			(c) Gaul
SECTION II. The Introduction of Monasticism into Ireland
	Chap. I —St. Patrick
		§1 His Monastic Training
		§2 Immediate Preparation for His Mission
		§3 General Character of his work in Ireland
		§4 Patrician Foundations
		§5 The Church Founded by St. Patrick primarily Episcopal and Clerical. Monasticism had in it an important but a secondary place
	II —Monasticism in the Irish Church between the Death of St. Patrick, a.d. 461. and a.d. 520
	III —Period of the Great Monastic Founders
		§1 The Impulse from Outside
			(a) From the Candida Casa, Whitern in Galloway
			(b) From Britain
			(c) The Impulse from Abroad in Summary
		§2 Important Foundations
			(a) Due to the initiative of St. Finnian and his Disciples
			(b) Due to the Initiative of Others
		§3 Less Important Foundations
		§4 Monasteries for Women
		§5 Double Monasteries
		§6 Alleged Apostasy of the Irish Church in the Sixth Century
	IV —Currents of Religious Life in the British Church of the Sixth Century
		§1 Genuine Christianity as understood by Gildas
		§2 Monastic Practice at St. David's
		§3 The Influence of Gildas and the Influence of St. David on Irish Monasticism briefly compared
	V —Monasteries and Jurisdiction in the Sixth Century
		§1 Episcopal Jurisdiction exercised independently of Monasteries
		§2 Exercise of Jurisdiction by Bishops who were at the same time Abbots
		§3 Exercise of Jurisdiction by Abbots who were not Bishops
		§4 The Position at Kildare
		§5 Conclusion
SECTION III. Irish Monastic Life c. a.d. 560-660
	Chap. I —Within the Monastery
		§1 Fundamental Concept of Monasticism as a " Militia Christi"
		§2 The Monastic Novitiate
			(a) Aspirants to the Monastic State
			(b) Course of Training within the Monastery
		§3 Profession as a Monk
			(a) Was there a Fixed Period of Probation ?
			(b) Poverty
			(c) Chastity
			(d) Obedience
			(e) The Position as Regards Stability
		§4 The Monastic Family
			(a) The Abbot
			(6) Semores
			(c) Monastic Officials
			(d) Ordination of Monks
			(e) Relations between Superiors and Subjects
			(f) Penal Discipline
		§5 Buildings
		§6 External Relations
			(a) The Monasteries and the Church
			(6) The Monasteries and the Civil Power
			(c) The Monasteries and the People
			(d) Interrelations between the different Monasteries
		§7 Prayer and Devotions
			(a) Private Prayer
			(b) Public Prayer
			(c) The Mass
			(d) Holy Communion
			(e) Penance
			(f) Cult of the Saints and Veneration of Relics
		§8 Work
			(a) Manual
			(b) Intellectual
			(c) Native Intellectual Culture
			(d) Latin Culture
			(e) The two cultures side by side in Ireland. Their fusion a gradual process
			(f) Study in the Early Monasteries
		§9 Other Features
			(a) Clothes
			(b) Food
			(c) Fasting
			(d) Silence
			(e) Sleep
			(f) Austerities
			(g) Sickness, Death and Burial
	VII.—Conclusion
		§1 Unity of Irish Monastic Observance
		§2 How far derived from Earlier Sources
		§3 How far Original
		§4 Comparison with Benedictine Observance
Index of Places
Index of Persons
Index of Subject-Matter