“Camaldolese life, then, blends solitude and communion. It is not always an easy blending. A monk in the early period of his formation was talking recently about the seemingly contradictory demands of a life that calls for radical solitude and deep communion. He said it was impossible. Left to ourselves, we would have to agree. For it is only with God’s call and grace that we can attempt to live out this mysterious life.”

Healey, Bede. “Psychological Investigations and Implications for Living Together Alone.” in Belisle, Peter-Damian, editor. The Privilege of Love: Camaldolese Benedictine Spirituality. (Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 2002), p. 115.