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Cassian and the Fathers is the initial volume in the series of Novitiate Conferences of Thomas Merton, the classes he presented to young men beginning their monastic life at the Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. They contain Merton's insights on important Patristic and monastic figures preceding the time of St. Benedict, above all John Cassian, the most significant bridge between the early desert fathers and the development of monastic life in the West, and they reveal the continuing relevance of their teachings for contemporary monastics and other Christians. Much of the value of interest of Cassian and the Fathers, as of the novitiate conferences in general, lies in the light it casts on Merton himself as teacher, novice master and monk. These notes provide a privileged standpoint for observing Merton functioning as an integral and important member of his monastic community. The 'public' Merton has long been visible in his works written for publication, and has more recently been complemented by the 'interpersonal' Merton disclosed in his correspondence and the 'intimate' Merton revealed in his complete journals. This edition includes an extensive introduction situating these conferences and Merton's years as novice master in the context of his broader life as monk and writer, an extensively annotated edition of the text of the conferences based on Merton's own typescript, and helpful appendices indicating changes Merton made to his text, correlating the written text with taped versions of the actual classes, and providing suggestions for further reading both in Merton's other works and in more recent studies of the figures he discusses here.

For almost half a century Trappist monk Matthew Kelty has delivered homilies to monks and retreatants in his unique style. Visitors at his monastery have been inspired, and challenged by his talks, given after Compline each evening, and monks have come to love and appreciate his preaching skills at Mass and in Chapter. In this collection of his homilies we read his reflections on life and death, the mysteries of faith, the monastic life from the inside, and his love of the Mass. Those who have heard Father Matthew speak will welcome this new volume, and those who have not will be introduced to a speaker and writer of exceptional talent.

In the gospel of Saint Matthew, Jesus is "Emmanuel," God-with-us, or, as Jesus himself puts it, he is "I-Desire," "Coming-I-Will-Heal," and "I-Am-with-You-Always." The brief commentaries collected here, initially presented by Cistercian abbot Mark A. Scott in a series of chapter talks to his monastic community, will welcome the reader into an intimate encounter with the love of Jesus, as the evangelist Matthew presents him in chapters four through nine of his gospel. These reflections also weave insights from the Rule of Benedict along with reflections on monastic life offering to all ecclesial communities and individual Christians rich nourishment for their loving Jesus in return.