I recently came across a most interesting article by Robert Hale called "The Benedictine Spirit in Anglicanism". Dom Robert is a Roman Catholic Camaldolese Benedictine monk and a member of the monastery of New Camaldoli, located near Big Sur, California. The Camaldolese tradition is distinctive in Western monasticism in that it allows its monks to alternate between life in a regular monastic community and life as a hermit. Both of these paths can be pursued within the same monastic enclosure. The Camaldolese have a formal ecumenical relationship with the Anglican Order of the Holy Cross, of which I am an Associate.

Dom Robert started out as an Episcopalian but discerned a vocation to the Camaldolese way while still an undergraduate at Pomona College. He is therefore well-qualified to speak authoritatively about Anglican-Roman Catholic relations, and his article is a valuable resource for anyone curious about Anglican origins. I find it so useful that I've added it to the "Favorite Links" section of the sidebar. At the very end of the piece is a link to the New Camaldoli website which is worth a look. I was able to stay briefly at the monastery a number of years ago and can recommend it to anyone seriously interested in Benedictine spirituality.