The Contemplative Poetry of a Benedictine Monk

The meditations and contemplative poetry of a Benedictine Monk who was once war time journalist. The collecton was unearthed after forty years. The work is balanced between reporting from the front lines of the traumatic 'troubles' in Ireland and Dom Francis' life as a monk. It includes some poems from his time working at La Grange as a Lay Missionary and his period of 'Solemn Professsion' to the Benedictine Order in the monastery at New Norcia in Western Australia.

It is the joyful, calming, tearful and erudite work of a master wordsmith.

Dom Francis Byrne OSB was born in Drogheda, Ireland in 1949. He was a journalist at the Drogheda Independent and later with the Irish Independent in Dublin. He reported from the front lines of the powerful and traumatic riots in Belfast.

Before coming to Australia in 1971 he covered European assignments in Paris, Rome and Geneva. In Australia he continued his journalistic career with the Melbourne Sun newspaper.

Dom Francis Byrne entered the Benedictine Monastery of New Norcia in 1978 after having worked as a lay missionary in the Kimberley for three years, at La Grange Mission, south of Broome.

Several poems and contemplations were written by Dom Francis Byrne during an eight-day silent retreat in the monastery's Bush Hermitage before his Solemn Profession in April, 1983.

He has also written widely for Catholic magazines and newspapers both in Australia and overseas. He was the Editor of "An Anthology of Christian Verse" published by Rigby in late 1983.

Dom Francis Byrne studied Theology in Rome from 1984-1986. He was in residence for the duration at the international Benedictine College of San Anselmo on the Aventine Hill.