"“From now on, brothers, everybody stands on his own feet.” This would be a great summary statement of what the monastic vow of poverty actually meant to most monks, historically. With regards to monasteries being the only places that have ever fulfilled the socialist ideal “from each according to his ability, to each according to his need,” I would add that they were able to do this because they valued the division of labor and the potential good of enterprise." - Father Thomas Merton, Trappist monk"If you want to study the social and political history of modern nations, study hell." - Father Thomas Merton, Trappist monk