Swiss Monks Recruiting Bankers

From the UK Independent:

The sober-looking advert fills a quarter of a page in Switzerland's premier "executive search" magazine, but the kind of vacancy it is trying to fill is no ordinary one. Along with no pay, "freedom from the common couple relationship" is cited as an upside of a profession for which new members are desperately sought.

[...]

The advertisement appeared in the "banking and insurance" section of Saturday's edition of Alpha. It calls on young Catholic "bankers, journalists, teachers, theologians, tradesmen, lawyers and communication experts aged between 22 and 35" to consider joining the order.

Applicants, the advert says, should be "independent, yet capable of communal living, curious and show initiative".

But life in the order is about as far removed from an average banking or insurance executive's lifestyle as it is possible to get. The advert makes this clear: "We offer you no pay, but spirituality and prayer, contemplation, an egalitarian lifestyle, free of personal material riches and the common model of a couple relationship."

It takes three years of apprenticeship before novices can be fully ordained as monks. Monastery life is structured with prayer, community life and work. "Anyone who thinks they can take it easy here has got it wrong," Mr Anderau said.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/wanted-bankers-willing-t…

Larry Kudlow was converted by a former Citi/Merrill guy: Rev. C. John McCloskey

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9906E2D8123FF930A35757C0…