Italian Monastery Bans Netflix and Social Media to Protect Monastic Life
The prior of a secluded hermitage in Tuscany has issued a firm directive to monks, urging them to completely avoid social media platforms and streaming services like Netflix. Father Matteo Ferrari, the prior general of the Camaldolese congregation, argues that these digital technologies are intentionally designed to foster addiction and present a significant threat to the monastic way of life.
A Sacred Space for Prayer, Not for Streaming
In a detailed letter published on Facebook, Father Ferrari emphasized that the individual rooms of the monks are sacred spaces dedicated solely to prayer and deep contemplation. He stated unequivocally that these rooms are "not for Netflix or other platforms." The hermitage of Camaldoli, founded in the early 11th century by Saint Romuald of Ravenna and nestled within a national park, is home to nine monks whose primary purpose is engagement in prayer and sacred reading.
Father Ferrari posed a poignant question: "If the room is transformed into a cinema then where does our monastic and Romualdine spirituality end up?" He expressed concern that real "cinephile addictions" could develop, potentially leading monks to become "film experts rather than seekers of God."
The Challenge of Digital Addiction in Religious Life
The 51-year-old prior highlighted that engaging with platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and online film streaming services represents "a challenge for monastic and religious life" that cannot be ignored. He clarified that his intention is not to reprimand the monks but to invite them to "meditate on a theme that pervades everyone's life and cannot be ignored." In an interview with Tuscany's regional newspaper, La Nazione, Ferrari suggested it would be "much healthier" for the monks to use their solitary time reflecting on community experiences instead.
This stance reflects broader concerns within the Catholic Church about digital media. In 2022, the late Pope Francis encouraged seminarians to use social media for communication and advancement while cautioning them about its dangers, particularly digital pornography. Francis acknowledged that "It is a vice that so many people have. So many laymen, so many laywomen, and also priests and nuns."
The directive from the Tuscan hermitage underscores an ongoing tension between ancient spiritual practices and modern technological temptations, aiming to preserve the contemplative essence of monastic life in an increasingly connected world.
