The monastic product’s biography, a sacralization wave

Figures & data

Table

The Rule of Saint Benedict, written in the VIth century, nourishes even today contemplative monastic organizations, and is remarkable for its modernity. It governs the entirety of situations experienced within a monastery, framing, among other aspects, the governance of the community as well as the place work takes in monastic life. A truly quality guide, The Rule of Saint Benedict advocates participative governance seeking “recourse to The Council of the Brothers” (Ch.3) and of the “elders” (Ch.21). The monastery must “be equipped in such a manner that one can find everything necessary: water, a mill, a garden” (Ch.66) and must guarantee the sustainable preservation of the surrounding resources. This preoccupation with sustainable development is a strong feature of today’s monasteries and abbeys. Work enables monks to live their human condition and nourishes their prayers, it is the antidote to “idleness, enemy of the soul” (Ch.48), and assures the community’s revenues. A quintessential pillar of monastic life, work is subordinated to the exigencies of prayer, which underlies the motto “Ora et Labora.” The implications on the production rate are immediate, the “monastery craftsmen will undertake their work in total humility” (Ch. 57) and “will be truly monks when they labor with their hands” (Ch.48). As a result, the products are traditionally crafted and distributed through the channels sharing the requirements of The Rule: “those who will be involved in the transaction will take utmost care to permit no fraud whatsoever” (Ch. 57). As regards the communication, the “observing of silence” (Ch.6) manifests itself by the absence of advertising discourse. It is, finally, in choosing to deploy an above-the-market price strategy that monasteries today, facing the global economic reality, contradict to some extent The Rule, which declares that “in pricing, that the evil of greed must not insinuate itself either, but that one should always sell slightly cheaper than merchants worldwide” (Ch.57).

Figure 1. The progressive five years long immersion in the monastic ecosystem. Source: adapted from Rinallo (2011).

Table 1. The five communities (re)joined by the purchasers: significant verbatim.

Community (re)joined	Significant verbatim
1. The store-companion community	“We had exchanges between ourselves on our products, which was the right choice, are they really produced by the monks, what are the ingredients?” (Aiguebelle, resp. 2)
	“The atmosphere was nice, pretty cool, it smells good, there’s music, it’s quiet, more relaxed, as much for the people who come here as those who welcome us” (Comptoir des Abbayes, resp. 9)
2. The interfacing personnel community	“It is more than a store, much more, the personnel are very nice, available, the sister, she takes the time, I like to talk with her” (Chantelle, resp.28)
	“The ambiance is agreeable, different from a typical store, you are made very welcome, it is more convivial, calm, they listen, with real relationships” (Comptoir des Abbayes, resp. 16)
3. The purchaser’s own community	“It’s a gift purchase, I’m going to make somebody happy, the impact of my purchase is positive, thanks to the present I’m going to give to the person I’m thinking of” (Comptoir des Abbayes, resp. 13)
	“I bought my son soap. Coming from the abbey adds value to the gift” (Les Boutiques de Théophile, resp. 13)
4. The monastic community	“A rather special purchase, we know we provide our neighbors a livelihood, it’s the community helping, we’re in the same neighborhood” (Chantelle, resp. 27)
	“The monk at the checkout, he’s at home, and he welcomes me; he always has a kind word, a look, a smile” (La Trappe, resp. 19)
5. The purchaser-aids community	“Purchasing products, it’s also helping, but in acknowledging the work done” (Chantelle, resp. 25)
	“The product creates a tangible, symbolic link: purchasing a product, it’s a gift, in buying on this website, I receive something, but I’m also giving something, it’s like if I pick a flower and I give it as a present” (Les Boutiques de Théophile, resp. 15)

Table 2. Communitas characteristics in each community (re)joined by the purchasers.

	Communitas characteristics
Communities (re)joined	Spontaneous	Transitory	Egalitarian	Utopic
Store-companions	Yes, spontaneous verbal exchanges with other shoppers	Yes, ephemeral	Yes, no mention of any social hierarchy or status	Yes, no barrier to speak kindly and to share experiences
Interfacing personnel	Moderately, because it is the job of the interfacing personnel	Yes, ephemeral	Yes on a social aspect, no on the aspect of asymmetric information, everybody stays in their role	Yes, interfacing personnel are always seen as pleasant, available, and friendly listening
Personal community	Yes, for the gift-giving gesture	No, permanent	Yes, no mention of any social hierarchy or status in the close circle	Yes, close family and friends are evoked with nostalgia, warmly and lovely words
Monastic community	Yes, intangible sharing with near or remote monastic communities	Yes, ephemeral	Yes, monks and nuns are perceived as our equals, even if their life is extra-ordinary	Yes, abbeys are seen as utopic autarchic places, and monks and nuns take the time to make the products with love
Purchaser-aids community	No, the initiative is taken by the cashier (monk, nun, or layperson)	No, permanent in the purchaser-aids files	Yes, no hierarchy between the purchaser-aids	Yes, thanks to the engagement with the gift gesture toward the monastic communities

Table 3. The transition points in the monastic product’s biography.

Transition points	Status of the monastic product/Network	Main characteristics
Manufacturing	Sacred status	Monastic world physically separated from the profane, with rituals, silence, communitas, bareness, and transcendence (Turner 1990)
	Network:
	handmade product within the Ora et Labora rythm, monastery, cloistered monks and nuns
		Handmade production by sacred persons in sacred cloistered places with sacred tools (Nursia de VIth century)
		Naming with the Monastic brand, elevating with ingredients’quality, enshrinement by love and prayer, social reproduction in monastic community (MacCannell 1989)
		The product is pre-sacralized before the sale (Gould 2006)
Offering for sale	De-sacralized thus commoditized status	Monks and nuns break down the barrier between the sacred and profane (Belk, Wallendorf, and Sherry 1989), le product emerges from the cloister and loses its mystery (Nisbet 1966)
	Network:
	manufactured and priced monastic product shop (physical or virtual, religious or secular) interfacing personnel	Irruption of money and of pricing (Belk and Wallendorf 1990), comparability et interchangeability of the product (Kopytoff 1986)
		Encroachement to the profane (Belk, Wallendorf, and Sherry 1989), contamination (Eliade 1987) in the store, first touch point with secular people, and place of the infusion of the sacred and the profane (Miller 1998)
Purchase	Re-sacralized, thus sacred status	Sacralization by impregnation of gift-giving in communitas (Sherry 1983; Turner 1990)
	Network:
	manufactured and priced monastic product shop (physical or virtual, religious or secular) purchaser, shopping companions, interfacing personnel
		Money usage destinated to permit a transmission (Belk and Wallendorf 1990)
		Sacrificial form by the gift of money to the monastery via the purchase of products, do good through one’s purchase thanks to gift-giving to closed people, horizontal and vertical contact with others, transcendence (Miller 1998). Liminality of the purchaser, at the threshold of the monastic world, a bubble outside of town, a time outside of ordinary time
Gift-giving	Maintain of sacred status?	Future research
Consumption and disposition	De-sacralization or maintain of sacred status?	Future research

Figure 2. The sacralization wave in the monastic product’s biography.

Table

Respondant	Sex		Age				Religion
	H	F	18–30	30–45	45–60	60+	Practicing Catholic	Non-practicing	Atheist
Interviewees on the website Boutiques de Théophile
1		X			X		X
2		X			X		X
3		X	X					X
4	X				X			X
5	X				X				X
6		X	X						X
7	X				X			X
8		X				X	X
9		X		X				X
10		X			X			X
11		X			X			X
12	X				X				X
13		X		X			X
14		X			X			X
15	X					X	X
	5	10	2	2	9	2	5	7	3

Table

Respondant	Sex		Age				Religion
	H	F	18–30	30–45	45–60	60 +	Practicing Catholic	Non-practicing	Atheist
Interviewees in Comptoir des Abbayes
1		X			X		X
2		X		X			X
3	X			X				X
4	X			X				X
5		X			X		X
6		X		X			X
7	X				X			X
8		X		X				X
9		X			X			X
10	X				X				X
11		X			X				X
12		X		X				X
13	X			X					X
14		X			X		X
15	X		X					X
16	X				X			X
17		X			X				X
18	X				X				X
19		X		X				X
20	X					X	X
21	X				X			X
22		X		X				X
23		X	X				X
24		X			X			X
25	X		X					X
26	X		X				X
27	X			X					X
28		X				X		X
29	X				X		X
30	X			X			X
Total 30	15	15	4	11	13	2	10	14	6

Table

Resp.	Sex		Age				Religion			Profil			Abbey
	H	F	18–30	30–45	45–60	60 +	Practicing Catholic	Non-practicing Catholic.	Atheist	Neighbor	Retiree	Tourist
Interviewees at abbeys stores
1		X		X			X					X	Aigue-belle
2		X	X				X				X
3		X		X			X				X
4		X		X					X			X
5	X			X			X				X
6	X				X		X				X		La Trappe de Soligny
7	X			X				X				X
8		X			X		X			X
9		X				X		X		X
10	X			X				X		X
11	X			X					X	X
12	X					X		X			X
13	X				X		X				X
14		X				X		X		X
15	X				X			X		X
16		X			X				X	X
17	X					X	X			X
18		X			X			X		X
19	X			X				X		X
20		X		X				X		X
21		X				X	X			X
22	X					X	X			X
23		X			X		X			X
24		X		X			X					X
25		X			X			X				X	Chantelle
26		X				X	X					X
27		X			X			X		X
28		X				X		X		X
29		X			X		X			X
30		X			X				X			X
31	X			X				X		X
32		X			X		X				X
33		X				X		X		X
34	X			X			X				X		Tamié
35		X			X			X				X
36		X			X		X					X
37		X			X			X				X
38	X					X	X					X
39		X				X	X					X
40		X				X	X					X
41	X					X			X orth.	X
41	15	26	1	12	15	13	20	16	5	20	8	13

Table

First order codes		Used in the 2nd order coding*
Mother	Daughter
Ambiance
	Serene ambiance	C4
	Modern ambiance
	Warm ambiance	C1, C2
	Old-fashioned ambiance
	Un-anonymous ambiance	C1, C2
	Silent ambiance	C4
	Too commercial
	Not too commercial
	Discrete commerce
	Monastic ambiance	C4
	Spiritual ambiance	C4
	Pleasant ambiance	C1, C2, C4
	Simple ambiance	C4
	Calm ambiance	C4
	Coherent ambiance	C4
Purchase
	Frequent purchase
	Forecasted purchase
	Regular purchase
	Make others happy	C3, C4
	Trite purchase
	Impulsive purchase
	Gift purchase	C3, C5
	Ethical purchase
	Pleasure to help	C4, C5
	Useful purchase	C5
	Special purchase
	Significant purchase
	For self-purchase
	Double pleasure	C3, C4
	Incomparable purchase
	Episodic purchase
	Religiously engaged purchase	C4
	Anti-system purchase
	Particular approach purchase
	Transmission purchase	C3
	Feel good purchase
	Commercial purchase
	Solidary purchase	C4, C5
	Spiritual approach purchase	C4
	Abbey souvenir purchase	C3
	Helpful supporting purchase	C5
Welcome
	Smiley welcome	C2
	Listening welcome	C2
	Available welcome	C2
	Friendly welcome	C2
	Monastic presence	C2, C4
Information
	Not enough information
	Enough information
	Not clear information
	Clear information
	Discrete information
Price
	Non-obstacle price
	Obstacle price
	Shipping cost
	Justified by quality
	Helpful approach
	Right price
	Willingness to pay
Product
	Embedded product
	Solidary product
	Special product
	Ethical product
	Craft product
	Gift product
	Different product
	Done with love product
	Done with heart
	Handmade product
	Help reciprocal product
	Healthy product
	Simple product
	Spiritual product
	Local product
	Good product
	Quality product
	Natural product
	Non industrial product
	Original product
	Non comparable product
	Traditional product
	Authentic product
	Abbey souvenir product
	History transmission
Sensorial
	Music
	Olfactory
	Visual wood
	Visual luminous
	Visual pretty
	Visual products
	Visual negative
Trust
	Trust in origin
	Trust in ingredients
	Trust a priori
	Trust in monks’ work
	Trust in manual process
Comparison with…
	Local products
	Market
	Organic store
	Organic products
	Delicatessen
	Craft man
	Short channel
	Fair trade
Store
	Non comparable store
	Nonprofessional store
	Professional store
	Meaning transfer store	C4
Instant
	Pleasure instant	C1, C2
	Take the time instant	C1, C2
	Pleasure experiential instant	C1, C2
Perceived work
	Ethical monks work
	Traditional work
	Respected work
	Reward work
Emotion
	Yes
	No
Choice
	Little choice
	Many choices
Anchorage
	Time anchorage
	Local anchorage
Shopping
	Right to the point shopping	C1
	Discovery shopping	C1
Clarity offer
	Clear offer
	Disordered offer
Monastic immersion
	Yes
	No
Conviviality
	With lay personnel	C2
	With shopping companions	C1
	With monks and nuns	C4
Habit
Monastic bubble		C4
Surprise
Childhood nostalgia		C3
Doubt
Curiosity
Monks endangered species
Disappointment
Rewarding provenance		C3

Notes: * – Type of community (re)joined, C1 – The store-companion community, C2 – The interfacing personnel community, C3 – The purchaser’s own community, C4 – The monastic community, C5 – The purchaser-aids community

Table

C1	The store-companion community
	Warm ambiance
	Un-anonymous ambiance
	Pleasant ambiance
	With shopping companions
	Right to the point shopping
	Discovery shopping
	Pleasure instant
	Take the time instant
	Pleasure experiential instant
C2	The interfacing personnel community
	Warm ambiance
	Un-anonymous ambiance
	Pleasant ambiance
	Smiley welcome
	Listening welcome
	Available welcome
	Friendly welcome
	Monastic presence
	With lay personnel
	Pleasure instant
	Take the time instant
	Pleasure experiential instant
C3	The purchaser’s own community
	Make others happy
	Gift purchase
	Double pleasure
	Transmission purchase
	Abbey souvenir purchase
	Craft product
	Gift product
	Different product
	Done with love product
	Done with heart product
	Handmade product
	Help reciprocal product
	Healthy product
	Simple product
	Spiritual product
	Local product
	Good product
	Quality product
	Natural product
	Non industrial product
	Original product
	Non comparable product
	Traditional product
	Authentic product
	Abbey souvenir product
	History transmission product
	Childhood nostalgia
	Rewarding provenance
C4	The monastic community
	Serene ambiance
	Silent ambiance
	Monastic ambiance
	Spiritual ambiance
	Pleasant ambiance
	Simple ambiance
	Calm ambiance
	Coherent ambiance
	Make others happy
	Pleasure to help
	Double pleasure
	Religiously engaged purchase
	Solidary purchase
	Spiritual approach purchase
	Monastic presence
	Solidary product
	Meaning transfer store
	With monks and nuns
	Monastic bubble
C5	The purchasers-aid community
	Gift purchase
	Pleasure to help
	Useful purchase
	Solidary purchase
	Helpful supporting purchase
	Solidary product
	Help reciprocal product

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