Definitions for "Monasticism"
The monastic life, system, or condition.
An ongoing reform movement in the Catholic Church generally regarded as beginning about the middle of the 4th century. It was an attempt to live a stricter, more "apostolic" form of Christianity through prayer, manual labor, and asceticism (mortification*). Monasticism has taken on many forms over the centuries (predominantly through religious institutes* or communities) and has greatly influenced secular as well as Church history.
asceticism as a form of religious life; usually conducted in a community under a common rule and characterized by celibacy and poverty and obedience