The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism Monastic Hospitality

The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism Monastic Hospitality O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

THE ORIGINS OF WESTERN MONASTICISM O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Monastic Life • Rule of Benedict c 530 AD • Foundation of western European religious hospitality • It would influence: n caring for the sick (hospitals), n the poor (hospices and charities), and the n provision of education (the establishment of the first universities) • Monastic life today O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

THE ORIGINS OF WESTERN MONASTICISM O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

St Benedict of Nursia w Founder of Western Monasticism w Born about 480 A. D. w Monte Cassino 543 A. D. w Rule to Govern the lives of Monks w Chapter 53 provision of large scale hospitality O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

THE LEGACY OF MEDIAEVAL MONASTICISM Case Study on Contemporary Monastic Hospitality, further reading: O’Gorman, K. D. and Lynch, P. A. (2009) ‘The Monastic Cloister: A bridge and a barrier between two worlds’. In Lynch, P. A. , Mc. Intosh, A. and Tucker, H. (eds) Commercial Homes in Tourism: An International Perspective. Routledge, London. O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Fieldwork w Lead researcher: • • • Six years theological studies Privileged access and status Wallpaper problem e. g. blessings • Data collection: • • Eight monasteries average one week Average 30 guests Guest-participant observations; formal/informal interviews Monks/guests Documentary evidence O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Setting • Different forms of hospitality • Resident male guests in monastic cloister • Share refectory, library, separate lounge, small kitchen O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Discourse • Hosts: God; the Abbot; Guest Master; other guests • Monks: no real opportunities for incidental interaction, willing to respond • Silence: Church, refectory and other monastic areas O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Politics of Identity • Welcome people broadly sympathetic • Ordered hierarchy • Strictly controlled culture O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Politics of Identity cont’d w Latin services, Gregorian Chant • ‘I don’t like it when the services are conducted in English, it sounds better in Latin. I know it’s silly but I can’t help thinking that God hears the prayers better when they are in Latin and there is a lot of incense’ w (Guest) • Monks confused with actors w Although welcoming, the monks gave definite suggestions of otherness, not least by wearing their monastic habits; one guest expressed disappointment that they did not find a habit on the back of their bedroom door that they could wear for the weekend. w (Fieldnotes) O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Politics of Identity cont’d • Hospitality as part of God’s work • Symbolic nature of God’s treatment w ‘If we reach out and touch even one person’s life, that has made a difference, if not we are still serving God’ w (Monk) O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Sequences Time Activity 4. 45 am Rise 5: 00 am Vigils and Lauds (Prayers during the night and at dawn) 7. 00 am Prime (1 st prayer of the day); Pittance (Breakfast) 8: 30 am Mass and Terce (Prayer during the morning) 9. 45 am Work, and Classes for Novices 12: 45 am Sext (Midday Prayer) 1: 00 pm Lunch 2: 15 pm None (Afternoon Prayer), followed by work 4: 30 pm Tea 4. 45 pm Private Prayer 6: 30 pm Vespers (Evening Prayer) 7: 00 pm Supper, followed by Recreation (can include conversation) 8: 30 pm Compline (Prayer before bed) 9: 00 pm Retire O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Sequences w“One of the things I will always remember from my visit is sitting on a church pew at 4: 45 in the morning smelling sweet incense and watching the rising sun caress the stained glass windows and project jewelled colours through the smoke onto the church walls; I felt welcomed and relaxed” (Guest) O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Social Control w ‘we live in God’s house and the bell is the voice of God, it wakes us up in the morning, calls us to prayer, meals and work and then tells us it is time to go to sleep at the end of the day. ’ (Monk) • ‘there are no ground rules here, do whatever you want, just change the bed and clean the room when you leave. ’ (Guest Master) O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Social Control • Adapted rule of St Benedict • Treatment of people with social problems • Separate lodgings w It is ‘simply not practical to the running of the monastery… we are not here to be saints; we are monks, that is the path we have chosen. ’ w (Guest Master) O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Product n n n No charge, donation appropriate or optional Guest Masters not happy with B and B usage Accommodation statistics usually not kept Other examples of commercial activity: conference facilities, apiaries, restaurants etc. run by professional staff Complex hospitality offered to the guest’s physical and metaphysical needs O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Space n n Different guests, different levels of access: day visitors, guesthouse guests, people with social problems, male guests in monastic cloisters ‘I know I am just being nosey but just as I want to open all the old books in the library and try and read the Latin on the pages, I want to open all the doors and see inside too. ’ (Guest) O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Conclusions n n Purpose of monastery to house monks in a community environment so can dedicate their lives to God Ritual reception of guests both a bridge and a barrier between monastic and secular worlds n Form of commercial hospitality? n Similarities and differences… O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

SUMMARY OF THE PRINCIPLES OF HOSPITALITY Derived from the monastic traditions O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Staffing Principles w The person providing the service is seen by the guest as representing the business as a whole. w Personal characterises of staff must be genuinely disposed to providing service w There is a need for specialised staff as well as multi-skilled staff w Staff roles should be clearly defined to indicated which staff interact with guests and how w The level of staffing needs to match the business demand w Staff should maintain their dignity in providing service: service not servility w Staff must not cause the guests unnecessary disturbance O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Guest Principles w Guests are to be treated with respect w Welcoming gestures and language are as important as the acts of service. w Delays in the provision of hospitality are a hardship for the guests w Guests should not feel that the provision of service is an inconvenience to the business. w The difficulties in providing the service are of no interest to guests w Providing service and improving it is more important to guests than providing additional hospitality O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Hospitality Provision w All guests are welcome w Service is offered at different levels w Hospitality is offered based on the needs of the guests at the time w There must be provision of hospitality for guests with special needs w Provision must be for basic needs (food, drink and accommodation) as well as other needs as required w Food and drink should be available at all times for guests as they arrive O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Business Principles w When providing service the management and staff are separate from the society that they are providing service to. w The level of service offered is determined by the type of the business w Businesses have a responsibility for the health, safety and security of the guests w Management and staff should display personal integrity and be practically competent w The business, its management and staff must maintain a professional relationship with guests at all times O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Management Principles w Hospitality managers must be professional and competent w Managers have a responsibly to balance the provision of service the requirements of the business w Managers as well as having responsibly to manage the business also have to be seen by the guests as the host w Both expected demand unexpected demand need to be prepared for O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Management Principles cont’d w Guest and staff areas should be separated and access controlled w Staff who are providing hospitality must be fully resourced and supported by the management team w The management is to blame if staff do not have the skills or equipment to carry out their duties w Teamwork is important for efficient service O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010

Further Reading w O’Gorman, K. D. & Lynch, P. A. (2009) ‘The Monastic Cloister: A bridge and a barrier between two worlds’. In Lynch, P. A. , Mc. Intosh, A. and Tucker, H. (eds) Commercial Homes in Tourism: An International Perspective. Routledge, London. w O’Gorman, K. D. and Mac. Phee, E. (2006) ‘The Legacy of Monastic Hospitality: 2 The Lasting Influence’. With The Hospitality Review Vol 8, No 4 pp 16 -25. http: //strathprints. strath. ac. uk/4976/1/strathprints 004976. pdf w O’Gorman, K. D. (2006) ‘The Legacy of Monastic Hospitality: 1 The Rule of Benedict and rise of Western monastic hospitality’. The Hospitality Review. Vol 8, No 3 pp 35 -44. http: //strathprints. strath. ac. uk/4975/1/strathprints 004975. pdf O’Gorman, The Origins of Hospitality and Tourism, Goodfellow Publishing © 2010