MBTI Type: ESFJ

Brother Jerome has quite a reputation around the abbey for ‘policing’ everyone else’s morals. He pays far more attention to what is happening around him than to himself and his own emotional concerns. Quick to notice when people are misbehaving or showing signs of slipping in their faith, Jerome rushes to tell on them to the ‘appropriate’ authorities. His entire focus lies on his views of what are the ‘right’ and the ‘wrong’ emotional behaviors and physical actions that the abbey should tolerate within those inside its walls. He can be emotional, easily insulted, and kind, but also judgmental and incapable of self-analysis. He shows the tendency of an immature and unhealthy Fe-dom’s desire for everyone to live in a consensus of morals—to be in unquestioning submission to the ‘greater good’ without room for individuality. His inferior Ti shows in how poorly he thinks things through, since he is so busy leaping to conclusions all the time, and premature judgments, he fails to consider whether or not he is correct. He is fussy about how things should be, and does not like change, but also has an eye for opportunity. He assumes because his friend Prior Robert has been so long at the abbey, when the old abbot retires, the Church will select him to replace him. This, in Jerome’s mind, is a good reason to ‘foster’ a friendship with him, because he assumes that as Robert rises, so too shall his influence grow. Alas for them, and fortunately for Cadfael, this is not the case. A prudent and cautious man, Jerome is also easily captured by other people’s ideas. He both believes in, and asks a man having visions leading questions about, the miracles of saints, in the power of kissing relics, etc. Jerome sees a chance to take a saint, which would bring them money and influence, from the Welsh and urges others to join him in his excitement. But he often leaps to the wrong conclusions about everything from Cadfael’s emotional state (he is not in lust with a woman) to who the murders are that creep about the abbey cloisters.

Enneagram: 1w2 so/sp

Brother Jerome seems to live to correct other people on moral terms, and sets out to dictate how everyone else should behave. He keeps a careful watch on them to make sure nobody is having impure thoughts, spending too much time alone with a woman, breaking the rules, going out after dark, or muttering sensitive things in their sleep. Cadfael and he clash violently, because Cadfael’s social 8 tendency to break the rules and do whatever he wants to do (not to mention his defiant nature) conflicts with Jerome’s “policing” behaviors. The abbot often has to remind him to mind his own business. His 2 wing assumes he is doing ‘right’ by warning people to watch over their immortal souls, and can be rather inconsiderate of their feelings. He takes pride in living an ‘exemplary’ holy life and in correcting others.