sexual purity and community

In the subsequent, post-New-Testament era of the Church, whenever Christians took on vocations of celibacy, they did so most often in community—in monastic orders, for example. Those committed to a life of sexual abstinence recognized that such a commitment would best be undertaken not in isolation but with others and would be sustained by the rhythms of corporate worship and the mundane tasks of providing for one another’s daily needs. [from here]

I'm thinking about this... particularly in relation to those struggling with sexual temptation and loneliness... Does anyone know their church history? What was the original thought behind monastic communities? Was celibacy the first thought and monasteries a way to make that easier? Or was it the other way around? Are there any applications today?