St. Benedict

Today the Church remembers Benedict of Nursia, the father of Western monasticism. He was born in Nursia, Umbria, Italty around 480 A.D. Benedict went to Rome to study, but he was uncomfortable with the dissolute life of most of the populace, and he withdrew to a solitary life at Subiaco where he as asked by a group of men to be their abbot. Some of them found his rule (way of life) too strict, and Benedict returned alone to Subiaco. But Benedict could not keep people away, another group of monks called him to be their abbot, and once again he agreed, founding twelve communities over an interval of some years. His chief monastery was Monte Cassino, an abbey which is the mother house of the world-wide Benedictine order.

Benedict drew up a rule of life for his monks, a rule which he called "a school of the Lord's service, in which we hope to order nothing harsh or rigorous." The Rule gives instructions for how the monastic community is to be organized, and how the monks are to spend their time, including about four hours to be spent in liturgical prayer (called the the Divine Office where all of the Psalms are recited every week), some five hours in spiritual reading and study, six hours of labor, one hour for eating, and the remainder of the day for sleep.

A Benedictine monk (man) or nun (woman) takes vows of "obedience, stability, and conversion of life." The monastic vows to live in accordance with the Rule, not to leave his community without grave cause, and to seek to follow the teaching and example of Christ in all things.

The Rule of Benedict is a wonderful resource for Christians, and many use it as a daily guide for their spiritual discipline. For example, the Community of Hope uses the Rule as its guide.

Benedict’s impact on Western civilization cannot be underestimated. The Benedictines' prayer, scholarship and service have been a wonderful force in the building of the Kingdom of God.