His beliefs and instructions on religious life were collected in what is now known as the rule of saint benedict. Benedict can be incorporated into modern life to bring busy people peace. St benedicts rule is a short documentary created primarily thru interviews of the monastics. Benedict exhorts his readers to live in fear of judgment day and have a great horror of hell. Obedience benedictine abbey of christ in the desert. Benedict was a tough guyhis standards of obedience, humility, and contemplation can sound awfully rigid to contemporary ears. The rule of benedict is not a treatise in systematic theology. Scholastica and patron saint of students, he is also widely recognized for his john cassianinfluenced rule of st. The rule contains 73 chapters which outline a way of life based on the gospel and lived in community under the guidance of and obedience to an abbot men or. Benedicts rule contains seventythree chapters of varying length, and is comparable in size to the gospel of matthew. Benedict s prep has a near 100% college acceptance rate. The film details how their recipe for success follows the 6th century rule of saint benedict and how this rule can serve as a model for whole cities nationwide. The spirit of saint benedict s rule is summed up in the motto of the benedictine confederation.
Benedict in english timothy fry, timothy horner, imogene baker on. Benedict lived his life in a time when the church was joined to the empire, and thus became the church of the powerful, which meant that there were many who found in monasticism a way to live out the total commitment that had been required in earlier times. Life on the rock 09082011 the rule of st benedict fr. His rule was the foundational document for thousands of religious communities in the middle ages. The concept of hell is more foreign, less visceral and immediate, to those of us who live in a secular society than it was for christians in benedict s time. The rule of saint benedict was written sometime in the sixth century, likely by saint benedict, the founder of the monastery of monte cassino. Saint benedict, founder of the benedictine monastery at monte cassino and father of western monasticism. Benedict widely known, and benedict is today considered the. The rule itself is the best witness to benedict s life and character, showing us someone who was wise, kind, steeped in scripture and concise in expression. The rule of benedict is a written code of conduct that benedictines follow under its own autonomous administration and the spiritual guidance of the local abbot. The concept of hell is more foreign, less visceral and immediate, to those of us who live in a secular society than it was for christians in benedicts time. How does the rule of st benedict apply to lay people. Compared to other precepts, the rule provides a moderate path between individual zeal and formulaic institutionalism. Understand with willing mind and effectually fulfil thy holy fathers admonition.
Benedict of nursia for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. While newark, nj, with a high poverty rate of 32%, has an abysmal high school graduation rate, st. Benedict founded twelve communities for monks at subiaco, italy about 40 miles 64 km to the east of rome, before moving to monte cassino in the. Rule of st benedict mcgill university school of computer.
The rule of saint benedict translated with an introduction by cardinal gasquet. This work is a compilation of instructions for communal monks who live in. Benedict is a timeless document in so many ways as fresh and relevant as it was when it was written almost fifteen hundred years ago. Benedict by saint benedict, abbot of monte cassino. Rule of saint benedict has been listed as a level5 vital article in philosophy. Its logic is the logic of daily life lived in christ and lived well.
Benedicts rule and systematically disassembles what each component. During a tour of revolution 67, the bongiornos met historian dr. It can be debated if the specific prescriptions of the rule are of relevance to present day lay people. The spirit of saint benedicts rule is summed up in the motto of the benedictine confederation. This early monastic rule is part of the wisdom tradition of christianity and is rooted in the bible for its inspiration and its end. Benedicts rule for monasteries appeared in 1948 and has remained in print ever since. Below the latter is a significantly larger group of subordinates, from seneschal to various commanders to sergeant brothers. Benedict teaches us about happiness, meaning, and community by judith valente, martin e. Benedict is the most common and influential rule used by monasteries and monks, more than 1,400 years after its writing.
Benedict of nursia author of the rule of saint benedict. Benedict widely known, and benedict is today considered the father of western monasticism. This document has been generated from xsl extensible stylesheet language source. Marylou and jerome bongiornos documentary profiles st. Later, in chapter 7 of the rule, we find that the first step of humility, then, is that a man keeps the fear of god always before his eyes ps 3536. The benedictine rule is strictits main theme being absolute obedience to the abbot. Benedict 1 the rule of saint benedict translated into english.
But scholars say it was actually intended not so much a clerical rule but a pathway for all christian lay persons of benedicts time to attain closeness to god. Monks of mount angel abbey talk about why the rule of st. The rule of saint benedict or regula benedict was written by saint benedict of nurisa, the patron saint of europe. In 1964 pope paul vi proclaimed him the patron saint of all.
Forsaking worldly desires for a vocation to the monastic life, he was a respected and deeply spiritual man who highly influenced the culture and civilization of europe. Benedict prologue chapter 1 of the several kinds of monks chapter 2 what kind of man the abbot ought to be chapter 3 of calling the brethren to council chapter 4 what are the instruments of good works chapter 5 of the obedience of the disciples chapter 6. Jun 01, 2001 this special edition of the rule of saint benedict was published for the seventyfifth anniversary of the founding of liturgical press. Mark and doug benedictine monks from cullman, al the rule of st. Benedict was the founder not only of the abbey montecassino, but also the father of the entire benedictine order. Benedicts prep has a near 100% college acceptance rate. This document has been generated from xsl extensible stylesheet language source with renderx xep formatter, version 3. Ad 480550 for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. It is a very loving and gentle movie about loving and gentle monks. In particular, it provided the backbone for the subsequent benedictine spirituality. One of many rules, the rule of st benedict was simple and adaptable and gave priority to communal life based on a balance of prayer and work. In 1964 pope paul vi proclaimed him the patron saint of all europe. Benedict was a devout italian christian who became a monk at the age of 20, wishing to withdraw from the world after he visited rome and was shocked by how immoral life in the holy city had become. The rule of saint benedict regula benedicti is a book of precepts written by st.
St benedict wrote a rule which focused on work, prayer, and study held in equilibrium. Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. Tom mccabe h02, author of miracle on high street, who introduced us to st. The rule of saint benedict yankton benedictine sisters. The rule itself is the best witness to benedicts life and character, showing us someone who was wise, kind, steeped in scripture and concise in expression. Oblates promise to live according to the values expressed in the rule of saint benedict, which was written in the spirit of the gospel and which has been handed down through centuries of committed christian life, along with traditions that developed with it. See more ideas about catholic, catholic saints and rule of st benedict. Rule of st benedict new norcia benedictine community.
Benedict hereafter rb and the rule of the templars hereafter rt is exercised by the abbot and the master respectively. Our present pope has chosen the name benedict and his very good reasons for this. While the original manuscript has been lost, scholars have recourse to a number of early manuscripts, notably one from the ninth century currently housed at. Read todays passage we wish this rule to be read often in the community, so that none can offer the excuse of ignorance rb 66, 8. Sep 09, 2011 ewtn global catholic television network. In fact, there is something very english about benedict, with his calmness, his gift for organization and his occasional touches of humour. Benedict was written in the early 6th century by benedict of nursia, italy. His understanding of the difficulties of communal living and his compassionate view of human frailty are practical and often sound disarmingly modern. Freshen up your watchlist with prime videos latest roster of streaming movies and tv shows. Benedict s rule for monasteries appeared in 1948 and has remained in print ever since. Here, however, it is treated in more detail, under the following heads. Up with us then at last, for the scripture arouseth us, saying. Life on the rock 09082011 the rule of st benedict fr mark.
Regula sancti benedicti is a book of precepts written in 516 by benedict of nursia ad 480550 for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. Benedictine abbot primate notker wolf explains how the rule of st. Benedict prologue chapter 1 of the several kinds of monks chapter 2 what kind of man the abbot ought to be chapter 3 of calling the brethren to council chapter 4 what are the instruments of good works chapter 5 of the obedience of the disciples chapter 6 of silence chapter 7 of humility. But his rule has nurtured millions of lives not only in the cloisters, but in every city, suburb, and countryside where people strive to lead simpler lives. If we think that the master wrote these chapters, which is probable, and that the master had this clear contradiction, then we must wonder why benedict took it over. Daily reading from the rule of benedict benedictine sisters.
Benedict was the creation of his rule, what we call. The monks of conception abbey express many different reasons for embracing monastic life. Benedict 1865 by saint benedict 2014, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Directing this feature film is again marylou bongiorno, who goes through each part of st. Benedicts own life, see the article saint benedict. Jun 09, 2015 saint benedict audiobook frances alice forbes 1869 1936 saint benedict of nursia c. Steve grunow july 11, 2018 in the year 480 ad, the last of the rulers of what remained of the western roman empire, a man by the name of julius nepos, died, leaving one roman emperor in the far off eastern city of constantinople for the first time in ninetyfive years, and the old roman empire in. And even today, although it was written about fifteen centuries ago, the rule remains an important pattern for living among benedictine monks and nuns. The spirituality of the rule of st benedict julian freeman. Benedict had the holiness and the ability to take this step. Saint benedict audiobook frances alice forbes 1869 1936 saint benedict of nursia c. Saint benedict contributed more than anyone else to the rise of monasticism in the west. Saint benedict loomed large in my own spiritual journey, but he has also been a monumental figure in the history of the church. The rule contains 73 chapters which outline a way of life based on the gospel and lived in community under the guidance of and obedience to an abbot men or prioress women, and obedience to one another.
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