Tag: St. Benedict
St. Benedict: Through his faith and gentleness the Lord sanctified him
Through his faith and gentleness the Lord sanctified him. These words were written of Moses, but they may today be applied not unfittingly, I think, to blessed Benedict. For since he was filled with the Spirit of all the saints, it is reasonable to believe that he had not a little of Moses’ spirit. If… Read More ›
St. Scholastica
CNA: On Feb. 10, the Catholic Church remembers St. Scholastica, a nun who was the twin sister of St. Benedict, the “father of monasticism” in Western Europe. The siblings were born around 480 to a Roman noble family in Nursia, Italy. Scholastica seems to have devoted herself to God from her earliest youth, as the… Read More ›
Benedict: Patriarch of Western Monasticism
Like a star in the darkness of night, Benedict of Nursia brilliantly shines, a glory not only to Italy but of the whole Church. Whoever considers his celebrated life and studies in the light of the truth of history, the gloomy and stormy times in which he lived, will without doubt realize the truth of… Read More ›
Mixing Scripture Into the Batter
CAMBRIDGE, N.Y (New York Times) — At first, the prep work for 200 four-pound cheesecakes in the sunny, commercial kitchen seemed familiar, unremarkable. An elderly woman in a bandanna wielded a cheese cutter, slicing through fat bricks of cream cheese. Another woman with silvery bangs poured heavy cream into the mixer, dipped a tasting pinkie… Read More ›
Saints Maur and Placid
In the Benedictine tradition, January 15th is the Feast Day of the young disciples of Saint Benedict, Saints Maur and Placid. I decided to spend some time seeing what they meant to St. Benedict. It has actually been four years ago that I introduced you to some of the miracles of St. Benedict – when… Read More ›
St. Benedict for Beginners – The Ninth Step to Humility
‘The ninth step of humility is that a monk should keep his tongue from talking; he should preserve silence.’ Monks are famous for their vows of silence, and there is much wisdom in the tradition. Benedict is not recommending silence for silence’s sake, but because there is so much occasion to sin in much talking…. Read More ›
St. Benedict for Beginners – The Eighth Step to Humility
‘The eighth step of humility is that the monk should do nothing except what is recommended by the common rule of the monastery and the example of those above him.’ It is difficult to put up and shut up. We think we know best, and often we can see a better way to do things…. Read More ›
St. Benedict for Beginners — The Seventh Step to Humility
‘The seventh step of humility is that the monk should not only say in his words that he is inferior and less virtuous than other men, but he should believe it in his heart.’ This advice sounds like St Benedict wants us to grovel and mumble that we are just lowly worms. Not really. He… Read More ›
St. Benedict for Beginners – The Sixth Step to Humility
‘The sixth step of humility is that a monk should be satisfied with whatever is of lowest value or quality.’ Are we really supposed to surround ourselves with everything of poor quality and low value? Not really. St Benedict is not recommending that we intentionally surround ourselves with everything that is tacky, cheap and nasty… Read More ›
St. Benedict for Beginners – The Fifth Step to Humility
The fifth step of humility is that a man should in humble confession reveal to his Abbot all the evil thoughts that come into his mind, and any wrongful actions that he had done in secret.’ Nothing helps us make a quantum leap forward in the quest for humility than a good and complete confession…. Read More ›