He died and was buried there around 547. It is specified solely by a commitment to God sanctioned by public vows. She was a Benedictine nun at the monastery of Helfta in east Germany: a mystic, a theologian, and a writer of numerous works. The word "Benedictine" is relatively modern; it scarcely existed before the 17th century. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. The principles of evolution just enumerated enable us to understand why within one and the same Benedictine spiritual tradition there could appear and subsist different tendencies. Hence the spirituality that we find implicit in the Rule of Benedict was dependent in many ways on earlier sources, though he was certainly wise in what he incorporated and what he left behind. Monastic Spirituality. He does not harbor illusions of grandeur but senses that all of his life is simply gift. It is God who is the primary author of life for Benedict's disciples; hence the monk's obedience is above all to God and God's word which the monk finds mediated into his life through a wide variety of persons and experiences—in the rule, in the abbot, in the community as a whole, in the young and the old, in the sick and in guests, in the liturgy of the hours and in personal prayer, in sacred reading, in work, and in silence. Recently, English Professor Sister Cynthia Binder, OSB of our monastery discussed Saint Gertrude in a homily to our monastery I would like to share with you (with her permission, of course! He is called to witness in a materialistic world to the dependence of all men and women on God, and to their need and destiny for a happiness that lies beyond material fulfillment. From the middle of the 20th century there appeared in Europe, America, Africa, and elsewhere monastic foundations that, drawing their inspiration from ancient sources, tended to return to forms of monastic life that are simpler and more contemplative. Basil for the Benedictine Order in 529AD. The term was applied to two principal types: the hermits who lived alone or in small unorganinzed groups, and the cenobites who lived in community. The present community at Montserrat is made up of over seventy monks. j. chittister, The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages (New York 1992). Omissions? Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. In chapter 72 of the rule, Benedict encourages his monks to be zealous, "supporting with the greatest patience one another's weaknesses of body and behavior, and earnestly competing in obedience to one another. BENEDICTINE SPIRITUALITY The word "Benedictine" is relatively modern; it scarcely existed before the 17th century. He wrote The Rule and established his first monastery at Monte Cassino, Italy. Benedictine Spirituality. If he gets the grandeur of God in place, he is apt to get the rest of monastic life in place too. Retrieved December 21, 2020 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/benedictine-spirituality. . The Benedictine Tradition: Spirituality in History compiles writings of notable Benedictines throughout history; the essays reflect the power of faith and individual dedication to service, profound aspects that speak to the reader as strongly today as they did when first written. Benedictine, member of the Order of Saint Benedict (O.S.B. Practicing Benedictine Spirituality The Benedictine life is, “…simply living the Gospel without fanfare…The mainspring of everything in [the Rule of] Saint Benedict is the love of Christ — in Himself, in the poor, in the monastic community, in the individual brethren…This is the key to the monastic life and spirit.” In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. A particular spirituality is a specific system, or schema of beliefs, virtues, ideals and principles which form a particular way to approach God and therefore all life in general. Benedictine Spirituality St. Scholastica’s College – Westgrove is a school for the Lord’s service. But if they are rich communally, they must be rich for the many people who are poor not only materially but also intellectually, culturally, spiritually, and humanly. The 15th century saw the rise of a new Benedictine institution, the congregation. Humility is also a dominant theme in Benedictine spirituality; in fact it is closely related to contemplation. 4.5 out of 5 stars 7. Benedictine spirituality is a spirituality that fills time with an awareness of the presence of God. They were founded by Saint Benedict of Nursia, a 6th-century monk who laid the foundations of Benedictine monasticism through the formulation of his Rule of Saint Benedict. It is likewise through that response that one becomes free to be and develop as the person one is called to be. In 1893 he created the office of abbot primate as head of the federation of autonomous congregations. From the 13th century, Benedictine monasteries have often felt the influence of spiritual movements coming from non-monastic sources. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. History of the Benedictine monasteries Worth Abbey is one of the thirteen monasteries of the English Benedictine Congregation, which is the oldest of the Benedictine congregations. The Abbot Primate does not have direct jurisdiction in the monasteries of the order, though he is still charged with a general concern for the well-being of Benedictines around the world. The whole spiritual life of the monk consists in listening to God by "inclining the ear of the heart." She had visions and wrote extensively about them. About the Rule of Saint Benedict By Sr. JM McClure, OSB The Rule of St. Benedict This article, written by Sister Jane Michele McClure, OSB, originally appeared in Crossings , a tri-annual publication of the Sisters of St. Benedict of Ferdinand, Indiana. The Benedictine spiritual disciplines include common prayer, serving God though hospitality and mutual service, conversion of life, relationships and solitude. a. de vogÜÉ, The Rule of Saint Benedict: A Doctrinal and Spiritual Commentary (Kalamazoo 1983). The thing that distinguishes monks from other religious in the Catholic Church is not primarily a matter of governmental structures or observances; all of these are found in other forms of consecrated life. ." by Joan Chittister. Benedict's community might well be called a formation community in which all, including the abbot and other superiors in the community, are in the process of being formed all of their lives into the likeness of Christ by attentive listening to the word of God, and a loving response to that word mediated into the life of the community by Christ's own offer of friendship through the communication of the Holy Spirit. Since Benedict was a monk, the spirituality which is based on his rule, is fundamentally monastic. What is it about Benedictine spirituality and history that enables it to be so formative of people’s humanity across time, ecumenical boundaries and cultural divides, asks Good Samaritan Sister Carmel Posa. Furthermore, he avoids anything that would be excessive or beyond the capacity of the average monk. Perhaps the most useful definition is that given by Jean gerson: "Theologia m…, Omnipotence is derived From the Latin omnis (all) and potens (capable of making or producing). Saint Benedict, the founder of Western monasticism, writes in his Rule for monks over 1,500 years ago: “The road that leads to salvation is bound to be narrow at the outset” (Prologue, Rule of Benedict).This wisdom is evident in the history of Holy Wisdom Monastery. Benedictine Conversations Due to the covid-19 pandemic and the need to ensure the safety of all, we are unable to gather for our usual Benedictine Days series in person at St. Scholastica Monastery. They are also sometimes called the Black Monks, in reference to the colour of their religious habits. 2 Benedictine Spirituality • A little bit of history • Some peculiar examples • Why do this? Benedict calls the monastery a "school" because it is the place where the monk is to be taught by God. ), member of any of the confederated congregations of monks, lay brothers, and nuns who follow the rule of life of St. Benedict (c. 480–c. "Benedictine Spirituality Benedictine Spirituality in Everyday Life Sister Edith Bogue Benedictine Center for Spirituality St. Scholastica Monastery Duluth, Minnesota 7 November 2015 2. We can lose track of the fact that that our present experience is what’s happening now, and that we aren’t experiencing what c… Humility enables the monk to stand in awe before the world and to receive the gifts of God and others. History of the Benedictine monasteries Worth Abbey is one of the thirteen monasteries of the English Benedictine Congregation, which is the oldest of the Benedictine congregations. The monks also set part of the day aside for private prayer and for reading the Word of God or other spiritual works. In a very special way God speaks through the Scriptures, through the liturgy of the hours (opus Dei ), and through personal prayer. The ideal of this pattern of conversion is meant to be incarnated in a special way for the community in the abbot, who is expected to be a symbolic center exercising a centripetal force that draws individuals into a truly Christian community of life for God and others in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Authors include Enzo Bianchi, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Michael Casey, and Notker Wolf, OSB. It is rather the fact that monastic existence is a form of religious life having not secondary or ministerial purpose. She was quick-witted and articulate. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. Desert spirituality was the beginning of Christian monasticism and the matrix out of which Western monks developed their lifestyle. Being poor with the poor has characterized many religious from the time of the Middle Ages, but Benedictines, because of their cenobitic life and their cultural inheritance, are often rich. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. It appeared little by little wherever the Church took root, a spontaneous manifestation of the Holy Spirit urging Christians to become monks in response to the counsel given by Jesus in the Gospel: "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions …, follow me …" (Mt 19.21). The reforms of Saint Benedict of Anianus were continued, expanded and brilliantly transformed by a little abbey founded in 910 by Duke William of Aquitaine on his lands in Burgundy. 547) and who are spiritual descendants of the traditional monastics of the early medieval centuries in Italy and Gaul. These reforms were confronted by the turmoil of the Protestant Reformation in the 16th century. k. vermeiren, Praying with Benedict: Prayer in the Rule of St. Benedict (Kalamazoo 1999). One of the sure signs of monastic maturity is the honest acceptance of one's need for other people in community. St. Benedict wrote his rule, the so-called Benedictine Rule, c. 535–540 with his own abbey of Montecassino in mind. At the heart of his contemplative tradition are values which are directly opposed to blindness, materialism, and greed. This radical reform spread within a century to all the Benedictines of Italy and became known as the Cassinese Congregation. . Simplicity of life and a sense of stewardship are also characteristics of Benedictine spirituality. If he persists in this state, atheism truly becomes a way of life. Saint Benedict. Some decades later, the monastery was destroyed and not rebuilt for a long time. Of all creatures, the human person is in fact the neediest. As Missionary Benedictine Sisters with our particular charism of prayer, community cultural, and ethnic diversity, and our commitment to respect persons and creation, we believe our call at this time is to: ~Deepen and share our Benedictine spirituality Life Is a School for Discernment Benedictine spirituality moved from theory to practice again for me this month during the first online School of Discernment. 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