(Six Hallmarks of Benedictine Spirituality) by Fr. Saint Benedict Benedict of Nursia lived from ca. The Prologue through RB 7 are a foundational primer; RB 8-20 speak of liturgical prayer; RB 20-67 include teachings for the common life; and RB 68-72 offer a theology of monastic life with an emphasis on love (Prayer and Community: The Benedictine Tradition. is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. Benedictine Center is affiliated and operated in partnership with St. Pauls Monastery. [] Review Benedictine Spirituality (Part 1 of 3) [], [] Review Core Values: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 1 of 3) [], [] Learn more about core Benedictine values. Focus Our Eyes on God and His Word For Saint Benedict, the Word of God was of central importance. Harry Hagan, OSB My part in this little show began as a description of the novitiate and how it brings new people from exclusion to inclusion, from fascination to identification, and from dependence to belonging. Strong communities embrace stability and are open to necessary change. If there is anything that everyone of us in the whole world needs more of right now, its peace. Hence, conversion to Christ and response to his love through the power of the Holy Spirit are the goals of obedience. We prefer concepts like freedom and independence. 540-604 CE), who praised Benedict for his discretion and moderation. Teaching Artist. Encyclopedia.com. In monastic life public prayer is only one observance among those which help the monk seek God. For vowed monastics, stability is literala long-term commitment to a specific place and community. Benedict reminds us of our priorities: prayer, contemplation, balance and the importance of everything we do. The website of Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas tells us, Modern monks like to point out that first word in the Rule is to Listen,which cant be done while talking! The typical person takes little time for personal renewal in the hectic daily round of activities. While submission is an act of youth, true obedience can only come as a response of maturity. In 2007, Benedictine educators collaborated and distilled from The Rule of St. Benedict ten core values of transformative importance that ought to animate Benedictine institutions of learning. Francis consulted her, especially when he was discerning between becoming a hermit and being an itinerant preacher. 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 experiencesin 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. The Benedictine practice of mindfulness, like all the Benedictine practices, is lifelong. Benedict was born in Nursia, Italy in 480 and died in 543. Cultivating awareness of God is important for all who seek a meaningful spirituality. Brendan Rolling, OSB of St Benedicts Abbey of Atchison, Kansas quotes Abbot Martin Veth: To will what God wills and because He wills it, this is the essence of patience. Benedictines carry on a monastic tradition that stems from the origins of the Christian monastic movement in the late third century. In his spare time, you will find Sam tending his familys small tree farm or fly fishing for trout in Southeast Minnesota. Listen to the Holy Spirit speaking through scripture and through the insights of others. Sister Joan Chittister is an extraordinarily prolific writer and among the most famous living Benedictines. FRANCISCAN SPIRITUALITY Franciscan spirituality motivates a way of following Christ that is based on the gospels. It was considered as proposing a spiritual program, while daily life was regulated by "customaries," to which succeeded, from the beginning of the 16th century, "Declarations" and "Constitutions" as well as the "Ceremonial." <<8F8BC2AF36339D4C919A3718E673BE78>]>> People are seen as an integrated whole: Body, Mind, and Spirit. Only a year ago, after a year of formation, I became an Oblate of Saint Benedicts Monastery in St. Joseph, MInnesota. Humility fosters stronger, healthier connections within communities by breaking down the artificial barriers between individuals. When the monk has zeal for God, he will come to see that he is consumed not only with love for God but for everything and everyone else that God has created. 4. 0000000556 00000 n 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). 0000005209 00000 n That kind of movement toward moderation is especially important as we live the open and complex questions. Ive drawn this list of 22 (+ 1 = 23) Benedictine practices (arranged alphabetically) from, Being in right relationship is wholly other than being in, Brother David Steindl-Rast of the Gut Aich Priory monastery in St. Gilgen, Austria, is the founder and senior advisor for. Hence they are rich compared with many who come to the monastery for help. 6v-7r of the Bodleian library in Oxford. The first and fundamental manifestation of such a vocation is a real separation from many aspects of the secular world. In no way am I qualified to be a teacher of the Benedictine way of life. (February 22, 2023). . . When a monk is aware of his own littleness, he is not driven to satisfy his own ego more than his true needs. [], [] is both. Fr. Roman Roots. On a personal level the rule calls the monk to live a life marked by frugality, simplicity, and gratitude for the many gifts of God. //]]>. Im interested in connecting person-to-person with others who share my values, who want to participate with me in building a meaningful network of relationships that will serve to support us on our spiritual journey. Just as all these people practice to become more proficient, spiritual seekers practice in order to become better at living a spiritual life. Practice is how people develop the skills to become adept at anything. Lectio divina involves contemplating what we read or hear in a Scripture, being receptive to the presence of God, and letting ourselves be transformed. St. Benedict lived in the 6 th century. 6 Characteristics Of Benedictine Spirituality . The monk's listening is to be modeled after the prayer of Jesus who spent long hours listening and attentive in the presence of his heavenly Father. 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 Lets make ours a truly humana listening and reverentconnection. One of the primary functions of the various monastic structures is to provide conditions in which the monks can concentrate on learning the art of listening. He realizes that attachment to oneself and one's talents or goods brings anxiety, a bondage that ties the human spirit down to the earth and allows no enlargement of either one's horizons or one's heart. Which value speaks to your heart most strongly at this time and why? Columba Stewart OSB, the 73 brief chapters of the RB make up four major sections. What do I make (or make possible) with the precious energy of my life? Cultural Producer. God gave us two ears and one mouth, so we should use them in that order. Which brings us back to awareness of God, to the beginning again. What gives the Rule of Benedict its exceptional quality has commonly been called its "discretion," in the double sense of the word: discernment and moderation. In this article, Benjamin Schfer, who calls himself an intercessory musicianary, blog theologian, and pilgrim on the narrow road of learning to love, writes in depth about ways to foster awareness of God. To be empowered by anything less than the God of love is to risk evil zeal in the name of vengeance. This springs from a desire to please God, or to seek God, as the Rule puts it (chapter 58). Acts 18:18). Humility demands that the monk take God seriously, that he take others seriously, but that he never take himself too seriously. A crucial confessor and teacher for Ignatius very early in his spiritual journey was a French monk, Fr. Be faithful in demonstration of family and community commitments, for example, by calling parents every week at the same time, checking in regularly on neighbors, affirming and listening to coworkers. There is a temptation to complicate it, to . 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). In 1887 Pope Leo XIII, who was enamored of the Benedictines, reestablished the College of Saint Anselm in Rome. He neither innovated nor broke with tradition. Encyclopedia.com. ." Music students do their instruments. The typical person takes little time for personal renewal in the hectic daily round of activities. The monk needs time along and needs time in community. It is that same balance that has made it attractive today to those countless lay men and women who are not living vowed lives in a monastery but who are associated with Benedictine monasteries as oblates attempting to live their lives in the secular world according to the spiritual values set out in the rule. Many Oblates rely on Give Us This Day, a monthly prayer book with simplified daily prayer for morning and evening, to help us participate in the Divine Office when we are away from the monastery. It is regular, converting, reflective, and communal. He was the son of a noble and grew up in Rome. It evokes the name of St. Benedict, who lived in the 6th century, together with all those who have been inspired by the Rule of Benedict and associate themselves with the Benedictine spiritual tradition. The Benedictine practice of hospitality is radical. Jesus said "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." (see Matthew 25: . Humility is the ability to recognize one's rightful place in the universe and to see oneself as a mysterious combination of strengths and weaknesses. Benedictine monastics make a three-fold commitment to stability, conversion (conversatio), and obedience. In other words, the core of Franciscan spirituality is the universal call to holiness that all women and men receive at baptism. At the heart of his contemplative tradition are values which are directly opposed to blindness, materialism, and greed. It is rather the fact that monastic existence is a form of religious life having not secondary or ministerial purpose. Stewardship of resources, as a Benedictine practice, flows out of the commitment to stability, explain the monks and oblates of Saint Meinrad Archabbley, in this post on Environmental Stewardship on the blog Echoes from the Bell Tower. They are listeners and patient, willing to wait and see. Monsignor Charles Pope seems to be saying in the blog post, A Reflection On the Benedictine Vow of Stability for Community in Mission of the Archdiocese of Washington (DC), that stability of heart is the Benedictine practice our chronically unstable contemporary society most desperately needs. But for all, the ideal has remained "solitude of heart" with God, guaranteed by the "order of charity" in the community institution. If you fill out this form, Ill respond from my personal email. Closely related to both listening and humility is the virtue of obedience. It is rooted in faith, and like Christ's own simplicity of life must be an outward expression of trustful dependence on God. Benedictine monks and nuns made a commitment to living in a specific location, within a specific community, as the context for their spiritual growth and development. Be willing to wait. 0000001968 00000 n Poet/Writer. Impact. The monk's own attitude toward his life then is one of stewardship. The first word of the Rule of Benedict is Listen. The Benedictine practice of listening is the heart of Benedictine spirituality, for not only are we instructed to listen constantly to one another in community, to leaders, to guests, to the sick, to our inner selves, and most of all, to God, we must also attend to [what we hear] with the ear of the heart. As Good Samaritan Sister Clare Condon writes, Listening with the ear of the heart can be a scary experience because it can call me to radical change, to a transformation of my limited human perspective. The rule is marked by a strong sense of the individual monk's personal worth and dignity. Ignatian spirituality challenges us to encounter God in all things, witnessing to the joy of the Gospel. It requires that a monk listens intently to the voice of God as it is manifested in the Sacred Scriptures and the teachings of his superiors. Its recipe comes from a 16th-century monk and includes a secret blend of 27 herbs and spices in a neutral spirit that's sweetened with honey. Listen to your body, to the negative and irritating things like our fatigues and headaches and muscle aches, revealing to us the lack of balance and health in our lives.. Although well into the middle years of an average life span, I am a rank beginner, a mere toddler in Benedictine practice. It encourages a life balance between corporate worship, spiritual reading and work in the context of community. This model of [], [] rather than continually traveling on to somewhere else. The rule did not become a text of the past or a dead document; rather it continued to live and to vivify, but its very fecundity, its inexhaustible youthfruits of its discretionexplain how it was able to inspire different realizations. My work with the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (MID) has . Listen here: 0000001554 00000 n He entered the Dominican novitiate c. 1315 in his na, Benedictine College: Narrative Description. We are all accountable as steward of creation, they tell us. Humility helps us accept our gifts and talents joyfully while letting go of our false selves. It was not founded by a particular saint. Here are some of the characteristics of Benedictine spirituality: For Benedict, the spiritual life was about listening to Godthrough prayer, Scriptures, the depths of our own experience, through listening to others in our community and the wider church. Even the Cistercians, who in the 12th century had intended to return to a faithful observance of the rule itself, added numerous statutes. For the readers convenience, I will include only six of them here along with a simple explanation. All these helping ministries place value on the confidentiality of the relationship and may lead to increased personal wellbeing and a more fruitful and productive life. Just as all these people practice to become more proficient, spiritual seekers practice in order to become better at living a spiritual life. Joan Chittister is a Benedictine sister with an ecumenical outreach and vision who has written more than 50 books. This means that the monk must be very quiet and still within himself, but also very alert and attentive if the word of God is to resonate properly within his innermost depths so that he is enlightened and nourished by it. In other words, to be a good Franciscan means to be a good Christian. You can order a free copy of Give Us This Day, published by Liturgical Press, by clicking here. c. smith, The Path of Life (Ampleforth, England 1995). The abbot, elected for life by his monks, maintains supreme power and in all normal circumstances is accountable to no one. St. Benedicts chapter on humility is one of the longest in the, The Benedictine practice of Liturgical prayer is one of Benedictine spiritualitys most visible, unmistakable hallmarks. startxref Saint Clare of Assisi (16 July 1194 - 11 August 1253, born Chiara Offreduccio and sometimes spelled Clara, Clair, Claire, Sinclair, etc.) Catholic spirituality includes the various ways in which Catholics live out their Baptismal promise through prayer and action. Living the Benedictine spirituality, as a monk, an . They regard Saint Benedict as their founder and guide even though he did not establish a Benedictine Order as such. Furthermore, he avoids anything that would be excessive or beyond the capacity of the average monk. Mindfulness is a trending word these days yogis, psychologists, educators, physicians, and practically everyone else is talking about the importance of quieting our busy minds in order to become more aware of the present moment. Benedict's Rule and Spirituality. Only a year ago, after a year of formation, I became an Oblate of Saint Benedicts Monastery in St. Joseph, MInnesota. These prayers, which included the saying or chanting of the psalms, can be experienced in our Daily Office. Benedict calls the monastery a "school" because it is the place where the monk is to be taught by God. Brother David Steindl-Rast of the Gut Aich Priory monastery in St. Gilgen, Austria, is the founder and senior advisor for A Network for Grateful Living. If you fill out this form, Ill respond from my personal email. The third Benedictine value is conversatio morum, which translates to "conversion of life." This value involves a commitment to personal and spiritual growth, and it involves constantly seeking to improve oneself and to live in a way that is consistent with one's values and beliefs. It is likewise through that response that one becomes free to be and develop as the person one is called to be. Benedicts wisdom and commentary has provided the foundation for Benedictine communities throughout the centuries, and continues to influence many of us in the community of St. Pauls. This is a life devoted to the "Benedictine values of community, consensus, peace, balance, hospitality, humility, simplicity and care of the planet in our daily lives," Judith Valente writes in an article for Global Sisters Report. It is not one of the distinguishing characteristics of early monastic life. The Benedictine motto, "Prayer and Work," highlights this simplicity of obedience to our daily duties. It includes reading, reflecting, responding to and resting in the Word of God not in a scholarly way, not to make a sermon to preach to others, but simply to nourish and deepen our own relationship with the Divine. Hence the monk must be poor psychologically because he realizes his dependence on others. Prosperity and ties with temporal society often led monasteries, especially the larger ones, to depart more or less from certain fundamental observances required by the rule, notably separation from secular society, real simplicity of life, and manual labor. Benedictine spirituality is a fresh alternative in an increasingly fast-paced world. I hope this list (compiled in September, 2018) is helpful, perhaps even inspiring. Personal or private prayer is traditionally exercised under the form of meditative reading of Holy Scripture and of authors who explain and reflect on it, according to the three phases designated by the words "reading" (lectio ), meditation (meditatio ), and "prayer" (oratio or contemplatio ). What are Benedictine Practices? Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. This will not subscribe you to a contact management software program, and you wont get an onslaught of computer-generated emails begging you to buy my books and services. Thus when St. Benedict appeared, monasticism was already solidly implanted in Egypt, Syria, Palestinethe whole East and in Ireland, Gaul, Italy, Spain, and Africa in the West. We go forth into the world as contemplatives in action, discerning God's desire for our lives here, now, and acting on God's invitation. The devotio moderna is an example. If a monk's life is not grounded in God, he is tempted to put himself in the place of God. Benedictine writers often appealed to methods of prayer and asceticism that were foreign to the monastic tradition. Mindfulness is a trending word these days yogis, psychologists, educators, physicians, and practically everyone else is talking about the importance of quieting our busy minds in order to become more aware of the present moment. As a Benedictine practice, obedience is intimately linked to being in right relationship, conversatio, humility, and listening. Benedictine monastics make a three-fold commitment to stability, conversion (conversatio), and obedience. While there are times allotted for prayer and for work, ultimately there is to be no division between the two. Little by little, however, the Rule of Benedict became the principal rule, particularly in the Anglo-Saxon countries and in Italy. They pray the Office together, with no voice standing out above the others. As time went on we decided that we needed a clear focus on the values. Learn more at www.samuelrahberg.com. Commit to daily, weekly or monthly prayer disciplines. Benedict shows us the value of ordering our day around communal prayer (i.e. You can learn more about her in her Living Spiritual Teachers Project profile. Benedictine spirituality is essentially contemplative even though many who follow the rule are deeply involved in intellectual or manual work as well as in ministerial service to others. Sam has experience in parish ministry and holds a masters degree in theology from Saint Johns University (Collegeville, MN). For most Oblates. Stewardship of resources, as a Benedictine practice, flows out of the commitment to stability, explain. St. Benedicts chapter on humility is one of the longest in the Rule. Her muscular Christianity is grounded in the spiritual practices of the Rule of Saint Benedict, such as silence, hospitality, humility, and peace. The event will bring together sisters, monks, oblates, and Benedictine staff, as well as nonreligiously affiliated Millennials interested in contemplative . Instead, holiness of life was to be found through the right balance of these elements in life. xb```f``x(80 Using philosophical and theological lens, this paper attempts to 1) present the Benedictine Leadership vis--vis Care ethics 2) proffer that charity or care is the driving force of a transformational leader and, 3) purport that a caring leader, directly or . How are we being invited to swing back toward Christ-centeredness? podcast at DiscerningHearts.com from the Missionary Benedictines of Christ the King Priory, Fr. Ancient Tradition. It encourages a life balance between corporate worship, spiritual reading and work in the context of community. This pattern of sharing is a basic characteristic of a cenobitic community. Poverty of spirit, simplicity, sharing and giving, self-denial prompted by love, freedom of heart, gratitude, care for persons, and sound judgment with regard to created things should proceed from exposure to God in prayer. It is specified solely by a commitment to God sanctioned by public vows. This invitation to listen came to Benedict from the heart of the Old and New Testament traditions. As Sister Julie explains on the blog A Nuns Life, The Liturgy of the Hours is made up of specific prayers said at various time (hours) during the day and night. It continues today as an institute for Benedictine students and others who wish to obtain graduate degrees in philosophy, theology, liturgy, and monastic studies. 3 Views. What are the characteristics of Benedictine spirituality? The meaning of stability in our day and time refers to staying rooted where we arein relationship with ourselves and with others, in order to grow in the spiritual life. In a very special way God speaks through the Scriptures, through the liturgy of the hours (opus Dei ), and through personal prayer. Or, am I living a lie, allowing myself to be conformed to every whim and temptation of my fallen nature? To complete our personal transformation, we never stop changing. Digital nun, writing for ibenedictines.org tells us,The practice of mindfulness, which for a Christian must always be the practice of mindfulness of the presence of God, is not something we learn in a few hours or even a few years. Their prayer discipline is based on the rhythms of the universe. Benedictine reverence for all creation applies to nature and all creatures, to the objects we use and make, and to all peoplepilgrims, the broken and downtrodden, to every single human, including ourselves. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. "Benedictine Spirituality Obedience is an act of letting go of the egoistic will. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Since Benedict was a monk, the spirituality which is based on his rule, is fundamentally monastic. Kyle T. Kramer explains in his 2011 article for America Magazine that hospitality, for a Benedictine, means to welcome all others as Christ, to recognize that despite vast differences, the diverse human family is part of the same God-given belonging, and we need one another to survive and thrive. This means facing our fears, letting prejudice and certitude die in us, and rooting ourselves in the love of God, the alpha and omega of the entire creation, the force that pulls everyone and everything toward a center that can hold. Benedictines hold strong convictions, but experience shows strident, uncompromising voices tend to foster arguments, tensions, and hostilitiesnot peace and love. Benedictines say mindfulness is as much as a Christian and biblical concept as it is a Buddhist one. Unfortunately, Jesus never indicated discipleship would be easy. Benedictines are called to strive for silence and have a love for silence. Divine omnipotence is a divine operative attribute, an, TAULER, JOHANNES 0000002499 00000 n Here are some of the characteristics of Benedictine spirituality: Grounded in Listening For Benedict, the spiritual life was about listening to Godthrough prayer, Scriptures, the depths of our own experience, through listening to others in our community and the wider church. Being in right relationship is wholly other than being in the right relationship. It isnt about finding the right person for me; its about being the right person to others in the way I show respect to them, in the way I accept their humanityeven their weaknesses and irritating personality traits. 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