Benedict calls the monastery a "school" because it is the place where the monk is to be taught by God. Are you a thoughtful reader (and maybe even a writer) who seeks a peaceful, just, spiritual approach to life? [] Review Benedictine Spirituality (Part 1 of 3) [], [] Review Core Values: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 1 of 3) [], [] Learn more about core Benedictine values. 0000004832 00000 n Which brings us back to awareness of God, to the beginning again. Only a year ago, after a year of formation, I became an Oblate of Saint Benedicts Monastery in St. Joseph, MInnesota. The whole spiritual life of the monk consists in listening to God by "inclining the ear of the heart." ." This practice is not particular to Benedictines, however. podcast at DiscerningHearts.com from the Missionary Benedictines of Christ the King Priory, Fr. Brendan Rolling, OSB of St Benedicts Abbey of Atchison, Kansas, Sister Joan tells us that a Benedictine lifestyle is an an oasis of human peace. You can order a free copy of Give Us This Day, published by Liturgical Press, by clicking here. Spirituality is the broad concept of a belief in something beyond the self. 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. In The Rule of Benedict for Beginners, Wil Derkse reveals how elements from Benedictine spirituality and the Benedictine lifestyle may be . Cultivating awareness of God is important for all who seek a meaningful spirituality. It is only in a secondary sense that Benedict himself, speaking through the rule, and the abbot of the community are masters. 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. This is not simply a change in my opinion or even in my ideological stance, but a much deeper change in my attitude, a real change in my way of being and doing. Listening is integral to the practice of conversatio, indeed to all the practices, which, as Laureen Virnig OSB teaches to Oblates in formation, are inseparable woven together to make of our spirituality a living tapestry. Benedictine monastics make a three-fold commitment to stability, conversion (conversatio), and obedience. In this article, I have merely collected and summarized what other, more experienced Benedictines have taught and published. Benedictine obedience is ultimately directed not to other humans or to ourselves, but through the agency of others and the deepest yearnings of our own hearts, in love, to God. He entered the Dominican novitiate c. 1315 in his na, Benedictine College: Narrative Description. Benedictine Abbeys and Priories in the U.S. Benedictine University: Narrative Description, https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/benedictine-spirituality. In no way am I qualified to be a teacher of the Benedictine way of life. For Benedict, prayer had a particular structure and process. 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." In a blog hosted by Holy Wisdom Monastery of Madison, Wisconsin, Lynne Smith, OSB writes that in America, middle and upper class people tend to imagine they are living self-sufficiently, believing they are able to pretty much take care of [their] needs. This self-deception is possible only when [w]e take for granted all the people who work behind the scenes to provide the food for the store, to staff and maintain the filling station and all those people involved in the health care system. What we know about St. Benedict himself comes to us mainly through Gregory the Great (ca. xref As time went on we decided that we needed a clear focus on the values. On the blog Catholic Beer Club, Br. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B explains that obedience means, , Fr. They are listeners and patient, willing to wait and see. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"Mjbegi0csMdpEDVeqSUEXsusxBikAj9UyKZw_VuRiag-86400-0"}; The typical person takes little time for personal renewal in the hectic daily round of activities. Father Mandonnet then lists three characteristics that are concerned more especially with the will. Just because these spiritualities are different does not mean they are contradictory. variety in physical characteristics, languages, and ways of life is really our . In 1893 the same pope provided the "order" with an Abbot . Stewardship of resources, as a Benedictine practice, flows out of the commitment to stability, explain. We prefer concepts like freedom and independence. This Benedictine practice is exceedingly difficult for most of us, for most of our lives. Benedictine spirituality took shape long before the split between Eastern and Western branches of the church in the 11 th century and the further divisions that resulted from the Reformation in the 16 th century. Successful organizational leaders practice self-mastery and teamwork. While submission is an act of youth, true obedience can only come as a response of maturity. 1. Near the end of his life in 547 AD, Benedict of Nursia wrote a a guide to living, in the company of other humans, the kind of good days that add up to a good life. It acted and penetrated not as a legislative text imposed from without by authority but rather as a leaven by virtue of its intrinsic power. Listen to the Holy Spirit speaking through scripture and through the insights of others. Bibliography: Marked for Life: Prayer in the Easter Christ (London 1979). Encyclopedia.com. "Let everyone that comes be received as Christ" is one of the most familiar and oft-quoted phrases of the Rule. The typical person takes little time for personal renewal in the hectic daily round of activities. 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. Within the Cite this article tool, pick a style to see how all available information looks when formatted according to that style. 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. However, the date of retrieval is often important. 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. This emphasis on silence is so that we can learn to listen to God more acutelyThis kind of sensitivity and awareness makes it easier to pray at all times. This article explains that silence is healthy for community life and fosters the learning of reverence for all creation. A devoted monk, he established the Rule of Benedict. defines the leader of a Benedictine community is not being head of an institution but being in relationship with all the members. The monk needs time along and needs time in community. Her muscular Christianity is grounded in the spiritual practices of the Rule of Saint Benedict, such as silence, hospitality, humility, and peace. Joan Chittister is a Benedictine sister with an ecumenical outreach and vision who has written more than 50 books. That is why the ministry of hospitality is such an important part of the Benedictine heritage. Benedictine monastics make a three-fold commitment to stability, conversion (conversatio), and obedience. k. vermeiren, Praying with Benedict: Prayer in the Rule of St. Benedict (Kalamazoo 1999). It is humility that takes the monk beyond the myth of his own grandeur to the grandeur of God. Benedictine writers often appealed to methods of prayer and asceticism that were foreign to the monastic tradition. Garcia Jimenez de Cisneros in . 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. He was born on March 2, 480 AD, in Norcia, Italy. Lectio divina involves contemplating what we read or hear in a Scripture, being receptive to the presence of God, and letting ourselves be transformed. For most of us, though, stability can have a figurative element beyond our experience with a [], 2023 Benedictine Center of St. Pauls Monastery, Core Values: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 1 of 3), Prayer and Community: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 2 of 3) - Benedictine Center, Lectio Divina and Preferring Christ: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 3 of 3) - Benedictine Center, My Day with the Sacred Fire | Benedictine Center, Saturated with Peace: Experiencing Personal Retreat | Benedictine Center, Wholehearted Living as the Lamed Vav | Benedictine Center, Practicing Sustained Lectio Divina | Benedictine Center, What Discernment Means to Me | Benedictine Center, Sabbath: Well-being, Not Endless Work | Benedictine Center, Moderation and Rhythm: A Benedictine Help Against Social Isolation | Benedictine Center, Stability: The Benedictine Value of Locatedness | Benedictine Center, The Erector Set: Adapting to Others | Benedictine Center, Sharper: Benedict's Tools for Good Works | Benedictine Center, The Benedictine Commitment to Learning | Benedictine Center, We Dare To Hope (Part 1 of 2) | Benedictine Center, We Dare To Hope (Part 2 of 2) | Benedictine Center, Life, A Continuous Advent | Benedictine Center, Rooted in Love: My Sustained Lectio Divina | Benedictine Center, Just Wave: Following that Holy Nudge | Benedictine Center. 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. Gymnasts do routines, yoga students practice poses, swimmers practice strokes, and tennis players practice their serves. Monastic life was punctuated by the rhythms of prayer during the hours of each day. 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. No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else." [], [] Learn more about Benedictine spirituality. FRANCISCAN SPIRITUALITY Franciscan spirituality motivates a way of following Christ that is based on the gospels. His books includeGratefulness,A Listening Heart, and most recently, a new autobiography,i am through you so. startxref Which value speaks to your heart most strongly at this time and why? Co-Director of the Spirituality Center. Digital nun, writing for ibenedictines.org tells us, Fr. published by Liturgical Press, by clicking here. Interviewed by Krista Tippett for her podcast On Being, Brother David talks about gratitude as the true wellspring of joy. 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. Not only does the Benedictine lifestyle fit well within the walls of the monastery, its interpretation of life is also suitable to other forms of society. It is the balanced spirituality that one finds in the Rule of Benedict that has made it attractive to many men and women throughout the ages. 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. d. rees et al., Consider Your Call: A Theology of Monastic Life Today (Kalamazoo 1978). It underscores the tenets of Care ethics in conjunction with Benedictine Spirituality. He wrote a Rule for his monastery at Monte Cassino in Italy and he foresaw . A crucial confessor and teacher for Ignatius very early in his spiritual journey was a French monk, Fr. The Benedictine practice of service to others is intimately entwined with the reverence for all creation, and another of the great foundations of Benedictine spirituality. The monk's own attitude toward his life then is one of stewardship. U`` . 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. Benedictine hospitality requires us to moderate our own views and voices, and in this day and age, as in all ages, moderation is supremely radical. By integrating their prayer and work, they manifest Christ's presence in society.". Music students practice their instruments. For Benedictines, being in right relationship means that we treat everyone we encounter with loving kindness and patience. We are moved to profound respect for the ways the Creator puts resources at our disposal to further the kingdom of God. Spiritual Direction, sometimes referred to as spiritual guidance or spiritual friendship, is an on-going relationship in which a person, desiring to be attentive to his or her spiritual life, meets with the spiritual director on a regular basis to become more attuned to God's presence and to respond more fully to that presence. In his spare time, you will find Sam tending his familys small tree farm or fly fishing for trout in Southeast Minnesota. Sister Joan Chittister is an extraordinarily prolific writer and among the most famous living Benedictines. As. Out of these . 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. Lynne Smith elaborates, All this service is sacred and to be done with reverence service is seen as a form of prayer, a way of seeking God. This practice is also linked inextricably to gratitude, as we give thanks for the ways we can serve and for those who serve us. The Rule of St. Benedict (RB) became a foundational text for monasticism in the West, having emerged in the sixth century as the Roman civilization was collapsing. Ordered by a rhythm of daily prayer that is Biblical and reflective The Rule revolves around five practices: Prayer, Work, Study, Hospitality and Renewal. Benedictine spirituality is rooted in the cultivation of good habits. It is a matter of self-respect and purpose which we see clearly in the changing nature of retirement. It is one among many schools that speak to contemporary hearts, yet it is particularly unique in its lasting impact on Western Christianity. For the readers convenience, I will include only six of them here along with a simple explanation. Benedictine detachment does not imply a disparagement of good things, nor a fear of their power, but rather a just appreciation of all things as gifts of God. 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. Tradition assigns no other end to monastic life than to "seek God" or "to live for God alone," an ideal that can be achieved only by a life of conversion and prayer. 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. There was societal chaos and political dissatisfaction and we might wish that the conditions of those times did not sound so familiar to our modern ears. Continue to Prayer and Community: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 2). 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