6 characteristics of benedictine spirituality6 characteristics of benedictine spirituality

It shows itself in the way (emphasis mine) you put up with the many things of your daily life, sickness, death, war, persecution, mishaps and misfortunes of every kind. In other words, without awareness of God and without gratitude, indeed, without the interweaving of all these practices into our lives, patience cannot exist. Even the Cistercians, who in the 12th century had intended to return to a faithful observance of the rule itself, added numerous statutes. The Rule of Benedict opens with the word "listen" (ausculta ). In no way am I qualified to be a teacher of the Benedictine way of life. Characteristics of Benedictine Spirituality. Romey is the driving force behind "Being Benedictine in the 21st Century: Spiritual Seekers in Conversation," a conference planned for June 2020 at Mount St. Scholastica in Atchison. 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. // endobj We prefer concepts like freedom and independence. This practice is not particular to Benedictines, however. Emerging out of the high middles ages, it emphasizes the humanity of Jesus Christ as the mystery of God's presence in human flesh. 0000002422 00000 n According to monastic scholar Fr. 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. . [CDATA[ Benedictine Spirituality It may seem odd that some of the best guidelines for achieving balance in our world today, where stress has become the norm, come from a sixth-century Italian monk who at one point chose to live by himself in a cave. 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. Poet/Writer. The Rule of St. Benedict has often been referred to as a compendium of the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. This grows our ability to rest in stability. 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. He was born on March 2, 480 AD, in Norcia, Italy. Benedictine spirituality helps us to: Focus our eyes on God and His Word Be a people of humility Live and pray in community, rather than being too individualistic Maintain prayerful discipline in our lives 1. He was the son of a noble and grew up in Rome. The monk is called to discern how the Benedictine tradition speaks to the basic human condition, often characterized by blindness and greed. 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. He writes: "The will develops its own gifts, seeking to perfect them in the order of nature and of grace so as to bring the faithful soul to spiritual maturity. 0000002192 00000 n In contemporary society, Christian spirituality is generally defined as a set of beliefs, values, and way of life that reflect the teachings of the Bible, the holy book of Christianity. In other words, to be a good Franciscan means to be a good Christian. It is rooted in faith, and like Christ's own simplicity of life must be an outward expression of trustful dependence on God. 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. The Friends of St. Benedict website says The Rule offers people a plan for living a balanced, simple, and prayerful life. Simple, yes. Quick and easy, no. Columba Stewart OSB, the 73 brief chapters of the RB make up four major sections. By listening and seeking stability of life, we strive to discern the new path that Christ is forever calling us to travel. It strives to answer questions about the meaning of life, how people are connected to each other, truths about the universe, and other mysteries of human existence. Benedictine monks have often received freely from their families and educators, from the rich Benedictine tradition, from the abundant life of their own communities, and from the many mercies of God. Furthermore, he avoids anything that would be excessive or beyond the capacity of the average monk. What makes spiritual direction distinctive is its Benedict called this lifelong process conversatiomorum or conversion of life. On the constitutional level, Benedict's supreme achievement was to provide a succinct and complete directory for the government and the spiritual and material well-being of a monastery. I hope this list (compiled in September, 2018) is helpful, perhaps even inspiring. 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. Benedictine spirituality is a fresh alternative in an increasingly fast-paced world. j. chittister, The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages (New York 1992). 0000002499 00000 n Mauritius Wilde O.S.B explains that obedience means to listen. The typical person takes little time for personal renewal in the hectic daily round of activities. Silence in Benedictine practice is knit together with listening and with prayer. 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. It is specified solely by a commitment to God sanctioned by public vows. It is likewise through that response that one becomes free to be and develop as the person one is called to be. Stop the madness; listen to the God who loves you. Before writing his Rule, Benedict lived for years as a hermit. thats most of the time. Co-Director of the Spirituality Center. Nazirites (Numbers 6:1-21): Nazirites were of two types: those who were dedicated from birth to be a Nazirite (e.g. 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. Belief in One God: The most important teaching of Islam is that only God is to be served and worshipped. . Practice is how people develop the skills to get adept at anything. Prince of Peace is a community of Benedictine monks that has been in San Diego County since 1958, but their community spans more than 1,400 years of uninterrupted tradition dating back to St. Benedict. Are you a thoughtful reader (and maybe even a writer) who seeks a peaceful, just, spiritual approach to life? Obedience is a concept 21st-century souls dont generally like to consider. 0000000820 00000 n We are women and men for and with others, hearing both the cry of the . In this article, I have merely collected and summarized what other, more experienced Benedictines have taught and published. 0000001968 00000 n Finding God in All Things. Gymnasts do routines, yoga students practice poses, swimmers practice strokes, and tennis players practice their serves. Since Benedict was a monk, the spirituality which is based on his rule, is fundamentally monastic. It is rather the fact that monastic existence is a form of religious life having not secondary or ministerial purpose. 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. Hence he is able to receive others in the community, including guests, with kind consideration. Ive drawn this list of 22 (+ 1 = 23) Benedictine practices (arranged alphabetically) from Stepping into the Oblate way of life, published by St. Benedicts Monastery in 2017, when Laureen Virnig OSB served as Director of Oblates. 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. Chris Sullivan nexplains in her blog post Work and Prayer in the Style of St. Benedict for Loyala Press. Saint Benedict Benedict of Nursia lived from ca. Augustinian Spirituality does not take us out of the world (into the . (f`eav In an article for HuffPost Sister Joan tells us that a Benedictine lifestyle is an an oasis of human peace in a striving, searing, simmering world. This lifestyle disallows war and violence on any level, including the root causes of violenceambition, greed, waste of resources, class distinctions, and the hubris that leads to the oppression of others, that justifies force as the sign of our superiority. This lifestyle makes ample room for what it valuescommunity, prayer, stewardship, equality, stability, conversion, peace all [which] make for communities of love. Without humility, Sr. Joan explains, there can be no peace. How do we respect all things as vessels of the altar (RB 31:10). Benedictine Sr. Mary Lou Kownacki, a major force behind the ministries and outreach that shaped the Benedictines of Erie, Pennsylvania, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, died Jan. 6 at . But the monk's development, like that of all human beings, requires both material resources and the help of other people. "Benedictine Spirituality 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. 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. They are listeners and patient, willing to wait and see. Although well into the middle years of an average life span, I am a rank beginner, a mere toddler in Benedictine practice. defines the leader of a Benedictine community is not being head of an institution but being in relationship with all the members. In his book Humility Rules: Saint Benedicts Twelve-Step Guide to Genuine Self-Esteem, Augustine Wetta, a Benedictine monk, teaches, The sum of all virtues is reverence. In this 2-minute video, Father Mark Goring (Companions of the Cross) says This profound and humble [Benedictine practice of] reverence for all things is one of the great foundations of Benedictine spirituality. He explains that this reverence flows from prayer. is an herbal liqueur produced in France. How are you being called to participate in Gods work of reconciliation, healing, and in shaping structures that support values like these. Encyclopedia.com. Humility requires the monk to accept the gifts of others, their wisdom, their experience, and their counsel. Garcia Jimenez de Cisneros in . In 1893 the same pope provided the "order" with an Abbot . That kind of movement toward moderation is especially important as we live the open and complex questions. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). 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. 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. 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. Some of the key characteristics of Benedictine spirituality include: Liturgy of the Hours; Lectio Divina (prayerful reading of Scripture) Eucharist; Benedictine Spirituality includes the willingness to: Seek God; Use the Gospel and the Rule of Benedict as a guide; Listen to one another . Reading the transcript or listening to the podcast is worthwhile. 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. All monks are by definition "solitaries," for this is the original meaning of their name, which comes from the Greek word monachos, derived from monos, to which corresponds the Latin solus (alone). Benedictine, member of the Order of Saint Benedict (O.S.B. Benedictine Abbeys and Priories in the U.S. Benedictine University: Narrative Description, https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/benedictine-spirituality. . Jesus said "Whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me." (see Matthew 25: . Simplicity of life and a sense of stewardship are also characteristics of Benedictine spirituality. St. Vincent teaches us to see Christ in the poor and suffering, so much so that the poor become our Lords and Masters and we their servants. Because I couldnt find relevant, simple answers online to the questions, What is Benedictine Spirituality? and What are Benedictine practices? I decided to publish this summary of 23 habits Benedictines seek, through lifelong practice, to cultivate into a lifestyle. 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. 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. The Rule of St. Benedict structures this for the monk. It may be an old liqueur but it has a well-deserved place in the modern bar. 2. 0 What are the characteristics of Benedictine spirituality? We stumble through being in right relationship. The Benedictine motto, "Prayer and Work," highlights this simplicity of obedience to our daily duties. The monk needs time along and needs time in community. 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. Having the mind of a beginner, being receptive to starting anew, starting fresh, starting overthis, too, is a Benedictine practice. St. Benedict lived in the 6 th century. The Ten Hallmarks of Benedictine Education. "No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else." - Rule of St. Benedict 72:7 A Raven is Collaborative Collaborative Ravens create a spirit of teamwork. It is humility that takes the monk beyond the myth of his own grandeur to the grandeur of God. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B explains that obedience means, , Fr. Benedictines carry on a monastic tradition that stems from the origins of the Christian monastic movement in the late third century. It continues today as an institute for Benedictine students and others who wish to obtain graduate degrees in philosophy, theology, liturgy, and monastic studies. The Cistercian Order reinforced the eremetical character of the cenobitical life itself. 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