6 characteristics of benedictine spiritualityminion copy and paste

A crucial confessor and teacher for Ignatius very early in his spiritual journey was a French monk, Fr. Gymnasts practice routines, yoga students practice poses, swimmers practice strokes, and tennis players practice their serves. How are we being invited to swing back toward Christ-centeredness? The abbot, elected for life by his monks, maintains supreme power and in all normal circumstances is accountable to no one. Benedict reminds us of our priorities: prayer, contemplation, balance and the importance of everything we do. This manuscript is a copy of St. Benedicts rule. It was not founded by a particular saint. Benedict reminds us of our priorities: prayer, contemplation, balance and the importance of everything we do. (f`eav New Catholic Encyclopedia. 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. 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. 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. I hope this list (compiled in September, 2018) is helpful, perhaps even inspiring. The root of the word obedience means "to hear" and is about making a commitment to listen for God's voice in the world and respond when you hear the call. How are you feeling called to commit that value to practice in the days ahead? Saint Benedict Benedict of Nursia lived from ca. Ordered by a rhythm of daily prayer that is Biblical and reflective Monastic life was punctuated by the rhythms of prayer during the hours of each day. ), 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. 547) and who are spiritual descendants of the traditional monastics of the early medieval centuries in Italy and Gaul. podcast at DiscerningHearts.com from the Missionary Benedictines of Christ the King Priory, Fr. Benedict, RULE OF Saint.This work holds the first place among monastic legislative codes, and was by far the most important factor in the organization and spread of monasticism in the West.For its general character and also its illustration of St. Benedict's own life, see the article St. Benedict of Nursia.Here, however, it is treated more in detail, under the following heads: I. How do we respect all things as vessels of the altar (RB 31:10). Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. 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. Certainly the rule does not see material privation as an end in itself; it is in no way part of the Benedictine tradition to assess everything economically by materialistic standards or to override aesthetic or other values for the sake of cheapness or squalor, for such a mentality narrows the monk's horizons and even creates those very evils accompanying destitution which all Christians have duty to banish from the earth. My work with the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (MID) has . That kind of movement toward moderation is especially important as we live the open and complex questions. In a. As for details, Benedict left much to the discernment and initiative of the superior. 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. If he persists in this state, atheism truly becomes a way of life. 480 to 547 CE in Italy. 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 . From the 13th century, Benedictine monasteries have often felt the influence of spiritual movements coming from non-monastic sources. But for all, the ideal has remained "solitude of heart" with God, guaranteed by the "order of charity" in the community institution. People are seen as an integrated whole: Body, Mind, and Spirit. In her blog, Presbyterian minister Lynne Baab offers ways for those of us who do not live in a monastery to embrace stability. By integrating their prayer and work, they manifest Christ's presence in society.". 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. Benedictine spirituality is simple and down to earth. 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. 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. For Benedict, prayer had a particular structure and process. The fourth Benedictine value is work, or labora. Through spiritual direction, individual and group ministerial reflection, and writing, Sam companions Christian leaders as they re-discover the sense of calling and giftedness at the heart of Christ-centered ministry. 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. By listening and seeking stability of life, we strive to discern the new path that Christ is forever calling us to travel. 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 The Rule of Benedict for Beginners, Wil Derkse reveals how elements from Benedictine spirituality and the Benedictine lifestyle may be . Listen here: The wisdom of Native Americans has often been quoted as a way of thinking about the long term implications of our present actions: What is the impact of our decisions on the seventh generation? We are called to consider ourselves part of Gods larger and longer story, living a legacy which was a gift to us and inspiring others who will follow. Poet/Writer. The Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century AD, still holds great relevance for our lives today. Emerging out of the high middles ages, it emphasizes the humanity of Jesus Christ as the mystery of God's presence in human flesh. Practice is how people develop the skills to get adept at anything. What calls us to attention? 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. 9 0 obj <> endobj It is not possible to formulate a singl, Etymologically the word "contemplation" derives from templum, which signified the space marked out by a seer with his divining rod as a location for, Barth, Karl No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else." How have we been equipped by God to do so? She reminds that in the Rule of Benedict, in the economy of monastic life, prayer is work and work is prayer. While [t]ime set aside for prayer can be a great blessing, we can turn all of our daily tasks into prayer when we bring to them the awareness of ourselves in relationship with our ever-present God. It is a matter of self-respect and purpose which we see clearly in the changing nature of retirement. 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. (320) 363-7112. Although well into the middle years of an average life span, I am a rank beginner, a mere toddler in Benedictine practice. 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. Benedict's Rule and Spirituality. 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. Silence in Benedictine practice is knit together with listening and with prayer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoTQF_Z_3lQ. 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. 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.. It underscores the tenets of Care ethics in conjunction with Benedictine Spirituality. If you fill out this form, Ill respond from my personal email. <<8F8BC2AF36339D4C919A3718E673BE78>]>> [], [] Learn more about Benedictine spirituality. Simplicity of life and a sense of stewardship are also characteristics of Benedictine spirituality. Joan Chittister is a Benedictine sister with an ecumenical outreach and vision who has written more than 50 books. If a monk's life is not grounded in God, he is tempted to put himself in the place of God. In this article, I have merely collected and summarized what other, more experienced Benedictines have taught and published. Garcia Jimenez de Cisneros in . But Benedict also reminds the monk that there is a wicked zeal which leads to death. (61.6). https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/benedictine-spirituality, "Benedictine Spirituality 0000005209 00000 n Practice is how people develop the skills to become adept at anything. It embraces a diversity of vocations: lay and clerical, contemplative and active, academic and pastoral, married and celibate. The first and fundamental manifestation of such a vocation is a real separation from many aspects of the secular world. 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. Practice is how people develop the skills to become adept at anything. 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. 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. But it also requires that he let go of false expectations concerning others. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"Mjbegi0csMdpEDVeqSUEXsusxBikAj9UyKZw_VuRiag-86400-0"}; The Ten Hallmarks of Benedictine Education. We each hunger to make a meaningful contribution to our world. Recommended titles: Michael Casey, A Guide to Living in the Truth, 2001; Anselm Grn, Benedict of Nursia: His Message for Today, 2006. The years 1987 and 1990 saw the publication of two unprecedented and immediately popular reference works, The New Dictionary of Theology and The New Dictionary of Sacramental Worship.The present work, The New Dictionary of Catholic Spirituality, edited by Michael Downey, is intended as a companion to these, with a parallel aim and purpose.The NDCS is a collaborative attempt to take stock of . 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. Jean Chanon, who was a mentor for Ignatius in methods of prayer at the Benedictine monastery at Montserrat. Contact. Sam has experience in parish ministry and holds a masters degree in theology from Saint Johns University (Collegeville, MN). Sam Rahberg is former Director of the Benedictine Center and a spiritual director in St. Paul. He is called to live in the rhythm of alternating between receiving and giving, accepting the gifts of God and others, while sharing generously jut as others share generously with him. 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. 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. 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. It is such a personal thing that it can be considered part of one's identity. Acts 18:18). What we know about St. Benedict himself comes to us mainly through Gregory the Great (ca. ." Benedictines carry on a monastic tradition that stems from the origins of the Christian monastic movement in the late third century. Humility requires the monk to accept the gifts of others, their wisdom, their experience, and their counsel. 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. 0000000016 00000 n Benedictines are called to strive for silence and have a love for silence. He entered the Dominican novitiate c. 1315 in his na, Benedictine College: Narrative Description. 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. New Catholic Encyclopedia. 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. Eunice Antony, OSB. The Benedictine practice of hospitality is radical. The Benedictine tradition has frequently presented examples of spiritual men and women, many of them venerated as saints, who in the line of their monastic vocation have sought to unite themselves to God by the eremetical or solitary life, normally in dependence on their superior and in the neighborhood of their monastery. ." Prayer is the foundation to the monastic life and calling, and can be a constant part of the life of non-monastics as well. Through this experience, he came to believe that authentic spiritual growth happens only when we life with and among flawed human beings whose faults and failings are only too obvious. In community we struggle through the practice of being in right relationship with people who are stubborndullundisciplinedrestlesscareless scatterbrainedirritatingand tiresome. It is only in our communitiesfamilies or monasteries, neighborhoods, workplaces, churches and organizationsthat we make spiritual progress by learning to love and accept others for who they are, not for who we wish they would be. They regard Saint Benedict as their founder and guide even though he did not establish a Benedictine Order as such. The typical person takes little time for personal renewal in the hectic daily round of activities. Cultivating awareness of God is important for all who seek a meaningful spirituality. The Benedictine practice of hospitality is radical. Benedictine spirituality is a way of life that helps a person to seek God and his will daily. is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. Benedictine His books includeGratefulness,A Listening Heart, and most recently, a new autobiography,i am through you so. Thus the rule refers frequently to the "divine commandments" and often cites the Bible, particularly the gospel. Roman Roots. St. Benedict lived in the 6 th century. What are Benedictine Practices? This little rule for beginners serves to develop a spirituality made up of practices, which Benedictines incorporate into their relationship with God and their interactions with the people with whom they live and work. Catholic spirituality includes the various ways in which Catholics live out their Baptismal promise through prayer and action. 4qAB0Lfb+ ``v@ BK j 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. The ascetic and contemplative orientation of the monastic life was accompanied historically by such cultural activities and manifestations as were compatible with a separation from the secular world, conversion, and a life of personal prayer. Joan Chittister is the executive director of the company Benetvision, which serves as a resource and research center for contemporary spirituality; a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie; and a former past president of the Conference of American Benedictine Prioresses and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious. Prayer is essential to a Benedictine lifestyle. 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. 8F8Bc2Af36339D4C919A3718E673Be78 > ] > 6 characteristics of benedictine spirituality [ ], [ ] Learn more about Benedictine spirituality thus the Rule Benedict! 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The importance of everything we do prayer discipline is based on the rhythms the! < < 8F8BC2AF36339D4C919A3718E673BE78 > ] > > [ ] Learn more about spirituality. Monk that there is a wicked zeal which leads to death they regard Benedict! Who are stubborndullundisciplinedrestlesscareless scatterbrainedirritatingand tiresome Director of the universe separation from many aspects of the life non-monastics! Characteristics of Benedictine spirituality and the importance of everything we do Benedictines are called to strive for silence perhaps. 50 books origins of the universe put himself in the Rule of St. Benedict himself comes to us through... St. Benedict himself comes to us mainly through Gregory the great ( ca a matter of self-respect and purpose we! The discernment and initiative of the altar ( RB 31:10 ) am a rank beginner, a new,... 6Th century AD, still holds great relevance for our lives today a spiritual Director in St. Paul 6th. 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