Benedictine

for the article on Orthodox Benedictines, see Order of Saint Benedict (Orthodox)

For the Anglican order of the same name, see Order of St. Benedict (Anglican)

St Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-543), detail from a fresco by Fra Angelico, San Marco, Florence (c. 1400-1455).

A Benedictine is a person who follows the Rule of St Benedict. Such a person may live the Consecrated Life (that is, as a monk or nun) or not (for example, as an oblate). The Order of Saint Benedict was founded in the sixth century in the Western Latin Rite of what was then the undivided Church. Both the Catholic Church and many separated ecclesial communities embrace the Benedictine monastic tradition to this day.

In the English Reformation all monasteries were dissolved and their lands confiscated by the throne. Since the Oxford Movement there has been a revival of Benedictine monasticism in the Anglican Church and other Christian Churches. Some Anglican Abbots are welcomed guests of the Roman Catholic Abbot Primate at Abbatial gatherings.

Outside a monastic context, "Benedictine" may also refer to a follower of another Benedict, especially a Saint Benedict or a Pope Benedict. "Benedictine" is also used as a more general adjective; thus, the papacy of a particular Pope Benedict may be called the "Benedictine era" or an abbey of the Order may be referred to as "Benedictine". Also, a student of a Benedictine school, may also be considered as "Benedictine" as in the case of Benedictine College, Saint Anselm College, San Beda College and Bede College.

The Order of Saint Benedict

The Order of Saint Benedict — full Latin name: Ordo Sancti Benedicti , initials: OSB — sometimes referred to as the Benedictine Order, is a term used to denote the independent monasteries that observe the Rule of St Benedict, supplemented by later constitutions and modern customaries. The monastery at Monte Cassino in Italy established by Saint Benedict of Nursia ca 529 was the first of the Benedictine monasteries. Most monasteries of the Middle Ages were of the Benedictine Order, even though it has been said Benedict himself did not intend for his Rule to become the standard for Western Monasticism. However, it has also been argued that he made this inevitable because he provided so efficient an institution. In fact, the Benedictine Monasteries made so great contributions to religion, econcomics, education, and government in their day that the years from 550 to 1150 can be called the Benedictine centuries. The original purpose of the monasteries, though, was not to contribute to culture, or even save it perhaps, but to ensure salvation for its members. Therefore, the Black Monks, as well as the Benedictine nuns (monastic women) had to take extremely strict religious vows of Stability (to remain in the monastery), of Conversation Morum, a Latin phrase still debated, and of Obedience (to the superior, because (s) he holds the place of Christ in their community) in accordance with ch. 58.17 of the Rule of Saint Benedict of Nursia. The abbots of the monasteries had absolute authority over the other monks; to assign them duties, punish them, and take charge of their comings and goings. All Benedictine monks and nuns are members of the Laity among the Christian Faithful; only those Benedictine monks who have been ordained priests are also members of the Hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. In daily life, the monks were held to the strictest discipline of unvarying routine. Silence was regular.

The "Order of St Benedict" is fundamentally different from other Western religious orders: there is no legal entity called the "Order of St Benedict", run on similar lines with other Roman Catholic religious orders with their Generalates and Superiors General. Rather, the various autonomous Houses (that is, communities) have formed themselves loosely into Congregations (for example, Cassinese, English, Solesmes, Subiaco, Camaldolese, Sylvestrines) that in turn are represented in the Benedictine Confederation.

Benedictines are usually Roman Catholics or members of one of the churches of the Anglican Communion, although they are occasionally found in other Christian denominations as well.

Benedictine monks (monastic men) and Benedictine nuns (monastic women) publicly profess the three Benedictine Vows of Stability (to remain in the monastery), of Conversion of Manners, and of Obedience in accordance with ch. 58.17 of the Rule of Saint Benedict of Nursia. According to the Code of Canon Law a Benedictine abbey is a "Religious Institute", and its professed members are therefore members of the "Consecrated Life", commonly referred to as "Religious". All Benedictine monks and nuns are members of the Laity among the Christian Faithful.

Benedictines who are not members of the Consecrated Life (i.e., Oblates) nevertheless endeavour to embrace the spirit of the Benedictine Vows in their own life in the world.

Within the Order of Saint Benedict, other religious that use the Rule of Saint Benedict and are generally considered to be of the Benedictine tradition are the Cistercians, Bernardines, and Benedictine Sisters of Grace and Compassion, although these are not part of the Benedictine Confederation.

The Benedictine motto is: pax (Latin: "peace"), traditionally also ora et labora (Latin: "pray and work").

Benedictine Monks were nicknamed "Black Monks" because of the color of their habits.

Rule of St. Benedict

St. Benedict writing the rules, painting (1926) by Hermann Nigg (1849-1928)

The Rule of St Benedict by Benedict of Nursia (fl. 6th century) is a book of precepts written for monks living in community under the authority of an abbot. Since about the 7th century it has been adopted with equal success by communities of women. During the 1500 years of its existence, it has become the leading guide in Western Christianity for monastic living in community, in Orthodoxy, Catholicism and (since the time of the Reformation) in the Anglican and Protestant traditions.

The spirit of St Benedict's Rule is summed up in the motto of the Benedictine Confederation: pax ("peace") and the traditional ora et labora ("pray and work"). Compared to other precepts, the Rule provides a moderate path between individual zeal and formulaic institutionalism; because of this middle ground it has been widely popular. Benedict's concerns were the needs of monks in a community environment: namely, to establish due order, to foster an understanding of the relational nature of human beings, and to provide a spiritual father to support and strengthen the individual's ascetic effort and the spiritual growth that is required for the fulfillment of the human vocation, theosis.

The Rule of St Benedict has been used by Benedictines for fifteen centuries, and thus St. Benedict is sometimes regarded as the founder of Western monasticism. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that Benedict intended to found a religious order. Not until the later Middle Ages is there mention of an "Order of St Benedict". His Rule is written as a guide for individual, autonomous communities; and to this day all Benedictine Houses (and the Congregations in which they have associated themselves) remain self-governing. Advantages seen in retaining this unique Benedictine emphasis on autonomy include cultivating models of tightly bonded communities and contemplative life-styles. Disadvantages are said to comprise geographical isolation from important projects in adjacent communities in the name of a literalist interpretation of autonomy. Other losses are said to include inefficiency and lack of mobility in the service of others, and insufficient appeal to potential members feeling called to such service.

Origins

Christian monasticism first appeared in the Eastern part of the Roman Empire a few generations before Benedict, in the Egyptian desert. Under the spiritual inspiration of Saint Anthony the Great (251-356), ascetic monks led by Saint Pachomius (286-346) formed the first Christian monastic communities under what became known as an Abba (Aramaic for "Father", from which the term Abbot originates). Within a generation, both solitary and communal monasticism became very popular and spread outside of Egypt, first to Palestine and the Judean Desert and thence to Syria and North Africa. Saint Basil of Caesarea codified the precepts for these eastern monasteries in his Ascetic Rule, or Ascetica, which is still used today in the Eastern Orthodox Church.

In the West in about the year 500, Benedict left the comfort of a student's life in Rome and chose the life of an ascetic monk in the pursuit of personal holiness, living as a hermit in a cave near Subiaco. In time, setting a shining example with his zeal, he began to attract disciples. After considerable initial struggles with his first community at Subiaco, he eventually founded the monastery of Monte Cassino, where he wrote his Rule in about 530.^{[citation needed]} In chapter 73 St Benedict commends the Rule of St Basil and alludes to further authorities. He was probably aware of the Rule written by (or attributed to) Pachomius; and his Rule also shows influence by the Rules of St Augustine and Saint John Cassian. Benedict's greatest debt, however, may be to the anonymous Rule of the Master, which he seems to have radically excised, expanded, revised and corrected in the light of his own considerable experience and insight. [1]

Aim

St Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-543), detail from a fresco by Fra Angelico, San Marco, Florence (c. 1400-1455).

St Benedict aimed with his Rule "to establish a school for the Lord's service" (cf. Prologue 45) where "we progress in this way of life [that, in his love, the Lord shows us] and in faith", and so "run along the way of God's commandments, our hearts overflowing with the inexpressible delight of love", in the hope that "never swerving from his instructions, but faithfully observing his teaching in the monastery until death, we shall through patience share in the passion of Christ that we may deserve also to share in his Kingdom" (cf. Prol. 21; 49-50).

Intended readership

The Prologue of St Benedict's Rule opens with the words: "Listen [carefully], o son" (Obsculta/Ausculta, o fili), an allusion to an important Old Testament wisdom tradition (e.g. Prov 1:8, 4:10, 19:20, 23:19).

The exclusive use of the masculine form continues throughout the entire Rule. Nevertheless, from earliest days, well before some modern editions of the Rule came to render these opening words with "Listen, my child", communities of women have no less lovingly and obediently than their Benedictine brethren "inclined the ear of their hearts" and "welcomed and faithfully put into practice this advice from the father who loves them" (cf. Prol. 1). Indeed, throughout the centuries, communities of women following the Rule of St Benedict have flourished just as much as their Benedictine brethren, if not more so. For a while there were also "Double Monasteries" — adjoining communities of Benedictine monks and nuns under the authority of one joint superior, usually an abbess — but they have not survived into modern times.

Overview of the Rule

The Rule opens with a prologue or hortatory preface, in which St Benedict sets forth the main principles of the religious life, viz.: the renunciation of one's own will and arming oneself "with the strong and noble weapons of obedience" under the banner of "the true King, Christ the Lord" (Prol. 3). He proposes to establish a "school for the Lord's service" (Prol. 45) in which the way to salvation (Prol. 48) shall be taught, so that by persevering in the monastery till death his disciples may "through patience share in the passion of Christ that [they] may deserve also to share in his Kingdom" (Prol. 50, passionibus Christi per patientiam participemur, ut et regno eius mereamur esse consortes; note: Latin passionibus and patientiam have the same root, cf. Fry, RB 1980, p. 167).

Secular significance

Beyond its religious influences, the Rule of St Benedict is one of the most important written works in the shaping of Western society, embodying, as it does, the idea of a written constitution, authority limited by law and under the law, and the right of the ruled to review the legality of the actions of their rulers. It also incorporated a degree of democracy in a non-democratic society.

Outline of the Benedictine life

St Benedict's model for the monastic life was the family, with the abbot as father and all the monks as brothers. Priesthood was not initially an important part of Benedictine monasticism – monks used the services of their local priest. Because of this, almost all the Rule is applicable to communities of women under the authority of an abbess.

St Benedict's Rule organises the monastic day into regular periods of communal and private prayer, sleep, spiritual reading, and manual labour – ut in omnibus glorificetur Deus, "that in all [things] God may be glorified" (cf. Rule ch. 57.9). In later centuries, intellectual work and teaching took the place of farming, crafts, or other forms of manual labour for many – if not most – Benedictines.

Traditionally, the daily life of the Benedictine revolved around the eight canonical hours. The monastic timetable or Horarium would begin at midnight with the service, or "office", of Matins (today also called the Office of Readings), followed by the morning office of Lauds at 3am. Before the advent of wax candles in the 14th century, this office was said in the dark or with minimal lighting; and monks were expected to memorize everything. These services could be very long, sometimes lasting till dawn, but usually consisted of a chant, three antiphons, three psalms, and three lessons, along with celebrations of any local saints' days. Afterwards the monks would retire for a few hours of sleep and then rise at 6am to wash and attend the office of Prime. They then gathered in Chapter to receive instructions for the day and to attend to any judicial business. Then came private Mass or spiritual reading or work until 9am when the office of Terce was said, and then High Mass. At noon came the office of Sext and the midday meal. After a brief period of communal recreation, the monk could retire to rest until the office of None at 3pm. This was followed by farming and housekeeping work until after twilight, the evening prayer of Vespers at 6pm, then the night prayer of Compline at 9pm, and off to blessed bed before beginning the cycle again. In modern times, this timetable is often changed to accommodate any apostolate outside the monastic enclosure (e.g. the running of a school or parish).

Many Benedictine Houses have a number of Oblates (secular) who are affiliated with them in prayer, having made a formal private promise (usually renewed annually) to follow the Rule of St Benedict in their private life as closely as their individual circumstances and prior commitments permit.

In recent years discussions have occasionally been held concerning the applicability of the principles and spirit of the Rule of St Benedict to the secular working environment.

Reforms

During the more than 1500 years of their existence, the Benedictines have not been immune to periods of laxity and decline, often following periods of greater prosperity and an attendant relaxing of discipline. In such times, dynamic Benedictines have often led reform movements to return to a stricter observance of both the letter and spirit of the Rule of St Benedict, at least as they understood it. Examples include the Camaldolese, the Cistercians, the Trappists (a reform of the Cistercians), and the Sylvestrines. At the heart of reform movements, past and present, lie hermeneutical questions about what fidelity to tradition means. For example are sixth-century objectives, like blending in with contemporary dress or providing service to visitors, better served or compromised by retaining sixth-century clothing or by insisting that service excludes formal educational enterprises?

Urban legend concerning the Rule of St Benedict

A popular urban legend claims that the Rule of St Benedict (when translated into English), contains the following (or similar) passage:

If any pilgrim shall come from distant parts with wish to dwell in the monastery, and will be content with the customs of the place, and does not by his lavishness disturb the monastery but is simply content, he shall be received for as long as he wishes.

If, indeed, he shall find fault with anything, and shall expose the matter reasonably and with the humility of charity, the Abbott shall discuss it with him prudently lest perchance God hath sent him for this very thing.

But, if he shall have been found contumacious during his sojourn in the monastery, then it shall be said to him, firmly, that he must depart. If he will not go, let two stout monks, in the name of God, explain the matter to him.

Though much of the supposed passage is condensed from Chapter 61 of the Rule, the Rule of St Benedict contains no language corresponding to the last sentence about "two stout monks"; though it is a popular myth that it does, with several reputable publications (and more than one church, and at least one Benedictine organization) repeating and propagating the error. At least one of the sources cited attributes the passage to a mythical Chapter 74; the Rule of St Benedict contains only 73 chapters. [2]. [3] [4] [5]

An early source for the quotation is the UC Berkeley faculty club, which has, for years, posted the above passage on its bulletin board in Gothic script. (There, the notice was not attributed to St Benedict). [6].

References

ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

• Dom Columba Marmion OSB, Christ the Ideal of the Monk – Spiritual Conferences on the Monastic and Religious Life (Engl. edition London 1926, trsl. from the French by a nun of Tyburn Convent).
• Western Society and the Church in the Middle Ages by R. W. Southern. Pelican, 1970.

External links

This article incorporates text from the public-domain Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913.

• Rule of Saint Benedict sources:
  • The Holy Rule of St. Benedict, translated by Rev. Boniface Verheyen, OSB.
    Online edition provided by St. Benedict's Abbey, Atchison, Kansas.
  • St. Benedict's Rule for Monasteries, translated by Leonard J. Doyle.
    A pocket-sized paperback edition, continuously in print since it was first published in 1948 by The Liturgical Press of Collegeville, Minnesota. Sections are dated so that The Rule may be read systematically three times a year.
  • The Rule of St. Benedict, translated by Leonard J. Doyle.
    Edited by David W. Cotter OSB of Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota. This hardbound edition was published by The Liturgical Press of Collegeville to commemorate the 75th anniversary of its founding in the 1930s.
  • Latin text and modern language translations of the Rule, including a version for women's communities. From the official OSB website.
  • A brief introduction on the history and spirit of the Benedictine life, as well as the English text of RB 1980 – The Rule of St Benedict in Latin and English with Notes, Timothy Fry OSB (ed.), Collegeville 1981 (Prologue and cch. 1-7 only, with a commentary by Abbot Philip Lawrence OSB) From the website of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert.

• Rule of Saint Benedict topics:
  • Quotes from the Rule of St Benedict, Abbot Benjamin, from Nakili 'O Lani (Window To Heaven) Abbey. Read also Abbot's Reflections
  • The Rule of St Benedict as a Guide to Catholicity from the website of St Gregory's Abbey (Episcopalian)
  • Discussion Paper by Dermot Tredget OSB, Can the Rule of St Benedict Provide an Ethical Framework for a Contemporary Theology of Work?, Belmont 2002.
  • Resource books on the Rule of St Benedict (# 3), Monastic Life (# 4), History of Monasticism (# 5).
  • Example of the letter and spirit of the Rule applied in a Benedictine community.
  • An Introduction to the Rule by Jerome Theisen, former Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation
  • St. Benedict's Abbey - Benedictine Brothers and Fathers in America's Heartland
  • Benedictine College - Dynamically Catholic, Benedictine, Liberal Arts, and Residential
  • The Division of Psalms according to the Rule of St. Benedict

• Benedictine publication on the "two stout monks" myth:
  • Monastic Topic: Work

• General Benedictine topics:
  • The Benedictine Confederation of congregations.
  • Anglican Benedictines.
  • Oblates (secular) affiliated with individual Benedictine Houses.
  • J. Klassen, E. Renner, M. Reuter, Catholic Benedictine Values in an Educational Environment.
  • Some Benedictine titles in print.
  • Lexicon of monastic terms (German).
  • Follow up to the BBC Two programme "The Monastery".
  • Orthodox Benedictines & Oblates

• The Order of Saint Benedict - Official website of the order as it exists in the Catholic church
• St Benedict's Blessing; A Website on Benedictinism
• Catholic Encyclopedia entry for The Benedictine Order
• Confoederatio Benedictina Ordinis Sancti Benedicti, the Benedictine Confederation of Congregations
• Links of the Congregations

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