The abbot, elected for life by his monks, maintains supreme power and in all normal circumstances is accountable to no one. 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. Benedictine j. chittister, The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages (New York 1992). 3 Views. 4qAB0Lfb+ ``v@ BK
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He entered the Dominican novitiate c. 1315 in his na, Benedictine College: Narrative Description. Cultivating awareness of God is important for all who seek a meaningful spirituality. Benedict reminds us of our priorities: prayer, contemplation, balance and the importance of everything we do. The School of Benedictine Spirituality is willing to help people enhance their spirituality, which is claimed to be a search for the sacred that is seen as "a blend of humanistic psychology with mystical and esoteric traditions and eastern religions aimed at personal well-being and personal development" ( Benedictine spirituality, 2013, par . Unfortunately, Jesus never indicated discipleship would be easy. 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 Abbeys and Priories in the U.S. Benedictine University: Narrative Description, https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/benedictine-spirituality. It's not a principle that defines what it means to be a Benedictine institution. This pattern of sharing is a basic characteristic of a cenobitic community. Therefore, its best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publications requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. 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. A monk spends his whole life becoming humble. Humility enables the monk to stand in awe before the world and to receive the gifts of God and others. You can learn more about her in her Living Spiritual Teachers Project profile. I hope this list (compiled in September, 2018) is helpful, perhaps even inspiring. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B explains that obedience means, , Fr. The typical person takes little time for personal renewal in the hectic daily round of activities. Obedience is a concept 21st-century souls dont generally like to consider. (61.6). Emerging out of the high middles ages, it emphasizes the humanity of Jesus Christ as the mystery of God's presence in human flesh. 4. endstream
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Benedicts rule calls us to a daily rhythm of listening, obedience, and conversion of life. It is humility that takes the monk beyond the myth of his own grandeur to the grandeur of God. Just as all these people practice to become more proficient, spiritual seekers practice in order to become better at living a spiritual life. 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). Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Which value speaks to your heart most strongly at this time and why? Furthermore, he avoids anything that would be excessive or beyond the capacity of the average monk. 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. 0000001968 00000 n
to the Rule is a good way to summarize the goal of Benedictine spirituality and prayer. %%EOF
This Benedictine practice is exceedingly difficult for most of us, for most of our lives. Benedictine spirituality is practical and profound. He is called to witness in a materialistic world to the dependence of all men and women on God, and to their need and destiny for a happiness that lies beyond material fulfillment. In this article, I have merely collected and summarized what other, more experienced Benedictines have taught and published. FRANCISCAN SPIRITUALITY Franciscan spirituality motivates a way of following Christ that is based on the gospels. He wrote a Rule for his monastery at Monte Cassino in Italy and he foresaw . 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. Impact. 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. Sam has experience in parish ministry and holds a masters degree in theology from Saint Johns University (Collegeville, MN). 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. [] Review Benedictine Spirituality (Part 1 of 3) [], [] Review Core Values: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 1 of 3) [], [] Learn more about core Benedictine values. Digital nun, writing for ibenedictines.org tells us, Fr. What is Benedictine Spirituality? Francis consulted her, especially when he was discerning between becoming a hermit and being an itinerant preacher. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. 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. Ignatian spirituality challenges us to encounter God in all things, witnessing to the joy of the Gospel. [CDATA[ Benedictine spirituality offers an important voice in our world today, a voice which informs our praying, living and discerning. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. 0000002192 00000 n
Demonstrate good will, humility, trust, accountability, justice, faithfulness, obedience, peace, and discipleship. There were also other forms of monastic life, but they were more or less eccentric in comparison with the two main types and sometimes led to abuse. Patience does not relieve us of our natural feelings of aversion, irritation, and indignation, but it controls and rises above these feelings Our Lord felt the natural impulse to avoid suffering, but He set aside and refused to listen to this feeling: Father not my will but Thine be done.Where does this patience show itself? Just as all these people practice to become more proficient, spiritual seekers practice in order to become better at living a spiritual life. 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. Continue to Prayer and Community: Benedictine Spirituality (Part 2). 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). Listen to the Holy Spirit speaking through scripture and through the insights of others. 1) They know that not one-size-fits-all. We are moved to profound respect for the ways the Creator puts resources at our disposal to further the kingdom of God. The monk is called to discern how the Benedictine tradition speaks to the basic human condition, often characterized by blindness and greed. [], [] Learn more about Benedictine spirituality. Humility demands that the monk take God seriously, that he take others seriously, but that he never take himself too seriously. Roman Roots. For most Oblates. However, it may involve the following characteristics: Antiquity of 3,000 and 1,500 years. In his blog Benedictine Monks, Fr. SUGGESTED BOX ON PRAYER The psalms eloquently express how we feel and how we think about life and time and God. 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. 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. The Rule of Benedict opens with the word "listen" (ausculta ). 2. Sam Rahberg is former Director of the Benedictine Center and a spiritual director in St. Paul. A devoted monk, he established the Rule of Benedict. Saint Benedict Benedict of Nursia lived from ca. Lets make ours a truly humana listening and reverentconnection. It encourages a life balance between corporate worship, spiritual reading and work in the context of community. Commit to daily, weekly or monthly prayer disciplines. Benedictines say mindfulness is as much as a Christian and biblical concept as it is a Buddhist one. Having the mind of a beginner, being receptive to starting anew, starting fresh, starting overthis, too, is a Benedictine practice. He was the son of a noble and grew up in Rome. 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. In Benedictine practice we acknowledge the primacy of God and look for God in the ordinary events of each day. trailer
How are you being called to participate in Gods work of reconciliation, healing, and in shaping structures that support values like these. If there is anything that everyone of us in the whole world needs more of right now, its peace. As a Benedictine practice, obedience is intimately linked to being in right relationship, conversatio, humility, and listening. 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! Hence the monk must be poor psychologically because he realizes his dependence on others. It may be an old liqueur but it has a well-deserved place in the modern bar. It is a matter of self-respect and purpose which we see clearly in the changing nature of retirement. 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. About oblates, the Benedictine order says: "Oblates seek God by striving to become holy in their chosen way of life. An atheist is a man who lives without God. For vowed monastics, stability is literala long-term commitment to a specific place and community. Garcia Jimenez de Cisneros in . U`` . 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. He is author of Ice Break: A Collection of Poems (Aetos Publications, 2019), Enduring Ministry: Toward a Lifetime of Christian Leadership (Liturgical Press, 2017), and The Gospels in Poem and Image (Aetos Publications, 2016-2019). Ignacio Gonzalez, OSB writes that the Benedictine practice of Conversatio requires that we never stop asking hard questions about our personal growth. Only a year ago, after a year of formation, I became an Oblate of Saint Benedicts Monastery in St. Joseph, MInnesota. <<8F8BC2AF36339D4C919A3718E673BE78>]>>
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When I consider Benedictine hospitality, I like to extend this notion to the dialogues we initiate with those of other religious and spiritual backgrounds, especially with non-Christians. The Benedictine practice of mindfulness, like all the Benedictine practices, is lifelong. The Rule of St. Benedict structures this for the monk. It is likewise through that response that one becomes free to be and develop as the person one is called to be. 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. 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. Yes, work, too, is a basic tenet of Benedictine Spirituality, Chris Sullivan nexplains in her blog post Work and Prayer in the Style of St. Benedict for Loyala Press. 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. thats most of the time. 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. Humility fosters stronger, healthier connections within communities by breaking down the artificial barriers between individuals. If you fill out this form, Ill respond from my personal email. 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. 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. Joan Chittister is a Benedictine sister with an ecumenical outreach and vision who has written more than 50 books. Among the many available lists of core Benedictine values, I find that of Saint Johns Abbey to be one of the most helpful. Consequently he accepts the services and ideas of others, the gifts of life, and community. This discussion shows that its impossible to isolate any Benedictine practice as independent of the others. New Catholic Encyclopedia. Benedictines are called to strive for silence and have a love for silence. It underscores the tenets of Care ethics in conjunction with Benedictine Spirituality. 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. No one thingprayer, work, rest, studywas to be done in the extreme. 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. 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. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoTQF_Z_3lQ. 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. 0000001056 00000 n
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. The discipline of slowing down to pay attention renews our orientation toward receiving the presence of Christ. It embraces a diversity of vocations: lay and clerical, contemplative and active, academic and pastoral, married and celibate. Encyclopedia.com. Benedictine hospitality is not some broad pedagogical idea. What do I make (or make possible) with the precious energy of my life? We are women and men for and with others, hearing both the cry of the . It is humility that makes us happy with what we have, willing to have less, kind to all, simple in our bearing, and serene within ourselves. It only takes 2-3 minutes to read her article. In chapter 72 of the rule, Benedict encourages his monks to be zealous, "supporting with the greatest patience one another's weaknesses of body and behavior, and earnestly competing in obedience to one another. Adrian Burke, OSB writes, Benedict insists in his Rule that we must balance our lives with prayerand work, with readingand recreation, with restand activity. Benedictines attempt to incorporate all of these important aspects into every day. backgrounds including non-Catholic ones find deep spirituality in the Divine Office and the other Benedictine practices in the Rule such as the emphasis on work and lectio divina (slow prayerful reading), is difficult to state briefly. BARTH, KARL But for all, the ideal has remained "solitude of heart" with God, guaranteed by the "order of charity" in the community institution. Getting Started with Ignatian Spirituality Beyond the Basics of Ignatian Spirituality He does not harbor illusions of grandeur but senses that all of his life is simply gift. The Augustinian identity may be summed up as "The Search for God Together" by means of a Community through which we share our faith and life in a nurturing environment, and out of which is mutually generated our wholehearted service to society, the Church and world. (February 22, 2023). Hence they are rich compared with many who come to the monastery for help. c. smith, The Path of Life (Ampleforth, England 1995). 9 13
We stumble through being in right relationship. 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. According to monastic scholar Fr. As. Catholic spirituality includes the various ways in which Catholics live out their Baptismal promise through prayer and action. Downloaded from the web site of the Bodleian library: Created: 8th century date QS:P,+750-00-00T00:00:00Z/7, we acknowledge the primacy of God and look for God in the ordinary events of each day, 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, requires that we never stop asking hard questions about our personal growth, The Sisters of St. Benedict in Ferdinand, Indiana explain the importance of community life in Benedictine practice on their website, Interviewed by Krista Tippett for her podcast, Kyle T. Kramer explains in his 2011 article for America Magazine that hospitality, for a Benedictine, An essay by the Sisters of St. Marys Monastery in Rock Island, IL explains that, Read the full essay to learn more about how humility helps us grow, This article on the Contemplative outreach website explains the history of, As Good Samaritan Sister Clare Condon writes, Listening with the ear of the heart, read more about the Liturgy of the Hours by clicking here. In The Rule of Benedict for Beginners, Wil Derkse reveals how elements from Benedictine spirituality and the Benedictine lifestyle may be . We are no more self-sufficient than the poor whose dependence on the service of others cant be hidden. The Rule of Benedict teaches that Monastics should serve one another (35:1). 540-604 CE), who praised Benedict for his discretion and moderation. Augustinian Spirituality does not take us out of the world (into the . Adrian Burke, OSB writes, Benedict insists in his. Where it was adopted, it was looked upon as a venerable text but not necessarily requiring observance in all its prescriptions. Although well into the middle years of an average life span, I am a rank beginner, a mere toddler in Benedictine practice. 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. Interviewed by Krista Tippett for her podcast On Being, Brother David talks about gratitude as the true wellspring of joy. Little by little, however, the Rule of Benedict became the principal rule, particularly in the Anglo-Saxon countries and in Italy. 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. 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. Benedictine spirituality offers an important voice in our world today, a voice which informs our praying, living and discerning. Nazirites (Numbers 6:1-21): Nazirites were of two types: those who were dedicated from birth to be a Nazirite (e.g. Belief in One God: The most important teaching of Islam is that only God is to be served and worshipped. In no way am I qualified to be a teacher of the Benedictine way of life. There are three primary commitments in the Benedictine way that form the spiritual backbone for the rest of the spiritual practicesobedience, stability, and conversion. 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. 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 has a well-deserved place in the whole world needs more of right now, its peace Benedicts in. Ideas of others, hearing both the cry of the Benedictine tradition speaks to Rule. Ministry and holds a masters degree in theology from Saint Johns Abbey to be in... Alternative in an increasingly fast-paced world the gifts of God is important for all who seek meaningful. 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