The Benedictine practice of mindfulness, like all the Benedictine practices, is lifelong. The RB is saturated with Scripture and, as Esther de Waal has suggested in her book Seeking God: The Baptismal Invitation of the Rule of St. Benedict (Liturgical Press, 2009), the Prologue exemplifies this as a model of baptismal instruction. For example, Let us get up then, at long last for the Scriptures rouse us when they say: It is high time for us to arise from sleep (Rom 13:11), or Run while you have the light, that the darkness of death may not overtake you (John 12:35). Scripture and baptism undergird the Benedictine vision of Christian discipleship, a vision which relies on a prayerful orientation toward God and relationships which support us in Christ-centeredness. c. smith, The Path of Life (Ampleforth, England 1995). Lets make ours a truly humana listening and reverentconnection. Hence, conversion to Christ and response to his love through the power of the Holy Spirit are the goals of obedience. Successful organizational . Benedictine Spirituality - also known as Monastic Spirituality. Even the Cistercians, who in the 12th century had intended to return to a faithful observance of the rule itself, added numerous statutes. Lectio divina involves contemplating what we read or hear in a Scripture, being receptive to the presence of God, and letting ourselves be transformed. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. This pattern of sharing is a basic characteristic of a cenobitic community. 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. 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. 0000000556 00000 n Anglican spirituality is an ecclesial spirituality because Christian spirituality is all about life in Christ, which necessarily means life in His Body. BARTH, KARL (18861968), Swiss Reformed theologian, described by Pope Pius XII as the greatest theologian since Thomas Aquina, A term used to cover a literally bewildering variety of states of mind. 1. Living the Benedictine spirituality, as a monk, an . //]]>. It encourages a life balance between corporate worship, spiritual reading and work in the context of community. Yes, work, too, is a basic tenet of Benedictine Spirituality. Benedictine writers often appealed to methods of prayer and asceticism that were foreign to the monastic tradition. <<8F8BC2AF36339D4C919A3718E673BE78>]>> Stability Benedictine hospitality is not some broad pedagogical idea. This grows our ability to rest in stability. We go forth into the world as contemplatives in action, discerning God's desire for our lives here, now, and acting on God's invitation. Teaching Artist. xref 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. It's not a principle that defines what it means to be a Benedictine institution. New Catholic Encyclopedia. If he persists in this state, atheism truly becomes a way of life. Hence he is able to receive others in the community, including guests, with kind consideration. 480 to 547 CE in Italy. Roman Roots. We always can go deeper in prayer, grow more open to the truth, enrich our understanding of the will of God, and learn what, in this moment at this time, is good, acceptable, and right. podcast at DiscerningHearts.com from the Missionary Benedictines of Christ the King Priory, Fr. 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. An atheist is a man who lives without God. 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. Bndictine D.O.M. 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. 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. 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. In this article, I have merely collected and summarized what other, more experienced Benedictines have taught and published. 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 gives the Rule of Benedict its exceptional quality has commonly been called its "discretion," in the double sense of the word: discernment and moderation. 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. It is a spirituality that transcends ecclesiastical divides because it is rooted in religious sources that antedate the sometimes . Simplicity of life and a sense of stewardship are also characteristics of Benedictine spirituality. Benedictine spirituality is a fresh alternative in an increasingly fast-paced world. It embraces a diversity of vocations: lay and clerical, contemplative and active, academic and pastoral, married and celibate. 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. Prayer is the foundation to the monastic life and calling, and can be a constant part of the life of non-monastics as well. 6 Characteristics Of Benedictine Spirituality . [contact-form][contact-field label=Name type=name required=1 /][contact-field label=Email type=email required=1 /][contact-field label=Website type=url /][contact-field label=Comment type=textarea required=1 /][/contact-form], Downloaded from the web site of the Bodleian library: [1]. On a personal level the rule calls the monk to live a life marked by frugality, simplicity, and gratitude for the many gifts of God. 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. You can learn more about her in her Living Spiritual Teachers Project profile. Balance is less about achieving perfect equilibrium than it is a pendulum which continuously swings back toward a central point. 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. That kind of movement toward moderation is especially important as we live the open and complex questions. Benedictine spirituality is a way of life that helps a person to seek God and his will daily. (61.6). How have we been equipped by God to do so? 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. These prayers, which included the saying or chanting of the psalms, can be experienced in our Daily Office. It underscores the tenets of Care ethics in conjunction with Benedictine Spirituality. 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 . The abbot, elected for life by his monks, maintains supreme power and in all normal circumstances is accountable to no one. In contrast to monks who fled the world to encounter God in solitude, St. Benedict's Rule was written to guide communities in living elemental aspects of Christianitysuch as shared meals, shared prayer, and shared work. Although well into the middle years of an average life span, I am a rank beginner, a mere toddler in Benedictine practice. Only a year ago, after a year of formation, I became an Oblate of Saint Benedicts Monastery in St. Joseph, MInnesota. What makes spiritual direction distinctive is its This is the key to Benedict's whole spiritual teaching. 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. 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). Acts 18:18). Consequently he accepts the services and ideas of others, the gifts of life, and community. 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. 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. In a. 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. Its principal source is the Word of God and its model is Christ. 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. Benedictines say mindfulness is as much as a Christian and biblical concept as it is a Buddhist one. Life in Benedictine monasteries was also deeply influenced by the clericalization of many of the monks and the episcopal ordination of many abbots. 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. Encyclopedia.com. It is one among many schools that speak to contemporary hearts, yet it is particularly unique in its lasting impact on Western Christianity. 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. 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. No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else." It is not one of the distinguishing characteristics of early monastic life. 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. 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. Sam has experience in parish ministry and holds a masters degree in theology from Saint Johns University (Collegeville, MN). Gymnasts practice routines, yoga students practice poses, swimmers practice strokes, and tennis players practice their serves. This listening is not merely an intellectual or rational activity; it is intuitive, springing from the very core of the monk's being where he is most open to God and most open to the word of life that God speaks. Silence in Benedictine practice is knit together with listening and with prayer. You can read more about the Liturgy of the Hours by clicking here, but the best way to learn about Liturgical prayer is to find a monastery and experience it. Emerging out of the high middles ages, it emphasizes the humanity of Jesus Christ as the mystery of God's presence in human flesh. There is a temptation to complicate it, to . 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. 1. Benedictine spirituality is rooted in the cultivation of good habits. Music students do their instruments. Co-Director of the Spirituality Center. a. de vog, The Rule of Saint Benedict: A Doctrinal and Spiritual Commentary (Kalamazoo 1983). j. chittister, The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages (New York 1992). 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. To be empowered by anything less than the God of love is to risk evil zeal in the name of vengeance. Listen to the Holy Spirit speaking through scripture and through the insights of others. 1. People are seen as an integrated whole: Body, Mind, and Spirit. Rather, it is a series of embodied practices that forms the monk over the course of a lifetime to make space for the guest. Kyle T. Kramer explains in his 2011 article for America Magazine that hospitality, for a Benedictine, means to welcome all others as Christ, to recognize that despite vast differences, the diverse human family is part of the same God-given belonging, and we need one another to survive and thrive. This means facing our fears, letting prejudice and certitude die in us, and rooting ourselves in the love of God, the alpha and omega of the entire creation, the force that pulls everyone and everything toward a center that can hold. Benedictines hold strong convictions, but experience shows strident, uncompromising voices tend to foster arguments, tensions, and hostilitiesnot peace and love. Eunice Antony, OSB. New Catholic Encyclopedia. But the monk's development, like that of all human beings, requires both material resources and the help of other people. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. 0000000016 00000 n He was born on March 2, 480 AD, in Norcia, Italy. 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. In the East it dates back to the 3rd century with St. Anthony, and in the West to the 4th century with St. Martin and other founders of monasteries. Refer to each styles convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. The first and fundamental manifestation of such a vocation is a real separation from many aspects of the secular world. 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.. published by Liturgical Press, by clicking here. Benedictines believe that the Christian life is best lived not through the extremes of any harsh religious asceticism but in the daily context of good, balanced life in community. 0000005209 00000 n Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. Monks are to listen "to the precepts of the master" but their primary and ultimate master is God. 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. Impact. 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. 2. startxref It insists that God is present in our world and active in our lives. 0000004832 00000 n This invitation to listen came to Benedict from the heart of the Old and New Testament traditions. Unfortunately, Jesus never indicated discipleship would be easy. Monastic Spirituality. Since Benedict was a monk, the spirituality which is based on his rule, is fundamentally monastic. In 1893 the same pope provided the "order" with an Abbot . 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. 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. 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. Reading the transcript or listening to the podcast is worthwhile. 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. Benedict of Nursia lived from ca. 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). Humility enables the monk to stand in awe before the world and to receive the gifts of God and others. On the blog Catholic Beer Club, Br. Saint Gregory has written that Saint Benedict, in entering his solitude, had no other desire than "to please God alone", "soli Deo placere desiderans." These simple words, better than any others, explain the monastic vocation. The Path of life that helps a person to seek God and others Stability Benedictine hospitality is not one the... A central point ago, after a year of formation, I have merely collected summarized... 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