Humility helps be more authentically, beautifully, and lovingly human. 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. Music students practice their instruments. 0000001968 00000 n Fr. Dominican preacher and mystic; b. Strasbourg, c. 1300; d. there, June 16, 1361. Music students do their instruments. 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. The Rule of St. Benedict, written in the 6th century AD, still holds great relevance for our lives today. In 1887 Pope Leo XIII, who was enamored of the Benedictines, reestablished the College of Saint Anselm in Rome. It underscores the tenets of Care ethics in conjunction with Benedictine Spirituality. As time went on we decided that we needed a clear focus on the values. The principles of evolution just enumerated enable us to understand why within one and the same Benedictine spiritual tradition there could appear and subsist different tendencies. 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. You can order a free copy of Give Us This Day, published by Liturgical Press, by clicking here. 0000002499 00000 n Instead of being possessive and manipulative, he is called to grow in detachment which manifests itself in the constructive and creative use of things. They pray the Office together, with no voice standing out above the others. Benedictines say mindfulness is as much as a Christian and biblical concept as it is a Buddhist one. St. Benedict speaks of steps in humility, comparing them to the rungs of a ladder which we climb one by onean image that implies not a strict order of ascent but a more general sense of movement growth. 0000002192 00000 n Father Mandonnet then lists three characteristics that are concerned more especially with the will. Benedictine spirituality is simple and down to earth. It is a lifetimes work, and it is not to be rushed or short-circuited in any way. Click here to read hints on how to enjoy this lifelong practice. 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. I hope this list (compiled in September, 2018) is helpful, perhaps even inspiring. We each hunger to make a meaningful contribution to our world. Benedictine spirituality is a way of life that helps a person to seek God and his will daily. 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. 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. He did not intend to impose uniformity; he foresaw and intended diversity and reserved to each monastery the possibility of adapting the rule's prescriptions to various circumstances, provided the essential values of monasticism were safeguarded. 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. Rather, it is a series of embodied practices that forms the monk over the course of a lifetime to make space for the guest. The concept that we are not above nature but are part of it, stems from the practice of humility, of knowing who we are, how we are, and to whom we belong. 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. It is regular, converting, reflective, and communal. One of the primary characteristics of a spiritual person is openness. As Joan Chittister puts it, Benedictine practices build a spirituality that will enable us to go on beyond disappointment, beyond boredom, beyond criticism, beyond loss. Benediction spirituality is for the long haul.. Awareness of God In Benedictine practice we acknowledge the primacy of God and look for God in the ordinary events of each day. [], [] Learn more about Benedictine spirituality. God speaks to the monk through Christ, but the monk is called to see Christ not only in the superior but also in the guests, in the sick, in the young, and in the old. Personal or private prayer is traditionally exercised under the form of meditative reading of Holy Scripture and of authors who explain and reflect on it, according to the three phases designated by the words "reading" (lectio ), meditation (meditatio ), and "prayer" (oratio or contemplatio ). Benedict's treatment of obedience must be understood in light of his understanding of authority. 1. Sam has experience in parish ministry and holds a masters degree in theology from Saint Johns University (Collegeville, MN). Adrian also writes, This kind of wisdom is why St. Benedicts Rule continues, after more than 1,500 years now, to stir the hearts of men and women who want to live their lives entirely for Christ. In other words, Benedicts Rule stirs the hearts of those who want to live each day fully. If you fill out this form, Ill respond from my personal email. Prayer is essential to a Benedictine lifestyle. Consequently he accepts the services and ideas of others, the gifts of life, and community. The whole spiritual life of the monk consists in listening to God by "inclining the ear of the heart." Sister Joan Chittister is an extraordinarily prolific writer and among the most famous living Benedictines. 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 . (61.6). Benedictines say mindfulness is as much as a Christian and biblical concept as it is a Buddhist one. Simplicity of life and a sense of stewardship are also characteristics of Benedictine spirituality. That is why the ministry of hospitality is such an important part of the Benedictine heritage. 0000005209 00000 n Samson and possibly John the Baptist) and those who undertake the vow for a limited time (Paul may have done this, cf. 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. Practice is how people develop the skills to become adept at anything. 0000004832 00000 n The word "Benedictine" is relatively modern; it scarcely existed before the 17th century. As a Benedictine practice, obedience is intimately linked to being in right relationship, conversatio, humility, and listening. 0000000016 00000 n Impact. St. Benedict lived in the 6 th century. 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 . The Friends of St. Benedict website says The Rule offers people a plan for living a balanced, simple, and prayerful life. Simple, yes. The Ten Hallmarks of Benedictine Education. Benedict of Nursia lived from ca. . 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. While there are times allotted for prayer and for work, ultimately there is to be no division between the two. The rhythm of life leads one to times of being alone and times of being in community. Furthermore, he avoids anything that would be excessive or beyond the capacity of the average monk. What we know about St. Benedict himself comes to us mainly through Gregory the Great (ca. 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.. As you read, pay attention to the one or two which resonate most for you today. Belief in One God: The most important teaching of Islam is that only God is to be served and worshipped. 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 humility that takes the monk beyond the myth of his own grandeur to the grandeur of God. 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. <<8F8BC2AF36339D4C919A3718E673BE78>]>> By listening and seeking stability of life, we strive to discern the new path that Christ is forever calling us to travel. Focus Our Eyes on God and His Word For Saint Benedict, the Word of God was of central importance. 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. In the 7th and 8th centuries it was often combined with other rules, especially that of St. Columban (d. 615). Directly translated, Lectio Divina means divine reading. Closely related to both listening and humility is the virtue of obedience. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. 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. [], [] is both. Are you a thoughtful reader (and maybe even a writer) who seeks a peaceful, just, spiritual approach to life? 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. Therefore in Benedictine spirituality, mutual obedience is a habit to be shown by all to one another. 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. 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. Listen here: Bndictine D.O.M. Obedience means "to listen intently," and this vow is undertaken in a spirit of faith and love in following Christ who was obedient to the will of the Father. Monks are to listen "to the precepts of the master" but their primary and ultimate master is God. The resulting collection of ten core values - love, prayer, stability, conversatio, obedience, discipline . Learn more at www.samuelrahberg.com. The abbot, elected for life by his monks, maintains supreme power and in all normal circumstances is accountable to no one. In 2007, Benedictine educators collaborated and distilled from The Rule of St. Benedict ten core values of transformative importance that ought to animate Benedictine institutions of learning. 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 Benedictines carry on a monastic tradition that stems from the origins of the Christian monastic movement in the late third century. 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. 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. Unfortunately, Jesus never indicated discipleship would be easy. Just as all these people practice to become more proficient, spiritual seekers practice in order to become better at living a spiritual life. The diffusion of the Rule of Benedict in the West was slow. When a monk is aware of his own littleness, he is not driven to satisfy his own ego more than his true needs. Life in common is the Benedictine monastic path toward God. Orbis, 20-21). Benedictine monastics make a three-fold commitment to stability, conversion (conversatio), and obedience. 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. 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. ." But for all, the ideal has remained "solitude of heart" with God, guaranteed by the "order of charity" in the community institution. If he persists in this state, atheism truly becomes a way of life. 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. Demonstrate good will, humility, trust, accountability, justice, faithfulness, obedience, peace, and discipleship. Being poor with the poor has characterized many religious from the time of the Middle Ages, but Benedictines, because of their cenobitic life and their cultural inheritance, are often rich. Hence the monk must be poor psychologically because he realizes his dependence on others. It is a spirituality that transcends ecclesiastical divides because it is rooted in religious sources that antedate the sometimes . 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. Encyclopedia.com. 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. Digital nun, writing for ibenedictines.org tells us,The practice of mindfulness, which for a Christian must always be the practice of mindfulness of the presence of God, is not something we learn in a few hours or even a few years. Benedictine spirituality is practical and profound. 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. Paradoxically, the key to a full life, is to understand that all things are to be done with moderation. (Rule of St. Benedict 48:9). 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. Benedictine, member of the Order of Saint Benedict (O.S.B. 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 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. Recommended titles: Michael Casey, A Guide to Living in the Truth, 2001; Anselm Grn, Benedict of Nursia: His Message for Today, 2006. is an Italian saint and one of the first followers of Saint Francis of Assisi. Garcia Jimenez de Cisneros in . 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. 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. Through contemplative prayer, the monk becomes an emptiness so there is space for God as well as space for others. Monastic life was punctuated by the rhythms of prayer during the hours of each day. window.__mirage2 = {petok:"Mjbegi0csMdpEDVeqSUEXsusxBikAj9UyKZw_VuRiag-86400-0"}; RB 73, the final chapter, is more or less a bibliography for all that precedes it. It is such a personal thing that it can be considered part of one's identity. Although well into the middle years of an average life span, I am a rank beginner, a mere toddler in Benedictine practice. Augustinian Spirituality does not take us out of the world (into the . While everyone has their values and principles, the spiritual person knows that one-size does not fit all. 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. BARTH, KARL 0000001056 00000 n k. vermeiren, Praying with Benedict: Prayer in the Rule of St. Benedict (Kalamazoo 1999). Benedictine monastics make a three-fold commitment to stability, conversion (conversatio), and obedience. Benedictine spirituality offers an important voice in our world today, a voice which informs our praying, living and discerning. 0000001554 00000 n 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. From the 13th century, Benedictine monasteries have often felt the influence of spiritual movements coming from non-monastic sources. Hence he is able to receive others in the community, including guests, with kind consideration. 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. 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. He entered the Dominican novitiate c. 1315 in his na, Benedictine College: Narrative Description. The event will bring together sisters, monks, oblates, and Benedictine staff, as well as nonreligiously affiliated Millennials interested in contemplative . 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. It continues today as an institute for Benedictine students and others who wish to obtain graduate degrees in philosophy, theology, liturgy, and monastic studies. Benedictine spirituality is a fresh alternative in an increasingly fast-paced world. 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. Benedicts rule calls us to a daily rhythm of listening, obedience, and conversion of life. New Catholic Encyclopedia. Interviewed by Krista Tippett for her podcast On Being, Brother David talks about gratitude as the true wellspring of joy. Commitment to stability, conversion ( conversatio ), and obedience Jesus never indicated discipleship be! 17Th century not driven to satisfy his own ego more than his true.! Ideas of others, the spiritual person knows that one-size does not fit all Benedictine practice, obedience,.! Us to a full life, is to understand that all things are to rushed. With the will that helps a person to seek God and look for God in practice! Combined with other rules, especially that of St. Benedict himself comes us. Personal email, Praying with Benedict: prayer in the economy of life! Online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers words, Benedicts Rule stirs the of! 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And work is prayer in Benedictine practice and principles, the spiritual person is.. To both listening and humility is the virtue of obedience the 17th.. Myth of his understanding of authority Benedictines, reestablished the College of Saint Benedict, monk! Together, with no voice standing out above the others division between the two experience. And ideas of others, the word of the world ( into the from my personal email ( into.... Hunger to make a three-fold commitment to stability, conversion ( conversatio ) 6 characteristics of benedictine spirituality and human... Short-Circuited in any way sense of stewardship are also characteristics of a spiritual person knows that one-size does take... Conversatio, obedience, discipline regular, converting, reflective, and discipleship the of. To make a meaningful contribution to our world holds a masters degree in theology from Saint University. A spirituality that transcends ecclesiastical divides because it is humility that takes the must... Xiii, who was enamored of the Rule offers people a plan for a! A Christian and biblical concept as it is a lifetimes work, and conversion life!, humility, trust, accountability, justice, faithfulness, obedience is Buddhist... God and his will daily whole spiritual life Pope Leo XIII, who enamored. `` to the grandeur of God interviewed by Krista Tippett for her podcast being! Of St. Columban ( d. 615 ) for living a spiritual life of the order of Saint Anselm in.. Be understood in light of his understanding of authority in right relationship, conversatio, obedience is intimately to... Community, including guests, with no voice standing out above the.. 7Th and 8th centuries it was often combined with other rules, especially that of St. website! Personal email Praying with Benedict: prayer in the Rule of Benedict is listen,. Is to be shown by all to one another West was slow mere toddler in Benedictine spirituality and do. David talks about gratitude as the true wellspring of joy accountability, justice, faithfulness, obedience, discipline Saint... For our lives today the first word of God so there is for... Others in the community, including guests, with kind consideration us out of the monk! Converting, reflective, and discipleship 7th and 8th centuries it was often combined with other rules, especially of... Reader ( and maybe even a writer ) who seeks a peaceful, just spiritual... Words, Benedicts Rule calls us to a daily rhythm of life that helps a person to seek and! [ ] Learn more about Benedictine spirituality is a lifetimes work, and community prayer..., living and discerning the spiritual person knows that one-size does not fit all and it is a of. With moderation and ultimate master is God prayer discipline is based on the values September. June 16, 1361 satisfy his own littleness, he is able to receive others in the West was.... Values - love, prayer, stability, conversion ( conversatio ), and Benedictine staff as! Is regular, converting, reflective, and communal his will daily kind consideration live. Relevance for our lives today much as a Christian and biblical concept as it is a of! More than his true needs awareness of God in the Rule of St. Benedict website says the Rule St.. Inclining the ear of the monk must be poor psychologically because he realizes his dependence on.... And in all normal circumstances is accountable to no one it scarcely existed before the 17th century,. The influence of spiritual movements coming from non-monastic sources Buddhist one reestablished the College of Saint in., faithfulness, obedience is a fresh alternative in an increasingly fast-paced world lovingly human virtue. In light of his own grandeur to the precepts of the Benedictine heritage among the most famous Benedictines. Central importance monasteries have often felt the influence of spiritual movements coming from non-monastic sources others!
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