St. Benedict - Feast Day today; the founder of Western Monasticism

Saint Benedict is known as the Father of Western Monasticism (think "The Rule of St. Benedict") due to his great influence on the shape and character of monastic life in the West. He lived in the 6th century as the Roman Empire - and society - collapsed.

Here's a link to a short article in Franciscan Media about Benedict.

Here's little longer article by a Benedictine priest at Belmont Abbey College, outside of Charlotte. Tim and I visited Belmont Abbey when he was looking at colleges; he'd been accepted there. It's kept it's Catholic heritage more than most Catholic colleges. Ultimately Tim chose St. Thomas Aquinas College in Rockland County.

Faced with a world in chaos, what did St. Benedict do?

Christian believers will celebrate the feast day of Saint Benedict of Norcia. The early sixth century saint still shines as one of Western culture’s brightest lights. And yet, of all the things that can rightly be said about him, sometimes the most obvious is missed. When the young saint found himself desolate and confused, what did he do?

Rather than accepting a life of bitterness, or joining in the debauchery of his day, or allowing himself to be overwhelmed by darkness and attempting to take his own life, Benedict chose a different option.

The historical record is accurate in recounting Benedict’s synthesizing of the Eastern eremitical and monastic traditions, and his subsequent formalization of Western monasticism by his well-balanced and famous Rule, which describes the structure, responsibilities, and harmony of a monastic community.

It’s also appropriate to note Benedict’s zeal with which he labored in creating monasteries throughout Italy, which led to monasteries being formed throughout Europe and eventually throughout the entire world (including Belmont Abbey in the area of Charlotte, North Carolina).

While these accolades should rightly be made and properly acknowledged, it’s worth pointing out again that the most obvious - and most impressive - thing about this saint is oftentimes overlooked or unappreciated, namely, what he did with a state of affairs that he didn’t want and couldn’t fix.

Benedict was from a wealthy and established family. He grew up shortly after the implosion of the great Roman Empire, and his life was surrounded by the chaos that follows such a monumental cultural shock and re-structuring. In spite of the social instability, the comfortability of Benedict’s family provided him with a relatively normal childhood and experience of life. And so, when the young Benedict went to Rome for his education, he was appalled by the disorder and turmoil in society and the licentiousness and corruption of its leaders. He found himself existentially dissatisfied and completely unhappy.

What did Benedict do?

Haha. Hit the link above to find out. It's only a few paragraphs.

Comments

[Sweat]

St. Benedict is truly great, but one would be remiss not to also note that July 11 is also the Feast Day of the first of the long line of Pius's, Pope St. Pius the First, who was a martyr.

Saints Benedict and Pius the First - PRAY FOR US !