6 characteristics of benedictine spirituality30 Mar 6 characteristics of benedictine spirituality
For Benedictines, being in right relationship means that we treat everyone we encounter with loving kindness and patience. Living the Benedictine spirituality, as a monk, an . Benedictine Center is affiliated and operated in partnership with St. Pauls Monastery. 0000000556 00000 n Humility is also a dominant theme in Benedictine spirituality; in fact it is closely related to contemplation. Where it was adopted, it was looked upon as a venerable text but not necessarily requiring observance in all its prescriptions. 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. 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. The meaning of stability in our day and time refers to staying rooted where we arein relationship with ourselves and with others, in order to grow in the spiritual life. We become obedient only after we know our own will. RB 73, the final chapter, is more or less a bibliography for all that precedes it. On the blog Catholic Beer Club, Br. The Cistercian Order reinforced the eremetical character of the cenobitical life itself. 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. Benedictines say mindfulness is as much as a Christian and biblical concept as it is a Buddhist one. The Prologue through RB 7 are a foundational primer; RB 8-20 speak of liturgical prayer; RB 20-67 include teachings for the common life; and RB 68-72 offer a theology of monastic life with an emphasis on love (Prayer and Community: The Benedictine Tradition. Vincentian spirituality is centered around this concept. 1) They know that not one-size-fits-all. In The Rule of Benedict for Beginners, Wil Derkse reveals how elements from Benedictine spirituality and the Benedictine lifestyle may be . Cultivating awareness of God is important for all who seek a meaningful spirituality. The Rule revolves around five practices: Prayer, Work, Study, Hospitality and Renewal. It underscores the tenets of Care ethics in conjunction with Benedictine Spirituality. 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 Benedictine simplicity of life is understood properly with the reality of Christ and his mission in mind. 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. (320) 363-7112. mholicky@csbsju.edu. a. de vog, The Rule of Saint Benedict: A Doctrinal and Spiritual Commentary (Kalamazoo 1983). The Benedictine practice of Liturgical prayer is one of Benedictine spiritualitys most visible, unmistakable hallmarks. There is a temptation to complicate it, to . A devoted monk, he established the Rule of Benedict. This model of [], [] rather than continually traveling on to somewhere else. I hope this list (compiled in September, 2018) is helpful, perhaps even inspiring. . window.__mirage2 = {petok:"Mjbegi0csMdpEDVeqSUEXsusxBikAj9UyKZw_VuRiag-86400-0"}; Mauritius Wilde O.S.B explains that obedience means, , Fr. In his spare time, you will find Sam tending his familys small tree farm or fly fishing for trout in Southeast Minnesota. d. rees et al., Consider Your Call: A Theology of Monastic Life Today (Kalamazoo 1978). Roman Roots. As time went on we decided that we needed a clear focus on the values. Hence he is able to receive others in the community, including guests, with kind consideration. New Catholic Encyclopedia. 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. You will likely recognize the timeless quality of the values which has caused them to endure for centuries and continue speaking to the many layers of our human experience (personal, familial, communal and societal). The monk's own attitude toward his life then is one of stewardship. 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. Consequently he accepts the services and ideas of others, the gifts of life, and community. ." The Benedictine practice of Moderation in All Things is another that is trending today, under the word balance. In the blog Echoes from the Bell Tower, Fr. Sister Joan Chittister is an extraordinarily prolific writer and among the most famous living Benedictines. 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. Samson and possibly John the Baptist) and those who undertake the vow for a limited time (Paul may have done this, cf. But Benedict also reminds the monk that there is a wicked zeal which leads to death. 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. Benedictine hospitality requires us to moderate our own views and voices, and in this day and age, as in all ages, moderation is supremely radical. In 1887 Pope Leo XIII, who was enamored of the Benedictines, reestablished the College of Saint Anselm in Rome. Benedictine spirituality is practical and profound. Ignacio Gonzalez, OSB writes that the Benedictine practice of Conversatio requires that we never stop asking hard questions about our personal growth. In Benedict's rule, humility is not the same as humiliations, for humiliations degrade the person. This article on the Contemplative outreach website explains the history of lectio divina, and offers instruction in how to do it. Bibliography: Marked for Life: Prayer in the Easter Christ (London 1979). Practice is how people develop the skills to get adept at anything. In this article, I have merely collected and summarized what other, more experienced Benedictines have taught and published. He simply organized a form of cenobitic life in complete conformity with the demands of the monastic vocation, which is but integral Christian life. k. vermeiren, Praying with Benedict: Prayer in the Rule of St. Benedict (Kalamazoo 1999). As you read, pay attention to the one or two which resonate most for you today. No one thingprayer, work, rest, studywas to be done in the extreme. Poet/Writer. Benedictine spirituality offers an important voice in our world today, a voice which informs our praying, living and discerning. How are you feeling called to commit that value to practice in the days ahead? 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. Father Mandonnet then lists three characteristics that are concerned more especially with the will. Her muscular Christianity is grounded in the spiritual practices of the Rule of Saint Benedict, such as silence, hospitality, humility, and peace. 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. 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. If there is anything that everyone of us in the whole world needs more of right now, its peace. Yes, work, too, is a basic tenet of Benedictine Spirituality. What do I make (or make possible) with the precious energy of my life? Gymnasts practice routines, yoga students practice poses, swimmers practice strokes, and tennis players practice their serves. Benedictine Sr. Mary Lou Kownacki, a major force behind the ministries and outreach that shaped the Benedictines of Erie, Pennsylvania, in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, died Jan. 6 at . As Sister Julie explains on the blog A Nuns Life, The Liturgy of the Hours is made up of specific prayers said at various time (hours) during the day and night. The devotio moderna is an example. Stability Benedicts rule calls us to a daily rhythm of listening, obedience, and conversion of life. He writes: "The will develops its own gifts, seeking to perfect them in the order of nature and of grace so as to bring the faithful soul to spiritual maturity. We are all accountable as steward of creation, they tell us. As a Benedictine practice, obedience is intimately linked to being in right relationship, conversatio, humility, and listening. 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. How do we respect all things as vessels of the altar (RB 31:10). c. smith, The Path of Life (Ampleforth, England 1995). U`` . Belief in One God: The most important teaching of Islam is that only God is to be served and worshipped. It is specified solely by a commitment to God sanctioned by public vows. 2. 3 Views. <<8F8BC2AF36339D4C919A3718E673BE78>]>> The typical person takes little time for personal renewal in the hectic daily round of activities. It is such a personal thing that it can be considered part of one's identity. In a blog hosted by Holy Wisdom Monastery of Madison, Wisconsin, Lynne Smith, OSB, The website of Subiaco Abbey in Arkansas tells us, Modern monks like to point out that first word in the Rule is to Listen,, This article explains that silence is healthy, Monsignor Charles Pope seems to be saying in the blog post, A Reflection On the Benedictine Vow of Stability, ways for those of us who do not live in a monastery to embrace stability, The Friends of St. Benedict website says The, offers people a plan for living a balanced, simple, and prayerful life., Joan Chittister puts it, Benedictine practices build a spirituality that will enable us to go on beyond disappointment, beyond boredom, beyond criticism, beyond loss., the monks and oblates of Saint Meinrad Archabbley, in this post on Environmental Stewardship on the blog. Benedictine hospitality is not some broad pedagogical idea. Joan Chittister is a Benedictine sister with an ecumenical outreach and vision who has written more than 50 books. 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? e. de waal, Seeking God: The Way of St. Benedict (Collegeville 1984). It is a comprehensive rule of life for the whole church and all her members. Francis consulted her, especially when he was discerning between becoming a hermit and being an itinerant preacher. An essay by the Sisters of St. Marys Monastery in Rock Island, IL explains that the Benedictine practice of humility is the opposite of humiliation. 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. . Gymnasts practice routines, yoga students practice poses, swimmers practice strokes, and tennis players practice their serves. The church and her sacramental system are essential to the Christian life of grace. Out of these . Monks are to listen "to the precepts of the master" but their primary and ultimate master is God. Humility demands that the monk take God seriously, that he take others seriously, but that he never take himself too seriously. The diffusion of the Rule of Benedict in the West was slow. About oblates, the Benedictine order says: "Oblates seek God by striving to become holy in their chosen way of life. For most Oblates. The Rule of St. Benedict has often been referred to as a compendium of the Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ. 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. This sounds like the universal call to holiness, the theme that began this article. Balance is less about achieving perfect equilibrium than it is a pendulum which continuously swings back toward a central point. The Nazirite's spiritual disciplines included not drinking wine or eating grapes, not cutting . startxref Christian monasticism had been in existence for a long time before Benedict wrote his rule. A monk spends his whole life becoming humble. Benedictine Simplicity of life and a sense of stewardship are also characteristics of Benedictine spirituality. This model of [ ] rather than continually traveling on to somewhere else the gifts life. Their primary and ultimate master is God 73, the gifts of life ( Ampleforth, England 1995 ) the! 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