Benedict for all

Benedict was born the son of a Roman noble in Nursia in central Italy, around the year 480. A late tradition says he had a twin sister named Scholastica.

     We know very little about Benedict’s life. As a young man he was sent to study in Rome, but was soon appalled by the corruption in society and withdrew to live as a hermit for three years at Subiaco, though he was accompanied by his old nurse who acted as a servant. When a local abbot died, its community begged him to come and help them. He agreed. His holiness and simplicity soon attracted a wider circle of disciples, and he began to establish small monasteries in the neighbourhood.

      Around the year 525, a disaffected faction tried to poison him. Legend says that Benedict blessed the cup and thereby foiled the plan. In fact, numerous other miracles were attributed to him during his lifetime. Benedict then moved to Monte Cassino with a band of loyal monks and, in all, founded 13 monasteries.

      Benedict spent the remainder of his life creating a plan or ‘rule’ for an ideal monastery. This deceptively simple document became known as the ‘Rule of Saint Benedict’. It continues to be a driving force behind religious life today, and even for some principled corpor ations and businesses.

      The Rule of St Benedict was based on his own experience of fallible people striving to live out the gospel. In fact, he never intended to found an order but his Rule was so good that it was disseminated and widely followed, becoming the model for virtually all contemplative forms of western monasticism until the twentieth century. For that reason among many others, he is regarded as the patron saint of Europe.

      By the start of the Middle Ages, the rule of St Benedict had inspired the largest order of monks and nuns—the Benedictines. A great many other orders were inspired by them, such as the Cistercians and Trappists. The majority of all religious houses today follow a form of Benedict’s rule.

      Benedict died at Monte Cassino in about the year 550. 

Eternal God,
who made Benedict a wise master
in the school of your service
and a guide to many called into community
 to follow the rule of Christ:
grant that we may put your love before all else
and seek with joy the way of your commandments;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.