The rule of saint benedict is a synthesis of christian spirituality, fruit. It reflects benedict s own long experience as a monk and abbot, and his study of the older monastic tradition which he uses extensively, especially an older text called the. For fifteen centuries, it has served as a leading guide for balanced monastic living. The rule of saint benedict regula benedicti is a book of precepts written by st. Benedicts rule for monasteries by abbot of monte cassino saint benedict. And the fourth kind is that of the monks called girovagi, who are all their lives guests for three or four days at a time in the different groups of cells through the various. As the first benedictine nun she followed the rule, and was abbess of her. We do not interpret the oblate rule as written in stone, but are ready to dialogue regarding possible. Although written for monastics, many of the issues addressed in the rule can be applied to life in the world outside the monastic community. Benedict today, 20, 224 pages, joan chittister, 0062284509, 9780062284501, harper collins, 20. This rulebook for the monastic life was written by benedict around 530.
It was the genius of saint benedict s plan to provide for both the spiritual and material welfare of his monastic brethren. Benedict provides tangible advice regarding how a community of christians can cultivate contented souls that are modest and free from want. Benedict is a timeless document in so many ways as fresh and relevant as it was when it was written almost fifteen hundred years ago. Abridged, modernized and introduced by stephen tomkins. Unlike the rules of pachomius which are a collection of regulations, instructions, and prohibitions concerning the life of the community, the rule of the master contains precise regulations but also a theological and spiritual reflection showing the reason for the regulations. Benedict s own life, see the article benedict, saint. Benedicts rule for monasteries by abbot of monte cassino saint.
This book contains a thorough set of principles for. B conception abbey, conception, missouri 64433 usa. Benedict the great founder of monastic communities all across italy. By david moses i spoke at assembly on the question. This document has been generated from xsl extensible. This pdf file is from the christian classics ethereal library. Benedict of nursia for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. Many products that you buy can be obtained using instruction manuals. Benedict regula benedicti was written by benedict c. This full commentary predominately literary and historical criticism is based on and includes a latin text of regula benedicti liturgical press. Since about the 7th century it has also been adopted by communities of women. Athanasius wrote what would come to be the first biography of a saint, though his. Benedict by saint benedict, abbot of monte cassino.
The benedictine rule was much more than a spiritual plan. We hope to post more reflections in may, meanwhile, here is the text of a reflection given to the stanbrook community by abbess anna brenna on 21 march 2020. The rule of benedict, unlike many religious documents that. Benedict, a masterpiece of practical christian wisdom that has guided the lives of benedictine monks for nearly 1500 years, has also served to influence the lives of many lay people in the way of christ for most. Leadership in the rule of saint benedict santanselmo. Prologue hearken, my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart willingly to hear, and effectually to accomplish, the admonition of thy living father, that by the labour of obedience thou mayest return to him, from whom thou didst depart by the sloth of disobedience.
Marius ivascu has created for the osb website the first translation directly from the latin text of the rule of saint benedict into romanian. Washington national cathedral and the friends of st. Saint benedict took material from many other sources, as did the rule of the master, and formed that material into his own rule. Pdf the rule of benedict and its relevance to the world of work. In fact, there is something very english about benedict, with his calmness, his gift for organization and his occasional touches of humour. Ad 480547 as a rule for communal life under the order of an abbot the head of the abbey.
The rule of the master was written two or three decades before benedict of nursias the rule of saint benedict. Scholars tell us that the rule of the master was written before the rule of saint benedict and that saint benedict edited the rule of the master and added some material of his own. Prologue verse 17 benedictine abbey of christ in the desert. The rule of benedict is a rule for life in a cenobitic monastery.
He had little idea that this little rule for beginners would become one of the most important documents in western civilisation. As a student in rome, he tired of the decadent culture around him and left to live a simple spiritual life as a hermit in the countryside of subiaco about thirty miles outside of the city. This book is available in pdf, html, epub, kindle, and other formats. The mission of the ccel is to make classic christian books available to the world. Benedict 2 hold of his suggestions or ever they be come to maturity and has dashed them against the rock which is christ. This book contains a thorough set of principles for those who wish to grow in gods love by communally engaging in christlike disciplines. This document has been generated from xsl extensible stylesheet language source with renderx xep formatter, version 3. Benedict was made from the third edition of the text as edited by dom cuthbert butler of downside abbey in england st. By 800, abbeys existed throughout western europe, and the observance of benedict s rule was fostered by charlemagne and, especially, his. It was written by benedict of nursia after 529 and is commonly referred to as the rule of st benedict. Benedict and the twelve steps of humility july 11th is the feast day of st. How does the rule of st benedict apply to lay people.
An invitation to the christian life by georg holzherr, osb. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Foster responsibility, flexibility and competence in monastic communities. Texts and translations of the rule of saint benedict osb dot org. Moreover, saint benedict recognized the limitations of humanity and provided for. One community soon grew to twelve, and to establish these new communities on a sound foundation benedict, wrote his simple rule. For its general character and also its illustration of st. Marked by common sense in every instance, the rule of saint benedict makes success in a mans quest for god seem not only possible, but eminently probable. When that went wrong he left to start his own monastic community. Benedict received the eucharist, raised his hands to god, and made a final offering of his life. This work holds the first place among monastic legislative codes, and was by far the most important factor in the organization and spread of monasticism in the west.
Get the rule of st benedict pdf file for free from our online library pdf file. The rule itself is the best witness to benedict s life and character, showing us someone who was wise, kind, steeped in scripture and concise in expression. The sanity of benedict s approach gives added force to his central vision of the quest. Texts and translations of the rule of saint benedict osb. Free courses taught by hillsdale college faculty to pursue knowledge of the highest things, form character, and defend constitutional government. Eventually benedict was asked to be the leader of the community. Cotter, using the division into sense lines for public reading of the first edition that was republished in 2001 to mark the 75th anniversary of liturgical press. The rule of benedict, unlike many religious documents that followed it, is not an exercise in spiritual athleticism. Conception abbey, conception, missouri 64433 usa the portrait of an abbot painted by saint benedict in the rule is nothing short of a christportrait. The most successful of these rules is the rule of monasteries. This early monastic rule is part of the wisdom tradition of christianity and is rooted in the bible for its inspiration and its end. People who are not priests, monks or nuns are known as lay people.
Regula sancti benedicti is a book of precepts written in 516 by benedict of nursia c. The rule of benedict rb compiled by benedict of norcia c. We mustnt think of benedict s communities as the great monasteries that. In 1964 pope paul vi proclaimed him the patron saint of all europe. Regula sancti benedicti is a book of precepts written in 516. The constitutions and declarations to the rule of saint. Ad 480550 for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. It is available below both as an adobe pdf file and as a microsoft word. Benedict of nursiasucceeded in the west because of its simplicity and restraint. Eight blessings for lent by laurentia johns osb was published by spck on 19 december. Daily reading from the rule of benedict benedictine. We ask you to read our short oblate rule in this booklet and meditate on it, pondering whether it can, with its basic guidelines and practices, help you in your spiritual journey.
The rule of benedict is not a treatise in systematic theology. Digitized verson of an incunable printing of the text of the rule of st. Of all the monastic rules, perhaps the most valuable is the rule of saint benedict. Its logic is the logic of daily life lived in christ and lived well. She established a monastery for women at plombariola, near monte cassino. This document has been generated from xsl extensible stylesheet language source. There are many scenes in the gospels and within the larger scope of the. It is available below both as an adobe pdf file and as a microsoft word document. The rule of saint benedict, translated from the latin by leonard j. The rule of benedict and its relevance to the world of work article pdf available in journal of managerial psychology 173. Scholastica consecrated herself to god at an early age.