St. Benedict of Nursia

Today the Church celebrates the life and ministry of St. Benedict of Nursia who was born around 480 and died on this day in 540.  He is known as the Father of Western Monasticism and is the author of the Rule, now known as the Rule of St. Benedict. 

 

Here is what the Benedictine Sisters of Mount St. Angel write:

 

St. Benedict, born in Nursia, Italy, around the year 480, was the founder of the Benedictine order and is the patron saint of Europe. People throughout the world revere him as the founder of Western monasticism and celebrate his feast day on July 11th.

 

Benedict was the son of wealthy Roman parents, who sent him to study in Rome. He was repelled by the sinful atmosphere there and decided to become a hermit, retiring to a cave near the town of Subiaco. He founded 12 monasteries in the vicinity of Subiaco, and, eventually, founded the great Benedictine monastery of Monte Cassino, which lies on a hilltop between Rome and Naples.

 

While living at Monte Cassino, St. Benedict wrote The Rule of St. Benedict. Consisting of a prologue and 73 short chapters, The Rule describes how to live a Christian life in a community of Monks (or Sisters) and how a monastery should be organized and led. One of the most important documents of Western Civilization, it became the foundation of the Western monastic movement, which helped to spread Christianity, learning, and civilization throughout Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire.

 

Nearly all that we know of the life of St. Benedict comes from the biography written by St. Gregory the Great (ca. 540-604). St. Gregory's biography of St. Benedict is very short, and is available today. St. Benedict died at Monte Cassino in 547. He was buried beside his sister, St. Scholastica (ca. 480-543), who also followed the monastic way of life and remained close to Benedict throughout her life.

 

 St. Scholastica is the patron saint of Benedictine Sisters. Her feast day is celebrated on February 10.

 

Let us pray:  Almighty and everlasting God, your precepts are the wisdom of a loving Father: Give us grace, following the teaching and example of your servant Benedict, to walk with loving and willing hearts in the school of the Lord's service; let your ears be open to our prayers; and prosper with your blessing the work of our hands; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

 

CALENDAR REMINDERS

 

Children’s Summer Art Program, the “Art of Listening” starts on Monday, 21 July and ends on Friday, 25 July.  Each day we will start at 10 A.M. and end at 1 P.M. Lunch will be provided.

 

EFM Dinner on 27 July at 6 P.M. at the Taylors’ home.  Every baptized person is called to ministry. The Education for Ministry (“EFM”) program provides people with the education to carry out that ministry. During the Service of Confirmation we ask God to "Renew in these your servants the covenant you made with them at Baptism. Send them forth in the power of the Spirit to perform the service you set before them." EFM offers an opportunity to discover how to respond to the call to Christian service. Please come and learn about the benefits of EFM.  

 

Please remember everyone on our Prayer List.

 

Your servant in Christ,

 

Fr. Chester J.  Makowski+

St. Augustine of Hippo Episcopal Church

Galveston, Texas 77550