Bachelor

Sáenz Carlos (Fr. Bernard a V. Ch.)

2018

Course: Church History I

Professor: Fr. Philippe Denis OP

Subject: Write a short essay on St Benedict's Rule.

May 1st, 2018

 Teaching unit evaluation grid (course/seminar)
Bachelor
Mother tongue Spanish
Programme Bachelor in Theology

1. Evaluation process prerequisite :

If this prerequisite is not fulfilled, the student will receive the qualification “F”.
In this particular case, the process of future reviewing is discussed with the student.
Yes No
The student’s paper was written in a proper manner (spelling, syntax, layout) or the
student expressed him/herself in a proper language
Contextual information (Name, first name, title of the course, name of the
professor, topic, day, tongue and programme) are properly indicated

2. Scientific content
The student has to demonstrate his/her ability to deepen the concepts presented in the course, by
presenting them in a proper manner and liking them with other concepts and a professional or
personal experience.

Assessment
Indicators
(Good : G ; Satisfactory : S ; Unsatisfactory : U)
G S U
Conceptual framework

The concepts are understood and presented in a structured

The student
and systematic way
presents the
They put into perspective different points of view
teaching unit
The concepts are explained with the student’s own words
concepts with
(not only quotations)
relevancy
Etc.
 Critical and interdisciplinary thinking

Insights are argued on the grounds of several disciplinary

fields
The concepts are discussed on the grounds of insights of
The student
thinker with different opinions
argues his/her
The point of view of the student is argued
points
Diverging points of view or experiences are presented with
logic and respect
Etc.

The concepts or experiences presented are linked to other

The student courses or seminaries
relies on Examples of an experience can be used as an anchor point for
different the concepts
sources The concepts or experiences enable groundings or scientific
(*If relevant) questionings
Etc.

References

The student The student quotes his/her references

names his/her References – in a written work – comply with bibliographic
references norms

Comments for the student

Conclusion
Grade (1 to 20)
Qualification (A to F, depending on the grade)
Scale: A: 20 points, B: 18-19 points, C: 15-17 points, D: 12-14 points, E: 11 points, F ≤ 10 points (Qualification F
“failure” is granted if the student does not comply with the prerequisites or if the grade is equal or lower
that10).
 ST. BENEDICT’S RULE

Introduction

The Rule of St. Benedict is one of the most famous rules along the history of the
Church. It continues speaking to us of humbleness, obedience and love. Many
monks professed this rule, they all were convinced that by means of living according
to it they would attain eternal happiness in Heaven. Let us give a brief look to such a
treasure of ecclesiastic history.

The author
St. Benedict was born at Nursia (current province of Perugia, Italy) around 480
AC and died around 543 AT Monte Cassino (Rome). He is recognized as founder of
western monasticism. As a youth he went to Rome to study, but later, as a result of a
mystic experience, he decided to live poor with the work of his hands 1.
Later, he went to Subiaco, where he knew a monk who advised him to retreat
himself to a life of solitude. It is said that the saint lived there for three years on a
cave, by nourished by the providence of God. His life of penitence and silence made
him famous for the people near to the place, that a group of monks went to him to
make him their abbot. He accepted, but because of his too strict life, their tried to
poison him.
Finally, he stablished definitely at Monte Cassino in 529. There, he founded the
motherhouse of his Order, which grew little by little until it become a solid base for
the great Benedictine Order. Once the monastery was founded, he sent some
disciples to Terracina where another monastery was built 2.
What we know about St. Benedict’s life is due to what pope St. Gregory the
Great wrote about him in his book Dialogues. There he states that Benedict, “the
man of God, among the many miracles that make him to shine all over the world,
shined, as well, because of his doctrine, once that he wrote a rule of monks, notable
for its discretion and clear in its language”3.

Rule’s importance for Christianism

St. Benedict could not see his Order already extended, but a few years after
his death, it grew admirably in the entire Europe. It was, precisely, his rule, also
known as “Regula Monachorum”, that he had composed, the one that made it to
grow such fast.

1
Cf. St. Benedict of Nursia, in: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02467b.htm
2
B. LLORCA, Manual de historia eclesiástica, Labor, Barcelona 1955, p. 225-227
3
ST. GREGORY, Dialogues, II, 36.
This happened, due to his Rule was different from the others that existed at that time,
in such that it was not too severe nor too relaxed 4.

On the contrary, his rule was the middle term of both extremes:
“It [the Rule] was a middle term of moderation and
practical sense, joined to a deep knowledge of human
soul, in a point that it allowed some individual freedom,
but keeping the most strict unity”5.
Therefore, the Order began to grow more and more, that in 16 th century already
existed many monasteries in several places of Italy, being pope Gregory the Great
their protector. It grew fast in England, later, in Germany and Switzerland, and later,
in France on 7th and 8th centuries. Already in 8th century, the rule was the monastic
rule par excellence, and Benedictine monasteries had already extended greatly 6.

Rule’s spirituality
When one reads St. Benedict’s rule, one gets surprised with many things that
may look weird for our modern civilization. One of them it is particularly interesting,
for it is mentioned along the seventy-three chapters that conform Benedictine Rule, it
is the topic of “obedience”.
Obedience is a strange word for today’s world, especially, in a society where
the concept of freedom is often questioned, once that it is more related to do own will
—no matter it would be—with independence and autonomy from objective truth, and,
in short, from God. In such a context, obedience may look difficult or, even,
impossible for many, in those terms St. Benedict spoke to his monks sixteen years
ago.
On the contrary, for St. Benedict, obedience was essential for his monks;
without obedience, it was not possible for no one to become a monk, since for St.
Benedict, “obedience was, incontestably, the main point of monastical itinerary” 7. In
his vision, a monk must to be obedient to become humble; he saw it as “the
adequate and normal expression of monastic humbleness, without it, there is no
authentic humbleness”8.
In fact, these are the first words of the Rule: “hear, o son… and bring closer the
ear of your heart”9. These words invite to obedience, since the root of this word
means to hear (ob-audire, in latin), as in “shema Israel” (Dt 6:4); for many passages

4
Cf.B. LLORCA , Ibid., p. 226
5
Ibid.
6
Ibid. p. 226-227
7
Ibid., p. 271. Also, cf. J. Leclercq, L’obbedienza religiosa secondo la regola di S.
Benedetto, Vita monastica 14, 1960, p. 51-63 in op. cit.
8
A. LOUF, Contenido pastoral de la regla benedictina, Regla benedictina, (n.d.), p.
147. in op. cit.
9
The Rule of St. Benedict, prologue, in: G. COLOMBAS, ibid.
of the Old and New Testament recall how important is to pay
attention and to put into practice, which is the sense of obedience 10.

Rule’s content
The Rule begins with a prologue that describes the purpose of such genre of
life, which is to attach holiness by means of fulfillment of God’s will and charity; monk
was
conceived as a military that must exercise his body and heart in the obedience
to divine commandments11. Then, it explains that monks are those who live in a
monastery and serve under a rule and an abbot 12.
The abbot was the authority of the monastery, the representative of Christ; St.
Benedict points that he must give example with his life of what he teaches and
orders. As well as the abbot, there was a “council of brothers” (concilium fratribus),
which was convoked by the abbot in order to ask for advice to the monks in matters
of great importance. However, decisions should be taken always just by the abbot 13.
Later, the saint provides a spiritual doctrine around obedience and humbleness,
which is the foundation for next chapters 14. After that, takes place a description of
how to pray the liturgy of the hours, which was the prayer in community eight times
per day (divine office and nocturne vigils) 15. Next chapters speak about several
details of Benedictine life style, such as monks’ behavior and discipline, faults and
penalties, and meals which were just twice per day and just one on Lent 16.
The last ten chapters speaks about the abbot’s institution, who was elected by
unanimity, according the virtuous of the candidate. Bishop and other Church
authorities could also have some influence in case the candidate was not worthy of
the election. He had also a collaborator called “praepositus”, who depended directly
from the abbot and had the role of helping him in administration and over watching
Rule’s fulfillment17.

The Rule for us

The Rule of St. Benedict cannot be read with the eyes of a current reader, this
is, to apply all what it says and bring it to the current time, for it must be read
according to the mentality of that time, which is very severe and conscious of fear to
God. It is true that it seems hard in its content, even, difficult to live, but it is a
precious treasure of spirituality from where one can learn important lessons of
monastical life.

10
Cf. Gn 22:18; Ex 15:26; Dt 5:31-33; Mt 7:21; Mk 3:35. Also, cf. Ibid, p. 2682
11
The Rule of St. Benedict, prologue, 2-3.40.45, ibid.
12
Ibid., I.
13
Ibid., II-III
14
Cf. Ibid., IV-VII. Where he describes twelve degrees of humbleness to arrive to
perfect Christian charity.
15
Cf. Ibid., VIII-XX.
16
Cf. Ibid., XXI – LXIII.
17
Cf. Ibid., LXIV – LXXIII.
 One important element is the Benedictine saying “ora et
labora”, which has been adopted by many Christians as a way to live Christian
spirituality joining it to their work in the world, or even by several religious
communities which also combine work (apostolic, social, monastical) with prayer, as
two sides of the same coin that can be perfectly harmonized.

Another important teaching of this rule is the importance of life in community.

This was precisely one of the most important goals of St. Benedict, that he could
make different people to live together around a rule to serve to the community in
order to attain the common purpose of Christian perfection in the love. In fact, the
rule emphasizes how essential is love among monks, love to the abbot, the exigence
of the same love of Christ18.

Conclusion
St Benedict’s rule is one of the most important monastical rules in the history of
the Church. It guides monks through a way of perfection based on humbleness and
obedience to the abbot and the precepts of the rule. Even tough, its language can
seem weird for a reader of our time, it contains values that keep important for our
time, mainly, humility and charity. It also gives us a lesson on how important is
obedience to attain a life of holiness, for it is true that not everyone has been called
to such a style of life, but it is also true that every Christian has been called to
holiness.
May St. Benedict intercede for us to attain that perfection of charity, with the aid
of the obedient Holy Virgin Mary.

18
: G. COLOMBAS, ibid., p. 491-492: “St. Benedict discovered all human and Christian
value of community”.