It is unfortunate that no contemporary biography was written of a man who has exercised the greatest influence on monasticism in the West. Benedict is well recognized in the later Dialogues of St. Gregory, but these are sketches to illustrate miraculous elements of his career.
Saint Benedict was born of a distinguished family in central Italy, studied at Rome and early in life was drawn to the monastic life. At first he became a hermit, leaving a depressing world—pagan armies on the march, the Church torn by schism, people suffering from war, morality at a low ebb.
He soon realized that he could not live a hidden life in a small town any better than in a large city, so he withdrew to a cave high in the mountains for three years. Some monks chose him as their leader for a while, but found his strictness not to their taste. Still, the shift from hermit to community life had begun for him. He had an idea of gathering various families of monks into one “Grand Monastery” to give them the benefit of unity, fraternity, permanent worship in one house. Finally he began to build what was to become one of the most famous monasteries in the world—Monte Cassino, commanding three narrow valleys running toward the mountains north of Naples.
The Rule that gradually developed prescribed a life of liturgical prayer, study, manual labor and living together in community under a common father (abbot). Benedictine asceticism is known for its moderation, and Benedictine charity has always shown concern for the people in the surrounding countryside. In the course of the Middle Ages, all monasticism in the West was gradually brought under the Rule of St. Benedict.
Today the Benedictine family is represented by two branches: the Benedictine Federation and the Cistercians.
pray for all my family , always.. amen
plz pray for Praveen Pinto to get a job and pice in family thanx
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Holy Mother of God, the Blessed Trinity, all the Sains, and Angels, in God’s Heaven, please pray for the end of abortion, we need your prayers, to save our babies, that will worship God, forever, and ever.
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to Our BLessed MOTHER TOGETHER WITH hER Prayers save the entire world St Benedict intercede for us , the world seems today as it was in your day – please help us to pray and realise that only prayers especially the Holy Rosary together with Our Holy Mother can save the world
Its getting difficult to leave a comment as the words are being changed or sentences are placed wherever
— Please continue to pray for my family as there is much breaking up in the younger generation- THANK YOU
St. Benedict, pray for us.
Dear St. Benedict, Please intercede for my younger girl, who is having a hard time finding a job, and just finding her way as a writer and in life in general. Please intercede with Our Lord to send his Holy Spirit to guide her.
Saint Benedict is awesome ! His prayers and example were feared by the practitioners of witchcraft during the dark ages!!!
Saint Benedict, pray for us!
St. Benedict, Patron of Europe, pray for the Europeans.
ST, BENEDICT PRAYER EVERYONE, HELP US BE BETTER PERSON TOO SERVE ONE GOD, THANKS
Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica, pray for us. Protect my twin sons. Bring them joy through Faith, Hope, Charity. Render the evil one ineffective with cruel lies and temptation and wickedness. Bring all twins perfect confidence in Christ Jesus. Amen.
It is darkness that teaches us the beauty of the light, it is light that teaches us the beauty of the darkness & it is the darkness & light that teaches us the beauty of the rainbow or shades of Grey. Love one another Love you. Peace Love & Perspicacious visions and actions of reality and separate realities. Preach the Gospel and whenever necessary use words. Teach Love & whenever necessary use words.