“ALL ARE TO BE WELCOMED AS CHRIST” – RULE NO. 53
Our Parish Patron
Saint Benedict (480-547) is considered the father of Monastic life in the Western Church. He was born in Nursia , Italy and educated in Rome. He decided to live the life of a hermit, and settled in the mountains near Subiaco. There he lived in solitude for three years. As his holiness became known, a group of monks asked him to be their abbot. The union did not last long, however, and Benedict resettled at Monte Cassino, south of Rome. He destroyed a pagan temple on the mountain and began to convert the people back to Christianity. In about 530, he began to build a monastery there. Many disciples were drawn to him because of his reputation for wisdom and holiness.
He organized his monks into a single community and wrote his famous “Rule”, prescribing common sense, prayer, study, work, and moderate asceticism. The rule stressed stability, community, obedience and had the prayer of the Divine Office at its center: it would impact spiritual and monastic life in the West for centuries. While overseeing his monks, Benedict counseled rulers and popes , and ministered to the poor and sick. He died in Monte Cassino on March 21, 547. He was named patron protector of Europe by Pope Paul VI in 1964. His Feast Day is July 11.
(taken from the First Parish Bulletin published on September 30, 2012, Bishop Dan Miehm – founding Pastor of our parish)
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
No, our new parish is not named for Pope Benedict. But you could say he was a partial inspiration, because he chose that name as his papal moniker in 2005.
When he explained his reasons, he referred back not to one but two previous Benedicts. The more recent one was his predecessor, Pope Benedict XV, who guided the Church during the turbulent years of the First World War. He recalled his papal forerunner as “a true and courageous prophet of peace.”
Going much further back, the Holy Father also referenced Saint Benedict as the great patriarch of Western monastic life. “The progressive expansion of the Benedictine order exercised an enormous influence on the spread of Christianity throughout the European continent. For this reason, St. Benedict is much venerated in Germany, especially in Bavaria, my own land of origin”. The Pope appealed to St. Benedict for help “to hold firm Christ’s central position in our lives. May he always be first in our thoughts and all our activities.” AMEN to that!!
(taken from the Second Parish Bulletin published on October 7, 2012, Bishop Dan Miehm – founding Pastor of our parish)
