The monks of the oldest monastic order, The Order of St. Benedict, of the Catholic Church, have done much for the spread of the Faith and the cultivation of Europe in the course of the centuries. Their monasteries were not only the places of prayer concentrating on a life devoted to God, but were also centers of learning and art. The Benedictines contributed to the translation and copying of philosophical and scientific texts dating back to antiquity as well as Oriental writings in order to disseminate knowledge to Christian Europe. Secluded in their monasteries from time immemorial they cultivated the art of printing and book-binding. They also discovered among other things optical devices for observing heavenly bodies and the use of water mills as a means of generating power.
Benedictine monks in the Middle Ages were counted among the most prominent teachers of theology and culture in the Western World.
Over the centuries the Benedictines were able to preserve their spiritual and intellectual power and influence through their capability of remaining true to the Rule of St. Benedict while meeting the needs of their time.
Since 1893 about 8.500 monks maintain the Benedictine tradition living within some 300 independent monasteries united within a worldwide confederation. It is sub-divided into 21 congregations or national groups. Andechs Monastery and the St Bonifaz Abbey belong to the Bavarian Benedictine congregation (BBK).
The Benedictine community lives according to the basic principles of the Evangelium which is grounded in three writings which control and regulate its communal life:
- | The Holy Bibel |
- | The Rule of St. Benedict |
- | The interpretation of the Rule based on the deliberations and commentaries of the regional congregations of the Benedictine Monasteries. |
The daily lives of the monks are governed by the rhythm of communal hours-long prayer, the reading of the Bible or theological or spiritual works and through work, “ora et labora".
Any one wishing to enter a monastery in order to seek community with God is required to adhere to the Order’s vows, public oaths having to do with the manner of life as a monk. Life within the monastery is consciously lived brotherhood in the spirit of these sacred oaths. This brotherhood is witness to how much one can live with and for one another in the unity of the common way to God. In the three vows of the “ewigen Profess” or eternal promise, the Benedictine monk swears:
1. Stabilitas | constancy and loyalty to the Benedictine manner of life and adherence to the monastic community to which one has bound himself |
2. Conversation morum | concentration on essentials and consistent striving in order to attain and live a monastic life |
3. Oboedientia | Obedience |
The vow of obedience determines the basic tenet of Benedictine behavior - listening.
The essence of a monk in the Benedictine sense is imbibing the call of God and giving answer. Obedience is understood to be receptivity for God and Humanity. Obedience and appreciation as well as humility, the “courage to serve”, are therefore unavoidable elements of the monks’ common-communal search for God.
The leadership of a Benedictine monastery lies in the hand of an Abbott. According to the Rule, he is regarded reverentially as Lord (Herr) and Father (Vater) as one would look to Christ (BR 63.13) and is respected by his monks in the monastery as a representative of Christ (BR 2.2). The Abbott services the unity and unanimity of the monastic community.
High requirements are demanded of the monastery leadership, namely the Abbott and his Prior who supports him in his duties. Among the criteria named by St. Benedict of a worthy candidate for the office of Abbott are…
- | The need to prove one’s worth in daily life (BR 64.2) - the Abbott shall be measured by his deeds even as if he were the lowest-ranking member of the monastery community. |
- | The need to be merciful (BR 64) the Abbott must know that he must help rather than command and should rather try to be more loved than feared. |
- | The need to be wise in teaching (BR 2) "therefore the Abbott should only teach or determine, giving orders only as what concerns the wisdom of the Lord". |
| A decisive leadership criteria is the ability to exercize wise differentiation, discretion being the “mother of all virtue”. The Abbott must be aware of the needs and wishes of the monks’ individual needs, paying attention to them and taking them into consideration (BR 64.19). |
Publications of interest:
Benedikt v. Nursia, His mission today, Anselm Grün, Smaller publications #7, 1979 Münsterschwarzacher
The Benedictine Order, Christian Schütz & Philippa Rath, Topos-Paperback 245, Matthis Grünewald-Publishing, 1994
