Introduction

The Rule of St. Benedict is the crowning achievement of a lifelong dedication. Without a doubt, in the long history of Catholic religious life, Benedict's Rule stands as a premier document. The grand mediator between Eastern and Western monasticism -- Benedict's wisdom and discretion are legendary. The ancient desert monks used to compete to see who could be hardest on their bodies; they often ate only 2 or 3 times a week. Benedict shifted this emphasis to a more spiritual, interior discipline, putting the dedicated life within grasp for ordinary mortals.

Obedience

Instead of encouraging his disciples to compete to see who could eat less, Benedict challenged them to vie with one another in the practice of obedience. While not sanctioning luxury, Benedict fostered moderation and humility. In this "School of the Lord's Service," one must learn to give cheerfully, and -- above all -- to avoid murmuring (to grumble & complain). The soul of Benedict's Rule is its insistence on the monk giving oneself to God, no holds barred. With Jesus, the monk of St. Benedict must learn to say, "I came not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me."

Our Evolution

Under Our Founder, you can find part of the story leading up to the establishment of St. Benedict's Farm. Here we examine what happened after George got here, and this community began to grow. In the beginning, we practiced all the "elements" of medieval monasticism: choral psalmody (in Latin), the one-meal a day Benedictine fast, silence, a kind of severe separation from "the outside world." And we came fully equipped with a garden-variety, pre-Vatican II Catholic piety. The stated goal of our Prospectus of a New Monastery was to live the Rule of St. Benedict exactly as it was written, no more, no less.

Bible Catholics

The first thing about us to change gradually was our Catholic spirituality. Calling his wisdom "a little rule," in the final chapter, Benedict recommends the Fathers of the Church and the Scriptures "for those who would hasten to perfection" in the religious life. We took this counsel on face value, and after a very long time -- seeking to characterize the changes in our spiritual life -- we began to think of ourselves as "Bible Catholics." This was to say nothing more than that the Scriptures had take front stage in our spiritual formation. In our book, Your Friendly Neighborhood Monks, we detail this journey under the heading of The Great Controversy No. 1.

A Contemporary Monastic Community

Analyzing and discussing our heritage gradually led us to melt down much of the medieval trappings of monastic life. We had begun by wearing contemporary clothes, a "uniform" or "habit": coveralls, a black belt, and farm (or western) boots. First because the work load exceeded our time/strength quotient... then because we became convinced it "wasn't necessary," we abandoned public, daily, choral psalm singing. In its place, we began to think of "the work of God" as our ongoing and vital determination to seek God. This task itself teaches one constant prayer. 40 years later, this conviction has lasted. Aside from our weekly Eucharist at our nearby Catholic parish, and grace before our mid-day meal on Sundays, we have no regular custom of communal prayer. We are not a community of hermits, however, each going his or her own way to God.

Seeking the Word

We are very much a community, and dialog is a big part of our life. We really do 'seek God' together. Therefore, even more than silence, we value conversation on the word of God. Our life takes shape each day by our faith that God will lead us through His word, especially as it comes to us through the voice of our community and abbot.

Separation from the world...

We still believe in that ancient monastic tradition... except we do not include in this, separation from "the Christian brethren" outside our household. We are very much a part of our local Catholic parish community, and have ties with other Christians in many ways.

The Bottom Line is that as a monk, we do not belong to ourselves. We belong to God. Following the will of our community and abbot is for us a "sign" that we are doing that. We own nothing personally, not our time, our talent, the things we use from day to day, not even the clothes on our back.