Benedictine spirituality is characterized by striving towards Christian perfection in community, liturgical prayer, and separation from worldly concerns. St. Benedict (480-550) is considered to be the Father of Western Monasticism. He wrote The Rule and established his first monastery at Monte Cassino, Italy. Lectio Divina is a Benedictine prayer form based on praying with the Word of God. Lectio Divina has four "moments": Lectio (Reading Scripture), Meditatio (Reflection on the Word), Oratio (Praying), and Contemplatio (Silently listening to God). Key people involved in the 20th and 21st century include Thomas Merton and Basil Pennington.
Spirituality lacks a definitive definition, although social scientists have defined spirituality as the search for "the sacred," where "the sacred" is broadly defined as that which is set apart from the ordinary and worthy of veneration. The use of the term "spirituality" has changed throughout the ages. In modern times spirituality is often separated from Abrahamic religions, and connotes a blend of humanistic psychology with mystical and esoteric traditions and eastern religions aimed at personal well-being and personal development. The notion of "spiritual experience" plays an important role in modern spirituality, but has a relatively recent origin. The Benedictine monks arrived in the Philippines on September 12, 1895. They started missionary work in Surigao in 1896. R. Rev. Jose Deas y Villar, OSB, founded the Benedictine community in Mindanao. Thus, grew the roots of Benedictine tradition in the Philippines.
A few years after the monks’ Mindanao mission, the Benedictine community transferred their residence and apostolate to Balmes St. in Quiapo, Manila. The Benedictines witnessed many political and social changes in the Philippines as our people struggled under the Spanish and American colonization. Despite tremendous odds, however, they remained steadfast and pursued a new apostolate: education. San Beda was established on June 17, 1901. Fr. Sylvestre Jofre, OSB, the first rector, dedicated the school to the cause of Catholic education and the making of Christian gentlemen committed to excellence and service of God and country. San Beda College has since emerged as one of the leading educational institutions in the country. By the 1960’s the Benedictine community consisted mostly of Filipinos and leadership was gradually transferred to the Filipino monks. The rage and restiveness that marked the late 60’s and the early 70’s led to the historic decision by the Benedictine monks to establish another campus in a more peaceful place than Mendiola, Manila. The Benedictines finally chose the hilly Alabang in Muntinlupa as the site of the new campus. A modern edifice was constructed in 1972 on a nine and a half hectare lot inside the upscale Alabang Hills Village. The Rule of Saint Benedict (Regula Benedicti) is a book of precepts written by St. Benedict of Nursia (c.480–547) for monks living communally under the authority of an abbot. Since about the 7th century it has also been adopted by communities of women. During the 1500 years of its existence, it has become the leading guide in Western Christianity for monastic living in community. The spirit of St. Benedict's Rule is summed up in the motto of the Benedictine Confederation: pax ("peace") and the traditional ora et labora ("pray and work"). Compared to other precepts, the Rule provides a moderate path between individual zeal and formulaic institutionalism; because of this middle ground it has been widely popular. Benedict's concerns were the needs of monks in a community environment: namely, to establish due order, to foster an understanding of the relational nature of human beings, and to provide a spiritual father to support and strengthen the individual's ascetic effort and the spiritual growth that is required for the fulfillment of the human vocation, theosis. The Rule of Saint Benedict has been used by Benedictines for fifteen centuries, and thus St. Benedict is sometimes regarded as the founder of Western monasticism. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that Benedict intended to found a religious order in the modern sense and it was not until the later Middle Ages that mention was made of an "Order of Saint Benedict". His Rule is written as a guide for individual, autonomous communities, and to this day all Benedictine Houses (and the Congregations in which they have grouped themselves) remain self-governing. Advantages seen in retaining this unique Benedictine emphasis on autonomy include cultivating models of tightly bonded communities and contemplative lifestyles. Perceived disadvantages comprise geographical isolation from important activities in adjacent communities. Other perceived losses include inefficiency and lack of mobility in the service of others, and insufficient appeal to potential members. These different emphases emerged within the framework of the Rule in the course of history and are to some extent present within the Benedictine Confederation and The Cistercian Orders of the Common and the Ancient Observance. 13 Benedictine Core Values 1. Obedience and Loyalty 2. Humility 3. Christ-Centeredness 4. Discipline 5. Simplicity of Lifestyle 6. Hospitality 7. Community Life (teamwork) 8. Silence 9. Responsibility 10. Stewardship of Creation 11. Ora et Labora (Prayer and Work) 12. Care for Common Things 13. Respect and Reverence These values give us a set of practices for a life modeled on Jesus. They provide insight and support to alumni in building strong and caring family, civic and church communities, wherever life takes them. Sharing responsibility to create and support community. Creating a climate which promotes a sense of community while valuing the uniqueness of the individual. Manifesting an ability to adapt to circumstances without compromising our values.
Creating a welcoming atmosphere personally and institutionally. Listening and responding sensitively to all. Extending warmth and acceptance to all. Welcoming new ideas and being open to change. Cherishing and promoting the worth of all human life. Treating persons with dignity and reverence without regard to age, gender, race, minority, sexual preference or economic status. Honoring and supporting the spirituality of each person. Valuing the dignity of all work. Promoting participation of all persons in the decisions affecting their lives. Utilizing human resources responsibly. Providing wise and respectful use of all material and monetary resources. Promoting prudent use of resources and energy. Finding time for work, play and prayer in daily life, which will promote physical, mental and spiritual growth. Preserving the intellectual and material heritage entrusted to us by past generations. Transmitting the treasures of human culture to new generations. Creating scholarly, artistic and scientific works which enrich and enlarge human life. Integrating thought and action as complementary aspects of a full human life. |
