FEAST DAY! St. Benedict of Nursia

St. Benedict is one of my favorite saints. The little one decade rosary I always carry in my pocket has a St. Benedict medal on it and I really treasure that little sacramental because of the testimony of this great saint.

Here's an excerpt from the EWTN website:

ST. BENEDICT OF NURSIA
FOUNDER OF WESTERN MONASTICISM—480-550 A.D.

Overrun by half-civilized pagan and Arian hordes during the fifth century, Italy and the entire Mediterranean world was falling back into barbarism. The Church was torn by conflict, city and country alike were made desolate by war and pillage, violence was rampant among Christians as well as heathen. During this anarchic time appeared one of the noblest of the Fathers of the Western Church—St. Benedict of Nursia, founder of the great order which bears his name. We know little of his background, save that he was born about the year 480 at Nursia, in the province of Umbria, in north central Italy, and that his family was probably of noble lineage. We
also know that he had a sister called Scholastica, who from childhood vowed herself to God.

The remainder of that really interesting article can be read by clicking here.


One of the things I like about St. Benedict's philosophy -- his Rule -- is this line: "He who works, prays." That idea is a great source of strength to me during the busy days of school when I'm teaching the girls and supervising their studies and teaching the Shakespeare class.

Happy feast day, St. Benedict, patron saint of schoolchildren. We love you.