July 11: St. Benedict / San Benito

St. Benedict’s time on this earth, between 480 and 550 A.D., was one of crisis, much like ours. The whole world of his era was changing in ways that would have been unimaginable. The Roman Empire was crumbling in the West, poverty and destitution were rampant, whole peoples were migrating across continents, and chaos reigned. As hard as it is to imagine, spiritual confusion was even greater. 

To the Order of monks which St. Benedict founded, he gave a Rule that is still today a model of balance and a humble appeal to human capacities. Benedictine monasteries became, for much of Europe, centers of civilization and culture. St. Benedict is the Patron Saint of all of Europe and of Western monasticism.

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For a look at Benedictine life here in Oregon: https://www.mountangelabbey.org/monastery/monastery-life/

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El tiempo de San Benito, entre los años 480 y 550 d.C., era un tiempo de crisis muy semejante al nuestro. Cambio radical de la faz de todo el mundo de la época. El Imperio Romano se estaba derrumbando en Occidente, pueblos enteros migraban de continente a continente, y fue un tiempo de caos en general. La confusión espiritual era todavía aún mayor. A la Orden de monjes que él fundó (Benedictinos) les legó una Regla modélica para alcanzar la santidad en la vida contemplativa. Los monasterios Benedictinos se convirtieron para una gran parte de Europa en centros de civilización y cultura. San Benito es el Santo Patrono de Europa y del monacato de Occidente.