Life Timelines St. Benedict

Timeline of Venerable Solanus Casey

Saint Benedict was born in Italy to a distinguished family. He was educated in Rome and early on demonstrated an interest in God. He was a spiritual seeker who even gave up his family inheritance. His personal quest for God attracted other spiritual seekers. As his followers grew in number, St. Benedict organized them into a group of monasteries, each with its own presiding abbot. After some time, Benedict established the famous monastery Monte Cassino, which is renowned as the birthplace of the Benedictine religious order.

St. Benedict is the patron saint of Europe. The Rule of Benedict is the basic guide for monastic life and has been for centuries. However, modern spiritual writers see so much depth in the Rule that they also apply it to the laity. It is a treasury of spiritual wisdom. It was written at a time of cultural disintegration. And what Benedict was proposing was a vision for holiness—and for growing in humility, work, silence, stability, obedience, love, compassion, hospitality, prayer, and community.

For Benedict, living in community is a way of life that brings out the best in each individual. It teaches patience with oneself, with others, and with God. It opens one to the joy of new life. Basically the Rule of Benedict gives testimony to a way of living for holiness. There are countless books available on the Rule of Benedict. And because of its profound spiritual vision, many of these books are recently published and apply to monastic life as well as to the lives of lay people. The feast of St. Benedict is July 11.

World Timeline

Benedictine monastic life is considered one of the great movements that planted the Church in many parts of Europe. On April 19, 2005, then-Cardinal Ratzinger was elected to succeed Pope John Paul II. Significantly, the new pope chose the name Benedict XVI. Choosing the name Benedict was revealing for three reasons.
 

• The new pope explained the he was eager to remember and dedicate his papacy to Pope Benedict XV (1854-1922) and Saint Benedict.
• Pope Benedict XV was the courageous prophet of peace who guided the world through the turbulent times of World War I.
• Saint Benedict (480-550) is the patron saint of Europe. His life evokes the Christian roots of Europe. His achievements transformed the Dark Ages and the subsequent course of world history.