Benedict of Nursia: His Message for Today

by Anselm Grün

Anselm Grün, OSB, famed Benedictine author and cellarer—supplies manager—of his monastery at Münsterschwarzach, offers brief reflections on aspects of the Rule of Benedict . He sketches the life of Benedict and reflects on how Benedict’s instructions enable one to live constantly in the presence of God. Even the most mundane objects are signs of the presence of God. It is not merely that we focus our attention on God, but that we're aware that God always focuses attention on us, loving and encouraging us in all things. For he calls the cellarer to regard all utensils and goods of the monastery as sacred vessels of the altar. Grün also ponders how work is an aid to prayer and how the Benedictine vow of stability is essential to building community. Silence and the solitude that characterize the monastic are conditions for the possibility of genuine community. Each chapter concludes with a brief reflection on the state of contemporary society and how the aspect of the Rule of Benedict treated in the chapter applies to the needs of today.

64 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 1992

About the author

Anselm Grün terminated his school years in 1964 with the A-level equivalent Abitur at the grammar school in Würzburg, Germany. In the same year he began as a novice at the nearby Benedictine Münsterschwarzach Abbey. From 1965 to 1971 he studied philosophy and theology at St. Ottilien Archabbey and in Rome. In 1974 he completed his PhD in theology on Karl Rahner. From 1974 to 1976 Anselm Grün studied Business in Nuremberg. Then he became the Cellerar of Münsterschwarzach Abbey and is thus responsible for the economic administration of the abbey with its over 280 employees and 20 businesses.

Reviews

[Eli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful.

[Eliliana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trata de forma breve e objetiva os principais ensinamentos de São Bento no mosteiro e na sua ordem.