CHAPTER I

Introduction

St. Benedict had inspired and influenced the church during his time. His works and teachings had
survived and still hold insurmountable significance in the present. His presence had not only
affected the lives of the monks and priest, but also the saints whose lives were influenced by either
his teachings or the disciples from his order. The legacy of St. Benedict of Nursia had a huge impact
on the lives of these Benedictine saints; it shaped them on living the Benedictine principles, which
lead them to their certain works and contributions to the Church. One of the known Benedictines is
St. Bede the Venerable. He is known to be a famous scholar, and an early doctor of the church. He is
an Anglo-Saxon theologian, historian and chronologist. He is best known for his work entitled,
Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum or in English translation, Ecclesiastical History of the English
People. The book elaborates the history of the conversion to Christianity of a particular tribe
(Catholic News Agency, n.d.). Another one is St. Maurus; he was known to be the first disciple of St.
Benedict of Nursia. He is considered to be one of the most illustrious of the disciples of St. Benedict.
He is well-known in the Christian community as a man of various miracles which he had used in
rescuing a young boy. St. Maur was responsible for the construction of a notable monastery named
Glanfeuil (Gueranger, n.d.). Next one is St. Bernard of Clairvaux; He was an outstanding preacher
and orator. It is believed that his writings and sermons which greatly influenced Europe during the
12th century. He is known to his works: On Loving God, St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy
of Armagh and etc (Lawlor, 1920). He is the one who promoted the Memorare prayer (Catholic
News Agency, 2016). The last one is St. Scholastica, the sister of St. Benedict. It is believed that she
consecrated her life to God from her earliest youth. According to Catholic Online (n.d.), she founded
and governed a monastery of nuns. They are the notable Benedictine saints that lived through the
principles and rules of the famous St. Benedict of Nursia, the man who was behind the Ordo Sancti
Benedicti.
 CHAPTER II

The Benedictine saints had left a bunch of principles that are substantial to the church. The quote
“Ora et Labora” or simply prayer and work, had left the Roman Catholic Church a great philosophy
to follow. The works and contributions of the Benedictine saints have influenced the teachings in
the Ordo Sancti Benedicti; it sharpened the teachings of the religious order and the Catholic Church
itself. Aside from their works and contributions, the researchers have scrutinized also their
biographies.

St. Bede the Venerable

Life

Morin (n.d.) described England in the seventh and eighth century as dangerous years to live
in, especially in the northeastern region called Northumbria, where Vikings from the Kalmar Union
plundered and raided the region. According to the author, although the location was violent and
dangerous, Northrumbia was a holy site in England and contained holy men and women, who
established multiple monasteries, healed the sick, supported the weak, strengthened the faiths of
the peasants, built libraries to record the activities of their missions, and settled political and
territorial disputes among the nobles. Among these holy people was the famous St. Bede, an English
monk, scholar, and teacher, whom would become one of the most iconic figures in English history
and literature. St. Bede was born on 673 AD, though an exact date of his birth is unknown, and died
on May 26, 735 AD. He was born on Wearmouth-Jarrow in Northrumbia, England. For his entire life,
St. Bede never left his home region, spreading the Christian doctrine and continued the rest of his
works in Wearmouth-Jarrow. The author postulated that throughout the history of England, St. Bede
is still the only Englishman to ever receive and honor the title of “Doctor of the Universal Church.” It
is not considered impossible to believe that almost the entire “ecclesiastical experience” was
created and shaped by St. Bede himself. During his fist years as a monk, St. Bede was tutored by
another monk, which was St. Benedict Bishop, a holy man of noble lineage. Using his wealth, Bishop
established a monastery, named the monastery of St. Peter, in the mount of the Wear River at the
coastlines of Northrumbia. The abbey itself was designed by St. Bede himself, and were built by
French Stonemasons and artisans. The arts and array built by the French artisans were filled with
“sacred vessels, lamps and other creative works, this included windows filled with glass.” St.
Bishop’s next monastery project would be built in Jarrow, near the Tyrne River, just at the south of
Wearmouth. St. Bishop, now the Abbot of the Monastery of St. Peter, placed hundreds of books in
the huge library of the monastery, which included multiple volumes about the Ancient Roman
Civilisation, and history of other places in Europe. This was where St. Bede began his ecclesiastical
works. His joy for reading, researching, studying, worship, and reflection, gave St. Bede an
opportunity to create his memorable works that would later be taught in Enlgand, later the United
Kingdom, and the Catholic Church including the Catholic community. During his years as a young
monk, St. Bede studied Latin and Ancient Greek. St. Bede’s first studies were mostly filled with the
teachings and rules St. Benedict Bishop bestowed upon him, which would be later also be taught to
the other monks of St. Bishop. The rule of St. Benedict Bishop was one of the driving factors of St.
Bede’s works. It is known that St. Bede’s later works would be filled with advanced and vast
writings and knowledge about sacred and secular literature. St. Bede would be later known for
publishing “The Ecclesiastical Teachings of the English people.” This would eventually become one
of St. Bede’s best works. “The Ecclesiastical Teachings of the English People” comprised about five
volumes which makes great length and detail about the Christian history and people in England.
This work of St. Bede is considered to be the most accurate source and evidence of early British
history, and would also be praised for its first use of hagiography. It’s is due to this writing that
Celtic Christianity was made well aware in mainland Europe, which also included the biographies of
other Celtic saints such as St. Cuthbert, St. Hilda, St. Aidan of Iona, St. Cuthbert, St. Anastasius, and
St. Felix. A biography of a cowherder turned poet Caedmon, whom translated sacred scriptures into
music, song, and rhymes, was also in one of the five volumes of “The Ecclesiastical Teachings of the
English people.” Besides the history of Christianity of the early English people, St. Bede also created
other works of literature as well. The lesser known works of St. Bede’s includes his “biblical
commentaries,” and “thoughtful treaties” primarily meant for monks under his order and reflection
about the Lectitio Divina. Theology, History, and Hagiography were one of the specialties of St.
Bede’s, this is due to the impressive intellectual insights that he accomplished, which is why he was
considered as one, if not, the best monks of his time. His professional and skilled level in
mathematics made the early church compile accurate date and time cycles, which prompted them to
create an accurate ecclesiastical calendar for Easter. St. Bede as well documented the first use of AD
(Anno Domini) and BC (Before Christ) in his writings, using Christ’s birth as the center point of
time. This calculated use to properly and accurately organize the years was well received that this
same calendar system is still used today, and is even used among non-Christian countries. St. Bede
also became one of the first people to speculate that the earth is actually shaped like a sphere. This
impressive calculation of St. Bede’s however would not be recognized by the church. For all his life,
St. Bede considered the Word of God as the centermost part of his life, a gospel that always guides
his career’s path. Whenever he is out discussing or reflecting with his monks, St. Bede would always
share his insights and devotion to others, once he read and became knowledgeable with one of
God’s words. It is claimed, that the monks or other followers that knew the saint follows a simple
and peaceful life. St. Bede’s love for studying and learning propelled him to become inspired by his
own works. St. Bede is an intellectual scholar, whom always hungered for knowledge in order to
create progress, and more insights about the sacred scriptures for the church. He was also a
spiritual and religious man, whom showed great faith to God. But he was especially a loving man
that would always spread the love of God unto others, clergymen, nobles, and even the peasants.

Works

Some of St. Bede’s works didn’t actually survive to the present day. Though Bede is known for his
work, the Ecclesiastical History of the English People, most of his works have been forgotten for
ages; while the others are being used as gospels in bibles. St. Bede’s famous works are widely use in
the present day. Articles had been highlighted to the works of the saint. Articles that is surely
remarkable and reliable to be used in several gospels. The Ecclesiastical History of His Island and
Nation is one of St. Bede’s famous articles. The article can be found to the book written by Bede,
entitled as Ecclesiastical History of the English People. The book is solely about the history of the
Christian Churches in England; specifically it is about the conflict between the pre-Schism Roman
Rite and Celtic Christianity. Other articles, on the other hand, are being used on specific gospels in
the bible. Articles that were obtained in a specific book written by the saint. For example, the
beginning of Genesis, to the nativity of Isaac, and the reprobation of Ismael acquired from St. Bede’s
commentary on Genesis, the de tabernaculo includes the information about the tabernacle and its
vessels, and of the priestly vestments, the ruling of Samuel until the death of Saul is elaborated in St.
Bede’s commentary on Samuel, the de temple Salomonis includes the building of the temple,
Quaestiones XXX involves thirty questions particularly about the book of Kings, Solomons proverbs
can be seen in Bede’s commentary on proverbs, seven books of Canticles can be seen in the
commentary on the Song of Songs, biographies of Endras and Nehemiah is in the commentary of
Ezra and Nehemiah, the song of Habakkuk is in the commentary on the prayer of Habakkuk, the
book of blessed father Tobias can be seen in Bede’s commentary on Tobit, the gospel of Mark is in
the commentary of St. Mark, similar to the gospel of Luke in the commentary of St. Luke, and the
revelation of St. John which is presented in Bede’s commentary on the Apocalypse. Several no extant
Manuscript of St. Bede include significant gospels, books and parables like the readings of Moses’
Pentateuch, the books of Kings and Chronicles, the book of the blessed father Job, the parables,
ecclesiates and canticles, life of the prophets Isaiah, Endras and Nehemiah, the gospel of Mark,
gospel of Luke, and readings in the New Testament. Several homilies have been given point by the
saint, in the Homilies on the gospel. Other works of St. Bede that includes substantial information
are Letter to Plegwin, Life of St. Felix, Life of St. Anastasius, Life of St. Cuthbert, Life of St. Cuthbert,
History of the Abbots of Wearmouth and Jarrow, Martyrology, Hymns, Liber epigrammatum, De
natura rerum; De temporibus, De temporum ratione, De orthographia, and De arte metrica; De
schematibus et tropis (Wikipedia contributors, 2018).

Contributions

Works About Time: Bede’s other two scientific treatises, De temporibus (On time, written in 703)
and De temporum ratione (On the reckoning of time, written in 725), are about calendars and
chronology and set out astronomical rules for determining the date of Easter, an issue of great
importance in the early eighth century. The various medieval methods of dating could result in
calendars that varied by as much as two weeks, leading to situations in which some of the devout
were still in abstinence for Lent while others were celebrating Easter. This confusion arose because
it was necessary to use both

The Roman calendar, based on the solar year, and the Hebrew calendar, based on the lunar month,
to determine the exact dates of Easter and other religious holidays.

Because there are no common factors for 365 (the approximate number of days in a solar year) and
29 (roughly the number of days in a lunar month), there is no simple way to determine the day of
the year in the Julian calendar, the form of solar-year calendar then in use, on which Easter
(computed from lunar cycles) falls. Added to this difficulty was the pragmatic way in which
individual congregations marked time from one feast to the next through cycles of specific texts and
Psalms. Over decades and centuries, these cycles had become badly out of sync with the proper
dates as determined by the heavens and as required by Church law. By the third century C.E. an
entire discipline had been founded to calculate those dates and came to be called computus after the
lengthy computations necessary to predict the motions of the moon and the sun throughout the
year.

For more than eight hundred years, Bede’s De temporum ratione was the standard textbook for
performing these calculations. In it he treats the motions of the sun, the moon, the stars, and even
the tides, trying to set down the general laws that govern all these phenomena. For practical
purposes, he included tables and formulae for calculation and calendars, as well as mnemonic
devices to remind his brethren how to calculate time.

A New Dating System: Bede was the first historian to publicize the modern idea of anno domini
(A.D.)—that is, the method of dating events from the birth of Christ. Although he did not intend to
cause controversy, this new system led to speculation on the “end of the world” or the second
coming of Christ. Bede was unfairly accused of fostering this sort of thinking, and he felt obliged to
disavow this rampant speculation in language uncharacteristically strong for such a gentle and
scholarly monk: “I am as much grieved as I can be, I confess, or else greatly annoyed, whenever
upstarts ask me how many of the last thousand years remain [until the Second Coming].

“And I am equally annoyed when they ask me, ‘How do you know that the last thousand years
are in progress?‚ The Lord does not state in the Gospels whether the time of His Advent is near or
far-distant.... If anyone should say to me, ‘Lo, here is the Christ!‚ Or ‘Lo, there!‚ I would not listen to
him or follow him.”
 St. Maurus

Life

St. Maurus, better known as St. Maur, is a Roman Catholic saint and was the first disciple of St.
Benedict of Nursia. He became well known in the church when he was mentioned in St. Gregory the
Great’s biography, “The First Oblate.” St. Maurus was born and raised by Roman nobility, and was
sent to monastery at a young age. St. Gregory’s four accounts on St. Maur hints that his life is a
symbol of a Benedictine monk. St. Maurus is known by the Catholic community through his story of
receiving a miracle by St. Benedict while saving St. Placidus from drowning, which is shown in many
artworks during the renaissance. A biography, titled “A Long Life of Saint Maurus,” was published
during the late ninth century, probably authored by one of St. Maur’s compatriots. According to the
account, “The bishop of Le Mans, in western France, sent a delegation asking Benedict for a group of
monks to travel from Benedict's new abbey of Monte Cassino to establish monastic life in France
according to the Rule of St. Benedict.” These sources about St. Maur gives crucial evidences on the
life of St. Maur beyond the incident with St. Placidus. It recounts the journey of St. Maur, St.
Benedict, and the other monks’ journey from Monte Casino, Italy, to West Francia in order to
establish a monastery. This is where St. Maur became a preacher and follower of the Benedictine
Doctrine. The Monastery that was later established in France was called the “Glanfeuil Abbey,” was
headed by St. Maurus himself, and was the first Benedictine monastery in the Galic region, near the
south bank of the Loir river, a few miles away from the town of Angers. It is said that the first chenin
grapes grew in the vineyards of the monastery. However today, Scholars believe that the life of St.
Maurus was a “forgery” during the ninth century in Carolingian France by Abbot Odo, the head of
Glanfeuil’s abbey during the late ninth century. This was to promote “cults” to honor primarily the
teachings of the saints, but not the entirety of the church’s. During 845 AD, it was claimed that the
bones of St. Benedict was discovered in Glanfeuil by Abbot Guazlin, one of Odo’s predecessors. It is
a possibility that Guazlin “invented” or perhaps only “promoted” the story of the discovery of St.
Benedict’s bones in order to flourish the monastery’s popularity. This also included the “discovery”
of the bones of St. Scholastica, St. Benedict’s twin sister, in Loire, France. During 862, Abbot Odo and
his monks fled to Paris due to the constant raiding from the Scandinavian Vikings. This prompted
them to spread the cult of St. Maurus among the Parisians, reviving the local monastery in “Saint-
Pierre-des-Fossés,” later renamed as “Saint-Maur-des-Fossés.” The cult of St. Maurus would later
spread alongside the French countryside and would dominate the monasteries there. By the
eleventh century, the cult of St. Maurus would eventually spread towards Italy, especially in Monte
Casino, alongside the cult of St. Placidus. By the late Middle Ages, the cult of St. Maurus and St.
Placidus would dominate all Benedictine monasteries. In the eighteenth century, when the abbey of
Fosses started to decline, the cult of St. Maurus was stirred to the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-
Prés wherever it remained a well-liked center until the relics were stolen by
Parisian revolutionaries throughout the French Revolution. St. Maurus continues to be honored by
Benedictine congregations nowadays, several monks adopting his name and dedicating monasteries
to his patronage. In artworks, St. Maurus would appear similar like all monks during the Middle
Ages. His most notable features include a young man, whom would sometimes hold an Abbot’s cross
or a spade. Some other features of St. Maurus are his crutches, referencing his “patronage for
cripples.” He was “invoking especially against fevers, rheumatism, epilepsy and gout.” Sometimes, St.
Maurus would also be represented as a man with a scale, which was given to him by St. Benedict
himself when they journeyed to Monte Casino (Herbermann, n.d.).

Works

According to Eidenschink & Bartholome (1963), St. Maurus is well-known in the Christian
community as a man that would receive and use the miracles bestowed upon him. An example was
the incident with St. Placidus. While St. Placidus was filling water for the monastery, he could not
swim, and was drowning. St. Benedict noticed this and told Maurus to rescue Placidus. Though,
Maurus clearly did not know how to swim himself, he obeyed and saved Placidus by walking on the
water. This first miracle of Maurus became one of the very reasons why Benedict became a saint.
Another known miracle was done by Maurus himself. When a crippled and mute boy was carried by
his parents, the two cast themselves upon Maurus’ feet and begged him to cure their son. Maurus
then said “In the name of the most holy and undivided Trinity, and supported by the merits of the
most holy Father Benedict, I bid you to rise, stand upon your feet and be cured.” Then the boy stood
up, and the entire family rejoiced the name of God.
Contributions

As an abbot, Saint Maurus is considered to be one of the greatest masters of the Cenobitical life. He
is also considered as one of the most illustrious of the disciples of St. Benedict. According to
Gueranger (n.d.), the France was indebted to Maurus for having its admirable rule. The country
produced great saints. He went to the country of France with a mission and vision of promulgating
his rules and virtues. St. Maurus was responsible for the construction of the Monastery of Glanfeuil.
That monastery is considered to be the mother house principal monasteries. Saint Germain and
Saint Denis of Paris, Marmoutier, Saint Victor, Luxeuil, Jumieges, Fleury Corbie, Saint Vannes,
Moyen-Moutier, Saint Wandrille, Saint Waast, La Chaise-Dieu, Tiron, Cheza, Benoit and Le Bec are
one of those monasteries. He governed it for forty years; his virtues were firm enough to influence
his countrymen, including its previous rulers. Kings have put themselves under Maurus’ direction,
and it made them holier, and more knowledgeable about monastic life. It was said that before his
death, he resigned as the leader of the monastery. He retired into a cell near the oratory of St.
Martin; he had this most rigorous penance.
 St. Bernard of Clairvaux

Life

Rauscher (n.d) claimed that St. Bernard of Clairvaux was born on 1090 in Chateau of Fontaines-les
Dijon, France by French Burgundian nobility. His father was Tescelin, while his mother Aleth. During
this time, there were no certified surnames yet, and only would receive surnames if they owned a
specific land and lived as landowners. Both of Bernard’s parents are pious. During a dream, while
she was pregnant with her son, Aleth was called on by a religious, which said that her son would
become a “Guardian of the House of God”. Throughout his entire life, St. Bernard would become one
of the first devoted servants of the Blessed Virgin Mary, blessing the masses to protect and give faith
under her name. He was considered as an excellent preacher, with his sermons practiced as well by
other priests during the Holy Liturgy. Even though St. Bernard considered himself as a humble
follower of God. His personality made other monks in his monastery question his humility. Yet, this
personality of his would greatly contribute to his sermons and messages to proclaim his love and
loyalty to God. Bernard would later be involved with the controversial schism of Anacletus when
Innocent II was elected as Pope. One of the church’s cardinals, Cardinal Pierlone, rejected the new
pope, as he himself wanted the title as well. Pierlone arranged another election, which of course
made sure the votes were favorable on his side, and became the church’s new pope, naming himself
Anacletus II. This cause outrage inside the church, and tried to solve this issue through the creation
of another council in Etampes. It was St. Bernard’s wisdom and clever use of language that made
Innocent II return as the Pope once again. The monarchs in France, England, and Germany were
impressed with Bernard’s skills as they too were involved with the schism as well. Bernard would
always defend the church, under Innocent II’s side, because of this St. Bernard had increased his
influence on the church tremendously. He would usually choose a peaceful solution to solve these
schisms in order to refute another incident in the church’s hierarchy. Soon he would become the
most influential person in the church. The History of the Catholic Church would once again take an
important step when Bernard renounced the writings of Peter Abelard, a theologian of the Catholic
School in Paris. Abelard’s writings were taken positively by the Catholic church, and would be later
adopted by catholic intellectuals and the common people. According to his thesis “Faith through
Reason,” was considered as a catholic teaching of the church for centuries. “The Faith of God”
according to Abelard was “Nothing can be believed unless it is understood” was accepted by the
Church and the mystery of God and His infinite love was “submerged.” However, with Bernard’s
influence, after the Council of Sens (1140), the Pope deemed Abelard’s works as heresy. This had
showcased the dominating influence that St. Bernard had on the Church. St. Bernard’s teachings of
the church, Grace and Free Will, which replaced Abelard’s works, it became the main theological
study in the Catholic Church. Philosophy and Theology then became the forefront of St. Bernard’s
life. Due to his devotion and faithfulness, he came to be close friends with Suger, an abbot of St.
Denis, a famous Benedictine monastery in Paris. St. Bernard was a fierce adversary when it came to
theological studies, usually finding a way and succeeding in defeating his contemporaries. He is
known to become as one of the groundworks of his sanctity of this Rite, both in the Church and Juris
Prudence. On August 30, 1153, St. Bernard died after suffering multiple disorders and sicknesses,
and was buried in his monastery in Clairvaux. He was named as the “Doctor of the Church” during
1830. His canonization took place on January 18, 1174.

Works

St. Bernard is known for his popular works such as On Loving God, Some letters written by him, and
St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh (Lawlor, 1920)

On Loving God

In his work, St. Bernard states that there are four types of love that a Christian experience with their
relationship with God as they start to grow: “Loving one's self, selfish love, loving God as God, and
loving one's self in God.” St. Benedict tells us that God has sacrificed his own son, his own physical
body for humanity’s sins, and bestowed upon us life during the creation of the universe. "God
deserves to be loved very much, yea, boundlessly, because He loved us first, He infinite and we
nothing, loved us, miserable sinners, with a love so great and so free." To summarize, St. Benedict
tells us that we humans are indebted in God’s love, not that we should only love as we are supposed
to, but remind us that God’s love has neither limitations nor rewards.

Some Letters of St. Bernard of Clairvaux

“The letters of extraordinary and great men give us data about them which can be gotten from no
other source”, says Frank Gasquet, one of the coordinators of this book. Not at all like some other
writing, a letter provides us with a window into the spirit of its writer; it enables us to see the
writer's close to home attributes, cares, feelings, endowments, and indecencies. It expansion to their
extraordinary recorded significance, the letters of Saint Bernard give us a pointer of St. Bernard's
religious and political impact. St. Bernard traded letters with people of a wide range of statures- -
his reporters included priest, elders, diocesans, abbots, rulers, heavenly virgins, royal ladies, popes,
dukes, and duchesses. St. Bernard was in every case enthusiastic in his introduction and lovely in
his tone, notwithstanding when he was wildly safeguarding his confidence. He every now and again
joined scriptural inferences in his composition. He likewise depended intensely on the confided in
lessons of St. Ambrose and St. Augustine, two of his most loved church fathers. There is much truth
and warmth to be found in the letters of St. Bernard” (Lawlor, 1920).

Contributions

St. Bernard is the one who promoted “Memorare” prayer. He is well-known for his Marian devotion.
St. Bernard, with 12 other monks established a monastery in the Diocese of Champagne. The
monastery is known to be Clairvaux meaning The Valley of Light. He led as an abbot for the rest of
his life. He became a widely known influential figure throughout Europe and was consulted and
influenced by popes and political leaders. Benedict XVI quoted, “He was also remembered as a
Doctor of Mariology, not because he wrote extensively on Our Lady, but because he understood her
essential role in the Church, presenting her as the perfect model of the monastic life and of every
other form of the Christian life.” On Aug. 20, the Church celebrates the feast day of St. Bernard of
Clairvaux, a “Doctor of the Church” thanks to his writings and sermons which greatly influenced
Europe during the 12th century, and his numerous efforts which helped to avoid a schism in the
Church in 1130 (Catholic News Agency, 2016)
 St. Scholastica

Life

A catholic nun, well known as the twin sister of St. Benedict, St. Scholastica was born on 480 in
Nursia, Italy. Raised in a noble household, Scholastica was devoted to her faith in God in during her
earliest years as a youth. According to Pope Gregory the Great, he accounts that Benedict’s sister
was “dedicated from her infancy to Our Lord.”As Benedict grew older, he left the household to study
in the city of Rome, leaving Scholastica and her father to tend the Nursian estate, as her mother died
while giving birth to Scholastica and Benedict. While tending the estate, Benedict meanwhile lived
as a hermit and became the head of a community of monks. It is unknown how and when
Scholastica became a nun, however accounts claim that when she heard news of her brother leading
a community of monks, she decided to as well lead a community of nuns. It is speculated by
biographers that the first members of her community were a group of pious virgins, and would later
create a monastery in that area. The monastery that St. Scholastica built was only five miles apart
from Monte Casino, the monastery of St. Benedict. According to Pope Gregory, the two siblings
would meet every year and pray at a small house between the two holy communities. Unlike her
brother, Scholastica was not a subject of formal biographies, which lessens any chance of how she
accurately lived her life. The only known fact about Scholastica was their nobility status during birth
and how the two had the same lifestyle. St. Benedict’s biographer recounted a story when the two
had their last prayers together. After the two finished their yearly prayers, Scholastica begged her
brother to stay with her in the house, Benedict refused. Scholastica then joined her hands together,
laid them on the table and bowed her head to pray to the Lord. Then came a large storm, that
neither Benedict nor his monks leave."Seeing that he could not return to his abbey because of such
thunder and lightning and great abundance of rain," Pope Gregory wrote, "the man of God became
sad and began to complain to his sister, saying, 'God forgive you, what have you done?'". "'I wanted
you to stay, and you wouldn't listen,' she answered. ‘I have asked our good Lord, and He graciously
granted my request, so if you can still depart, in God's name return to your monastery, and leave me
here alone.'" Benedict had no choice but spend the rest of the night with his sister, having a
conversation about spiritual matters, which included the Kingdom of Heaven, which she would soon
depart. Three days after the incident, Scholastica died on 543. It is claimed that St. Benedict had a
dream about Scholastica’s soul ascending to heaven. He rejoiced and praised God’s name. Benedict’s
monks then brought her body in the monastery and buried it at a grave that he marked himself as
well. Not long after, St. Benedict died, buried alongside his sister (Catholic News Agency, n.d.).

Works & Contributions

According to Catholic Online (n.d.), St. Scholastica established and led a monastery of nuns. St.
Scholastica shared a deep bond with her twin brother. During her time she could only visited her
brother once a year; although they were siblings, St. Scholastica was not allowed to enter Benedict’s
monastery. She had also shown a deep connection to God which transcends a normal person’s
connection at the time. The story of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica was included in the Dialogues
written by St. Gregory the great, although not much was known of Scholastica as it was the only
piece of historical document that had mention her. Yet, others were still inspired by St. Scholastica’s
story despite her vague background. Her life told the story of ordinary people’s everyday struggle
with life and also the balance and love they symbolize through compassion and having a stronger
faith. Thus, through the usage of prayer and love it can lead us into salvation and we should use
these principles to help those in need.
 CHAPTER III

Conclusion

As the lives, works and contributions of each saint were scrutinized, the researchers therefore
conclude that the contributions of St. Benedict had influenced these people to pursue a life
influenced by his teachings of prayer, work and peace. Despite living in different areas and time
periods they all shared a common connection with the Benedictine monastery and had left their
privilege life for one of humble service towards God. The Benedictine saints left their comfort zone
to serve God in a more profound manner through their deep and intimate devotion. Most of them
also help to propagate the Benedictine order and its teachings by either his/her written works or
building monasteries devoted to the teachings of St. Benedict. The works and contributions of the
Benedictine saints have influenced the teachings in the Ordo Sancti Benedicti; it sharpened the
teachings of the religious order and the Catholic Church itself. Their devotion and contribution to
the church guided them to live virtuous lives. In the end, the legacy that these people left behind
stands as an example to generations to follow and for the youth to explore. It can also be deduced
that the works and contributions of the Benedictine Saints are one of the foundations of the
Benedictine Order teachings and principles, and of the Catholic Church itself. It strengthens various
ideas in the bible, and of its gospels; which in the modern day, are being used in celebrating the holy
mass. It is also being used in the sermons and reflections of the priests.
Reference

Morin, Paula. (n.d.). St. Bede the Venerable: Longing for Heaven.
https://www.idahomonks.org/sect601.htm

Wikipedia contributors, (2018). Bede's list of his works. Retrieved from List of works by Bede:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_works_by_Bede#cite_note-Giles_314-317-1

Bede, The Reckoning of Time, edited and translated by Faith Wallis (Liverpool: Liverpool University
Press, 1999).

Alistair Cameron Crombie, Augustine to Galileo: The History of ’Science A.D. 400—1650, second
edition, revised and enlarged (Cambridge, Mass.: verpool University Press, 1999).

Richard C. Dales, The Scientific Achievement of the Middle Ages (Philadelphia: University of
PennsylvaniaPress, 1973).

Edward Grant, The Foundations of Modern Science in the Middle Ages: Their Religious, Institutional,
and Intellectual Contexts (Cambridge: Camphia: University Press, 1973).

Grant, Physical Science in The Middle Ages (Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press,
1977).

Charles W. Jones, Bede, the Schools and the “Computus,” edited by Wesley M. Stevens (Aldershot:
Variorum, 1994).

Claudia Kren, Medieval Science and Technology: A Selected, Annotated Bibliography (New York:
Garland, 1985).

David C. Lindberg, The Beginnings of Western Science: The European Scientific Tradition in
Philosophical, Religious, and Institutional Context, 600 B.C. to A.D. 1450 (Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1992).

Wesley M. Stevens, “Bede’s Scientific Achievement” in Bede and His World: The Jarroiv Lectures,
1958–1993 (Aldershot: Variorum, 1994), pp. 645–688.
Herbermann, C., (n.d.). The Legendary Life of St. Maurus. Retrieved from Saint Maurus:
https://ipfs.io/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Saint_Maur
us.html

Eidenschink, J., & Bartholome P.W., (1963). Gift of Miracles. Retrieved from Order of Saint Benedict:
Life of St. Maurus (Maur): http://archive.osb.org/gen/maurus/maurlife.html

Guéranger, P., (n.d.), Saint Maurus. Retrieved from The Catholic has the answer:
http://catholicismhastheanswer.com/saint-maurus/

Rauscher, F. (n.d.). History of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux. Retrieved from St. Bernard of Clairvaux:
https://stbernardstulsa.org/Parish-Info/History/History-of-Saint-Bernard-of-Clairvaux

Lawlor, H.J. (1920). St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh. Retrieved from
Christian Classics Ethereal Library: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/bernard/st_malachy.html

Catholic News Agency., (2016). St. Bernard of Clairvaux known for contributions to Marian devotion.
Retrieved from The Michigan Catholic: http://www.themichigancatholic.org/2016/08/st-bernard-
clairvaux-known-contributions-marian-devotion/

Catholic News Agency., (n.d.). St. Scholastica. Retrieved from Catholic News Agency Blogsite:
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/saint/st-scholastica-143

Catholic Online., (n.d.). St. Scholastica. Retrieved from Catholic Online blogsite:
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=240

Catholic Online. (n.d.). St. Scholastica - Saints & Angels. Retrieved from
https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=240

Engs, R. C. (2003, February 11). St. Scholastica - Traditional twin of St. Benedict. Retrieved from
http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/scholas.htm

Lives of the Saints - St. Scholastica. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://stscholastica.org/lives-of-the-

saints---st-scholastica