St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School Hindley

"Listen and attend with the ear of your heart."

(St Benedict)

St Benedict

Saint Benedict (AD 480-547) is a patron saint of students, as well as one of the patron saints of Europe. He has had an immense influence on our educational practice, and he had much to do with the shape of Western culture.

Benedict lived in sixth-century Italy when the great Roman Empire was disintegrating. He was born in Nursia, in Umbria, a village northeast of Rome. His parents sent him to Rome for classical studies.

Saint Benedict became a monk as a young man and founded a monastery high in the mountains on Monte Cassino. It was there that he wrote the Book of Rule, a blessed rule of peace and stability which teaches us how to live and work together happily with God. St. Benedict is often shown holding his Book of Rule and a lighted torch, which represents how he illuminated others with his teaching.

His feast day is 11th July.

St. Benedict called his Book of Rule “a little rule for beginners.” Some of his writings include:

…speak the truth with heart and tongue.

If people curse you, do not curse them back but bless them instead.

Do not grumble or speak ill of others.

Place your hope in God alone.

…devote yourself often to prayer.

…harbor neither hatred nor jealousy of anyone…

Respect the elders…

Pray for your enemies.

If you have a dispute with someone, make peace with him before the sun goes down.