Hello! Br. Ricky here. I’m purring because you decided to visit this page! Here you’ll find “tools” for Benedictine living. Each tool is associated with a “Mewsing on the Rule of St. Benedict.” Mewsings are articles about the Rule of St. Benedict and Benedictine spirituality. They are offered by Cloister members and novices.
This is a brand new page as of December, 2023. That’s why there aren’t lots of tools yet. But I have consulted with the Cloister and members agreed to prepare tools to help you. We want to do ALL WE CAN to encourage the practice of Benedictine ways.
We all hope that these tools will be of help. We will be adding more as time goes along.
Blessings to you.
Purpose of the Tool: To discern your practice for Lent using the Rule of St. Benedict as a guide. Background on the Tool: It is important that we discern a practice for Lent that fits us and helps us towards a life most pure and opening the heart to the joy of the...
Reframing Lent “You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent.” Psalm 30:11, 12a Ash Wednesday is just around the corner. Can you envision where your...
Purpose of the Tool: To come into the present moment where we can experience the light of God’s love and find fullness and joy in life. Background on the Tool: Too often we fly through our days with our minds on something else rather than on where we are and what we...
Light, Love and Life “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” Isaiah 9:2 Please sing the following to “Deck the halls with boughs of holly.” Deck the halls with lots of action. Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la. Tis the season of...
Purpose of the Tool: To help you move towards freedom and peace of heart. Background on the Tool: In the fourth step of humility Benedict offers a way to meet and move through the difficult times in life. Instead of letting our negative thoughts control us and lead us...
To Grumble or Not To Grumble – That’s the Question Never lose hope in God’s mercy. RB 4.74 Ever flail and flail against the wind? Most of us have encountered the relentlessness of a difficult or challenging situation that seems never to end. It could be a situation at...
Purpose of the Tool: To embrace an extra spiritual practice normally done in Lent during at any season or time of the year. Background on the Tool: In the newsletter article for this issue I suggested that we can have a “Lenten” spiritual practice any time of the year...
Living A Somewhat Continuous Lent The life of a monastic ought to be a continuous Lent. RB 49.1 At this month’s meeting of my Benedictine Spirituality group, one of the members confessed that she was going to miss her Lenten discipline. “I need to continue this,” she...
I have a rule of life…never make New Year’s resolutions. Too discouraging! A few weeks ago I reviewed the 2010 ministry plan that I made last January. As usual it was full of wonderful ideas but too ambitious. Along with the regular work I do—preparing for...