Ordinary Things

Further Reading

If this introduction has sparked your curiosity, these resources offer several places to continue. There is no need to explore them all. The Rule itself, read slowly and returned to often, remains the best place to begin.

Begin with the Rule

• The Rule of Saint Benedict
  The complete RB 1980 text in English and Latin, provided by Saint John’s Abbey.

• Daily Reading from the Rule of Saint Benedict
  The Rule divided into short daily readings and completed three times each year.

• The Rule of Saint Benedict at e-Benedictine
  Another accessible online edition, with related introductions and Benedictine resources.

• About the Rule of Saint Benedict
  A brief introduction from the Order of Saint Benedict.

Meet Saint Benedict

• Bishop Robert Barron’s Pivotal Players: Saint Benedict
  A visual introduction to Benedict’s life, historical setting, and enduring influence.

• Pope Benedict XVI’s General Audience on Saint Benedict
  A concise reflection delivered on April 9, 2008.

• Pope Gregory the Great’s Dialogues, Book II
  The earliest surviving account of Benedict’s life, written several decades after his death. It is less a modern biography than a spiritual portrait shaped by stories, memories, and miracles.

Read More Deeply

• The Rule of Saint Benedict in English, translated by Timothy Fry, OSB
  A clear and widely used translation for a first complete reading of the Rule.

• The Rule of Benedict for Beginners, by Wil Derkse
  An approachable introduction to Benedictine listening, stability, work, and daily life beyond the monastery.

• The Rule of Benedict: A Spirituality for the 21st Century, by Joan Chittister, OSB
  A chapter-by-chapter reflection on how the Rule speaks to ordinary life in the modern world.

• Benedict’s Rule: A Translation and Commentary, by Terrence Kardong, OSB
  A detailed historical and textual commentary for readers who want to study the Rule more closely.

• The Benedictine Handbook
  A broad collection of Benedictine history, prayer, spirituality, saints, customs, and practical wisdom.

• The Oblate Life
  Essays and guidance for people seeking to live the spirit of the Rule outside a monastery.

• Benedictine Daily Prayer: A Short Breviary
  A simplified form of the Liturgy of the Hours shaped by the Benedictine tradition.

Listen and Pray

• Glenstal Abbey’s Podcast on the Rule of Saint Benedict
  A ten-part series in which the monks of Glenstal reflect on the Rule and its continuing wisdom.

• Prayer and Mass from Mount Angel Abbey
  Livestreams of the Divine Office and Mass from the abbey church.

• Prayer from Glenstal Abbey
  Daily broadcasts from a Benedictine monastery in County Limerick, Ireland.

• Echoes from the Bell Tower
  Stories, conversations, and reflections from the monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey.

Encounter Living Benedictine Communities

Benedictine life does not exist primarily in books. It continues in communities shaped by a shared rhythm of prayer, work, hospitality, and life under the Rule.

• Subiaco Abbey
  A Benedictine community founded in Arkansas in 1878.

• The Oblates of Subiaco Abbey
  An introduction to Benedictine oblation and the practice of living the Rule amid ordinary responsibilities.

• Saint John’s Abbey Oblate Resources
  Articles, books, conferences, and formation materials for oblates and anyone interested in Benedictine spirituality.

• Reflections on the Rule from Stanbrook Abbey
  Reflections written by the Benedictine nuns of Stanbrook Abbey in England.

• Reflections from Mount Saint Scholastica
  Seasonal and spiritual reflections from a community of Benedictine women in Atchison, Kansas.

• The Center for Benedictine Life at the Monastery of Saint Gertrude
  Retreats, spiritual direction, and online programs rooted in Benedictine life.

• Portraits of Benedictine Life at Mount Angel Abbey
  Videos exploring the daily rhythm, prayer, work, peace, and community of the monastery.

Explore the Benedictine World

• The Order of Saint Benedict
  News, history, documents, and resources from the worldwide Benedictine Confederation.

• The Benedictine Confederation
  An introduction to the larger family of autonomous Benedictine monasteries and congregations.

• The OSB Atlas
  A searchable directory of Benedictine monasteries and communities throughout the world.

• Communio Internationalis Benedictinarum
  The international communion of Benedictine women’s communities.

• Directory of the American-Cassinese Congregation
  A directory of Benedictine monasteries belonging to one of the principal congregations in the United States.

• The Archived OSB Resource Library
  An extensive collection of older texts, directories, historical materials, and resources on monasteries, oblates, saints, and the Rule.

Reference

• Saint Benedict of Nursia on Wikipedia

• The Rule of Saint Benedict on Wikipedia

• Saint Benedict of Nursia in the Catholic Encyclopedia

• The Benedictine Order in the Catholic Encyclopedia

Read Next: Reflections