nynciAL ORGAN OF THL ARCHDIOCESE OF FIRTH, Registered at the G.P.O,, Perth, for transmission by post as a newspaper.
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To Our Venerable Brethren-The Patriarchs, Primates, Archbishops, Bishops and Other Ordinaries in Peace and Communion With
VENERABLE BRETHREN, Health and Apostolic Benediction
On the Fourteenth Centenary of the Death of St. Benedict LIKE a star in the darkness of night, Benedict of Nursia brilliantly shines, a glory not only to Italy but of the whole
perennial youth of the Church by WARFARE OF LIFE. FIRST DIFFICULTIES. his outstanding sanctity and THEN it was that this holy work; he restored morality by In this way of life he found man saw that the time, orhis teaching and example; he pro- such sweetness of soul that all dained by God's providence, had Church. Whoever considers his tected the sanctuary of religious the former delights he had excelebrated life, and studies in the life with safer and holier laws. perienced from his wealth and come for him to found a family of light of the truth of history the Nor was that all; he and his fol- ease now appeared distasteful to religious men, and to mould tkem gloomy and stormy times in lowers reclaimed the uncultured him and in a way forgotten. One to the perfection of the Gospels. which he lived, will, without tribes from their wild life to day the enemy of human nature He began under most favourable "For in those parts doubt, realise the truth of the civic and Christian culture; di- aroused in him very strong al- auspices. divine promise which Christ made recting them to the practice of lurements of the flesh; at once he he had gathered together a great to the Apostles and to the socivirtue industry and the peace- strenuously resisted-noble and many in the service of God, so ety He founded: "I am with you ful arts and literature, he united strong soul that he was-and that by the assistance of Our all days, even to the consummathem in the bonds of fraternal af- casting himself into a thicket of Lord Jesus Christ he built there tion of the world" (1). fection and charity. briars and sharp nettles by vol. 12 monasteries, in each of which untary wounds he conquered and he put 12 monks with their SuAt no time in history does this Vic- periors, and retained a few with In the first flower of youth he quenched the interior fire. whom he thought to in promise lose its force; it is veriwas sent to Rome to study the torious over himself, he seemed himself further" (12). fied in the course of all ages flowliberal sciences (6); there with to have been strengthened from struct But while things started very ing, as they do, under the guidgreat grief he noticed heresies on high as a reward. "After which as We said, and yield. ance of divine Providence. But and all manner of errors preval- time, as he himself related to his favourably, rich and salutary results, prowhen enemies assail the Chrisent, and many minds deceived disciples, he was so free from ed still greater in the future, tian name more fiercely, when and corrupted; private and public the like temptation that he never mising Our saint, with the greatest grief the fateful barque of Peter is felt any such motion.... Being of soul, morality were crumbling, and tossed about more violently, and very many, especially the fine, now altogether free from vicious over the saw a storm breaking growing harvest, which when everything seems to be totelegant youth, were sadly sunk temptation, he worthily deserved an envious spirit had provoked tering with no hope of human to be a master of virtue" (10). in the mire of pleasure. and desires of earthly gain had support, it is then that Christ is stirred up. Since Benedict was present, bondsman, comforter, prompted by divine and not husource of supernatural power, man counsel, and feared lest the and raises up fresh champions to Our saint, then, living for a envy which had been aroused THE result was that it could protect Catholicism, to restore it be said of Roman society, long time this secluded and soli- mainly against himself should to its former vigour, and give it "it is dying, and it laughs. In tary life in the cave of Subiaco, wrongfully recoil on his followever greater increase under the nearly every part of the world shaped and set himself in sanc- ers, "he let envy take its course, inspiration and help of heavenly tears follow on our laughter" (7), tity, and laid those solid founda- and after he had disposed of the grace. However, under God's influence, tions of Christian perfection on oratories and other buiildings----, Among these champions shines "he gave himself to no disport or which he was given later to raise leaving in them a competent numout in resplendent light Our Benepleasure . but when he saw a mighty building of lofty ber of brethren with superiorsdict-blessed "by name and tified the Church comes out vic- many through the uneven paths heights. As you 'well know, he took with him a few monks and grace" (2). In the providential torious through the hostile for- of vice run headlong to their own Venerable Brethren, zealous and went to another place" (13). designs of God he emerged from tunes of time and circumstan- ruin, he drew back his foot, but apostolic works become useless Trusting in God and relying on a dark century when the position ces; amid their ruins and fail- new -set in the world. . . . Con. and vain unless they proceed His ever-present help, he went and fate of civilisation, as well ures it is capable of moulding a 'temning, therefore, learning and from a soul enriched with those south and arrived at a fort "callas of the Church and of civil so- new and happier age, and with studies, and abandoning his Christian qualities which alone, ed Cassino, situated on the side ciety, was in danger' of collapse. Christian doctrine and spirit she father's house and goods, he de- with God's grace, can make hu- of a high mountain . .; on this The Roman Empire, which had can build and erect a new society sired only to please God in a vir- man undertakings contribute to stood an old temple where Apollo attained such a summit of glom`, of citizens, peoples and nations. tuous life" (8). He willingly the glory of God and the salva- was worshipped by the foolish and had joined with wise and bade farewell to the comforts of tion of souls. This Benedict country people, according to the equally tempered laws so many ST. BENEDICT'S LIFE. life and the charms of a corrupt knew well and had found to be custom of the ancient heathens. peoples, nations and tribes, so age, as well as to the enticing true. Before undertaking and Around it likewise grew groves, We are happy, Venerable Bre- and honorable offices of a promis- executing those great designs and in which even till that time the that it could be called more correctly the world's protector thren, to treat briefly in this ),'- ing future to which he could have plans to which he was called by mad multitude of infidels used to rather than its imperial master cyclical Letter the part played by aspired; leaving Rome behind, God, he first devoted his most offer their idolatrous sacrifices. (3), this Empire, like all earthly Benedict in this renewal and re- he sought out wild and solitary earnest efforts and fervent pray- The man of God coming to that institutions, had crumbled. Weak- storation; for this year, it would places where he could devote him- ers to make himself fully master place broke the idol, overthrew ened and corrupt from within, it seem, fourteen centuries have self to the contemplation- of the of that integral, evangelical holi- the altar, burned the groves, and lay in mighty ruins in the West, elapsed since he happily exchang- divine. Thus, he came to Subi- ness which he desired the others of the temple of Apollo made a chapel of St. Martin. shattered by the invasions of the ed this earthly exile for his hea- aco, and there, retiring into a to acquire. Where vently country after innumer- narrow cave, he began to live a the profane altar had stood he northern tribes. able labours for God's glory and life that was more heavenly than built a chapel of St. John; and When the reputation of his human. continual preaching he conI N such a mighty storm and man's salvation. sanctity spread and daily in- by verted many of the people thereuniversal upheaval, from creased everywhere, not only the about" "Born in the Province of Nur(14). where did hope shine? Where sia of honorable parentage" (4), Hidden with Christ in God (9), monks, who lived close by, but a did help and protection arise in "he was filled with he there strove for three years multitude of townsfolk began to CASSINO of the spirit BULWARK order to save humanity and all justice" (5), and in a re- with great fruit to acquire the flock to him in groups desiring to OF TRUTH. what was left of its treasures markable way he perfection and holiness of the hear his soothing voice, to adsupported from shipwreck? It came from ASSINO, as all know, was by his holiness, pru. Gospels to which he seemed to be mire his extraordinary virtue, the Catholic Church. All earth- Christianity the chief dwelling place called by divine instinct. He and to see the wondrous signs ly institutions begun and built dence, and wisdom. and the main theatre of the Holy made the practice of shunning that God often worked through solely on human wisdom and hu While the century had grown all earthly things to seek alone him. Patriarch's virtue and sanctity. Indeed, that bright light man power, in the course of time old in vice, while Italy and all and ardently heavenly things; of that shone from the dark cave of From the summit of this mounsucceed one another, flourish, and Europe seemed to be a wretched holding converse with God day tain, while practically on all spread so far and wide then quite naturally fail, weak- theatre for the life and death and night; of praying incessantly Subiaco it even reached remote re- sides ignorance and the darkness en and crumble away; but the or- struggle of nations, and even the for his own salvation, and for the that of vice kept trying to overshadow gions. Thus, "nobles and deganisation which Our Redeemer monastic .discipline was weaken- salvation of men; in curbing and vout persons of the city of Rome and envelop everything, a new established has received from its ed with worldliness and was not mastering the body by voluntary began to resort to him, and com- light shone, kindled by the teachdivine Founder unfailing life up to the task of resisting and and checking and mended their children to be ing and civilisation of old and and abiding strength from on overcoming the allurements of punishment, the evil motions of brought up by him in the service further enriched by the precepts high. Thus sustained and for- corruption, Benedict proved the controlling the senses. of Almighty God" (11). (Continued '
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