So, for a brief, but restful weekend, I joined two priests and a permanent deacon of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis on a wonderful, prayerful journey to the tiny Umbrian town of Norcia. The town is beautiful in its own right, nestled peacefully in the Sibillini mountains in north-central Italy. Plus, it's small enough that you could pretty much walk through every street in town over the course of a couple hours; quite a big change from the ever-chaotic eternal city! Like many other such quaint towns in Umbria, Norcia draws tourists from all over Italy, Europe, and other parts of the globe by virtue of its picturesque landscape, small town feel, and very, very tasty food. In fact, Umbria is one of the few places in the world that can boast the local harvesting and sale of all 4 species of the infamous truffle (in Italian, tartufo). As I learned soon after arriving in Italy, seeing "truffle" on a menu usually doesn't mean that you're ordering something chocolatey...But, the tartufo has a flavor all its own, and as soon as you sprinkle some on pasta or spread it over a slice of bread, you know immediately why they are so highly sought after!
Little meat and cheese shops abound in Norcia!
But, in addition to its many natural qualities, Norcia boasts another, much more meaningful treasure: the birthplace of St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, the twin brother and sister who founded Western Monasticism! St. Benedict's Rule, which he regulated for his newfound Benedictine monasteries would come to be unwavering source of stability in Europe following the fall of the Roman Empire, calling men into a life of community centered around worship of God and monastic obedience, a life of Ora et labora (pray and work). St. Scholastica, for her part, would go on to form the first female branch of the Benedictine order, making her, in essence the mother of female religious life, at least in Western Christianity.
Considering the great importance of Norcia in the lives of these two saints, it is not surprising that there have been Benedictine monks living and working in Norcia since the 10th century, thus giving the city a thoroughly Benedictine tradition. However, in 1810, the monks of Norcia who had lived in the monastery since its founding were forced to flee during the persecution of Napoleon, thus leaving the birthplace of Benedict and Scholastica bereft of its beautiful monastic tradition...
But, through God's grace, the monks returned! This time, however, the monastery was not to be the home of Italian, or even European monks, but of Americans! In the 1990's an American monk named Fr. Cassian received the inspiration to bring monasticism back to Norcia, and, after receiving canonical approval, moved into the monastery of Norcia with his brother monks in the year 2000. Since then, the monastic community has grown and flourished. They have made additions to their building, restored the old basilica which stands majestically in the center of town, created a spirit of deep prayer and silence in their worship of God, assisted the Norcia community in countless ways, and even opened a brewery! By means of their beer especially, the monks have been able to reach people across the globe, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, who are fascinated by the monks' proud tradition of brewing beer ut laetificet cor hominum ("to gladden man's heart"). Trust me, when you drink the Norcia brew, your heart really is gladdened!
Unfortunately, the town of Norcia, like many towns in the nearby regions, was significantly damaged by the earthquake which rocked central Italy just two months ago. Thankfully, no one in the town was killed, but the damage caused to many of the buildings, including the monks' beautiful basilica and living quarters, was substantial. For a few weeks immediately after the disaster, the monks had moved to Rome in order to remain together and decide how they would respond. In such a situation, with their place of worship architecturally condemned, and the majority of their monastery unlivable, it may have seemed natural for the monks to have continued their life for many months in Rome, where things were, seemingly, much safer.
But one thing that is amazing about Benedictine monks is their vow of stability. When a monk professes his religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, he also makes a fourth vow of stability, in which he promises remain faithfully attached to that monastery in which he will, conceivably, live out the rest of his life. It is one of the most beautiful aspects of Benedictine life, and one which allows monasticism to continue to be such a fruitful enterprise, both within the Church in that local area and in the lives of those may not have any interest in the faith. This vow of stability is just as radical today as in the days when St. Benedict was establishing the first monastic communities! In a world which seems to place such a high premium on the need for novelty and change and the ability to move from one thing to the next almost at a whim, the stability of the Benedictine monk stands as a testimony to God's faithfulness, as well as His love for us in the ordinary, mundane aspects of our daily life, in the ora et labora, we might say.
And so, the monks came back. After a mere two weeks in Rome, they returned to their home in Norcia, to join with their fellow citizens in the task of rebuilding their city, to continue to offer their daily prayers with and for the universal Church, and, of course, to keep gladdening men's hearts with their beer. They are currently divided as a community, with 6 of the monks living in the few undamaged cells in the monastery itself, and the other 10 living outside the walls of Norcia in makeshift tents! The monks are truly making many sacrifices, the heaviest of which much certainly be this temporary separation from one another. Certainly, there prayers will continue to make a difference in the lives of their brothers and sisters in Norcia, as well as in the lives of so many around the world!
So, this weekend was a chance to visit these simple, prayerful, quiet, awe-inspiring men who call themselves Benedictine monks. These men have something to teach all of us about God, about prayer, about work, and about ourselves. May we strive to imitate their example of stability, remaining faithful to God always, even in the earthquakes which shake up our own lives.
