Today I had the joy of participating in the ordination liturgy of a dear friend who is a monk at St. Meinrad Archabbey, our neighboring men's community of Benedictines. Back before either of us knew each other or entered monastic life, we both went to the same morning mass in Chicago. Imagine our surprise when at our first gathering of St. Meinrad's monks and our sisters in formation, we recognized each other as morning mass buddies who had exchanged the the sign of peace! We've been good friends ever since.
From the beginning of the Benedictine order, both women and men have followed the Rule of St. Benedict, bonding us together as brothers and sisters. Traditionally, St. Benedict and his sister, St. Scholastica, were twins. Benedict founded his monastery of men, and Scholastica hers of women. From The Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great we have a charming story of the last time the two met. Check out our own Sr. Gregory Ems's painting of this visit, and read the story here.
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