Who said Ora Labora?
Saint Benedict of Nursia
Ora et labora (pray and work) is the well-known phrase that reflects the basic idea underlying the rule of monastic life, which was originally formulated by Saint Benedict of Nursia (around 480−547) and initially intended as an internal rule for the monks of Benedict’s own monastery of Montecassino in Italy.
What does the term Ora et Labora mean?
pray and work
: pray and work —motto of the Benedictine order.
Why is Ora et Labora important?
Ora et labora is a call to pray persistently and work relentlessly even in the midst of uncertainty. The capacity to balance the two is the secret of a fruitful journey of life, a spirituality for daily living. It is so much more needed particularly now when we face a totally changed, challenged situation.
What are the three Benedictine vows?
Benedictines make three vows: stability, fidelity to the monastic way of life, and obedience. Though promises of poverty and chastity are implied in the Benedictine way, stability, fidelity, and obedience receive primary attention in the Rule – perhaps because of their close relationship with community life.
Where is Ora et Labora practiced?
The phrase expresses the need to balance prayer and work in monastic settings and has been used in many religious communities from the Middle Ages onwards. Wesley College, Colombo, a high school in Sri Lanka founded by Methodist missionaries in 1874, has been using Ora Et Labora as the motto since its inception.
Are Benedictine monks celibate?
Since the 6th century, monks and nuns following the Rule of Saint Benedict have been making the Benedictine vow at their public profession of obedience (placing oneself under the direction of the abbot/abbess or prior/prioress), stability (committing oneself to a particular monastery), and “conversion of manners” ( …
What is St. Benedict’s rule of life?
According to Benedict, all things – eating, drinking, sleeping, reading, working, and praying – should be done in moderation. In Wisdom Distilled from the Daily, Sister Joan Chittister writes that in Benedict’s Rule, “All must be given its due, but only its due.