Life of St. Benedict

 

Saint Benedict of Nursia or Norcia, an Italian monk, was a religious reformer who lived in Italy in the late 400s and early 500s. He is known as the “father of Western monasticism,” having established a Rule that would become the norm for innumerable Christian monks and nuns. He is the patron saint of Europe.

St. Benedict’s supreme achievement was to provide a succinct and complete directory for the government and the spiritual and material well-being of a monastery. His Rule carefully integrated prayer, manual labor, and study into a well-rounded daily routine that has shaped Christianity for nearly 1,500 years.

St. Benedict and his twin sister, St. Scholastica, are buried at the Benedictine monastery on Monte Cassino in Cassino, Italy.

Popular Religiosity

 

When the Spanish conquistadores first came to the shores of the Philippine islands, they found a people that worshipped anitos or spirits of their ancestors. Filipinos revered and offered gifts to the anitos in exchange for protection from evil, harm or danger. When the Christian faith was introduced to early Filipinos, they readily accepted the new teachings about Christ, the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints. However, sociologists point out that what really transpired was the Christianization of our animistic beliefs. The power believed to be immanent in the anitos is now transferred to the person of Jesus, Mary and all the saints; rather than seeing them as models of a holy life or paragons of virtues, these holy men and women of our faith are seen in the same light that early Filipinos saw the anitos— as powerful gods, at times capricious whose anger needed to be appeased with atang or offering. We find traces of such folk belief in expressions of popular religiosity, and these traces are found in every Filipino religious celebration throughout the year.

Here, the author sketches only a few samples of popular religious practices seen

in the first quarter of the year.

Catholic Rituals /Practices of Christian Burial

 After a death, the family will hold a wake for up to seven days in honor of their loved one. The person who died will be placed in a coffin and either kept at home or transported to a funeral home. The coffin is elaborately adorned with flowers and lights, and family and friends are encouraged to sign a guest book. Those who visit may offer financial donations to help with funeral and burial costs. Food plays a significant role in the wake, as the family prepares or caters meals each evening for those who gather to pay respects.

Death is a significant event in Filipino culture, and it’s not unusual for large numbers of people to show up and pay their respects. Because of their beliefs, many Filipinos don’t view death as the end of life. This is reflected in a hope-filled tone during services, alongside the mourning and weeping.

The funeral itself is resonant of a typical Catholic service, complete with hymns, prayers, and Scripture readings. There tends to be a large turnout for Filipino funerals, as loved ones make it a priority to attend.

In the nine days following the funeral, Filipinos of the Catholic faith will pray the rosary, believing their loved one’s soul is leaving this world and moving on into the afterlife. They will pray the rosary again 40 days after the death, and again on the one-year anniversary of the death.

Celebration of the Sacrament of Holy Orders

Through the sacrament of holy orders, or ordination, a man vows to lead other Catholics by bringing them the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. He promises to do this by proclaiming the Gospel and by providing to Catholics other means to achieve holiness. In order to be ordained a priest, a man must be first ordained a deacon.

Celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony

 

Through the sacrament of Matrimony, the Church teaches that Jesus gives the strength and grace to live the real meaning of marriage. In the writings of St Paul: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and handed himself over for her to sanctify her” (Ephesians 5:25–26). 

When two Catholics marry, the Sacrament of Matrimony normally takes place within Mass. Receiving the Eucharist as their “first meal” together is a beautiful expression of the newlyweds’ reliance on God to sustain and strengthen them throughout their lives. When the Sacrament of Marriage takes place during Mass, a priest or a bishop is the main celebrant for the ceremony. If other priests or deacons are also able to be present, they may concelebrate or assist as usual at Mass, and could even be invited to preach the homily. In many respects, a wedding Mass is like any other Mass, but with the addition of the ritual for marriage, the heart of which is found in two key moments: the Consent exchanged by the bride and groom, and the Nuptial Blessing that is given to the newly married couple.

Celebration of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick

 

If you are seriously or chronically ill, weakened by age, or preparing for serious surgery, there is a powerful help available for you here in our Church. Most especially, we want you to be spiritually fortified and experience the peace that God alone can give. So it is natural and wise to turn to God, our Father, and to Jesus, our Savior, with your needs, physical, emotional, and spiritual. The anointing of the sick is a sacrament of healing, in which the priest prays, lays hands, and anoints the sick person with blessed oil. It may be preceded by the sacrament of reconciliation and followed by Eucharist. The sacrament may be repeated if the recipient suffers from a different illness or injury or if the same illness or condition becomes more serious. Elderly people may be anointed if they have become weakened even though no serious illness is present.

The idea behind this sacrament is that we are all members of the body of Christ. When one of us suffers, all of us suffer, and all of God’s creation suffers with us. Through the Sacrament of Anointing, Christ strengthens the faithful who are afflicted by illness, providing them with the strongest means of support. Jesus showed great concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick and commanded his followers to do the same. The celebration of this sacrament is an opportunity for the deepening of the faith of the community who are able to witness the faith and devotion of those being anointed.

Celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation

The Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as Confession or Penance, is a beautiful expression of the infinite mercy and love that God has for all of us. It is a healing remedy for our sinfulness, calling us to discover the struggles that cause sinful acts and present them to God in the presence of the priest. In the Sacrament or Reconciliation, the penitent, that is, the one seeking forgiveness, meets one on one with a priest to confess their sins. With sincere contrition and intent to not sin again, they will receive formal absolution and often pastoral encouragement concerning the Christian struggle with sin.