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"Ora et Labora"

In his early life, St Benedict (480–547 A.D.) weighed up the value of a nobleman's life, romantic love, and dedication to the Gospel. Choosing the latter, he left Rome in his twenties, undertaking to escape the evils of a great city. Meeting a monk, he took on the monastic habit and lived the life of a hermit under the shadow of that monastery for 3 years.

After an unpopular and brief spell as the monastery's abbot, he montecassino left and resumed life in his cave. News of his sanctity and miracles spread. For those who visited and wished to stay, St Benedict established 12 monasteries in the surrounding area, placing superiors in charge, and writing for them a Rule, upon which Benedictine monasticism today is based. He himself remained as Abbot over all and eventually took up residence at the 13th monastery, Monte Cassino, where he also died, and which was the site of a bitter battle between the Allies and the Germans during WWII.

The purpose of St Benedict's Rule, characterised by moderation, is to bring men "back to God by the labour of obedience, from whom they have departed by the idleness of disobedience" (Rule of St Benedict, Prologue). "The regeneration of the individual, except in abnormal cases, is not reached by the path of solitude, nor by that of austerity, but by the beaten path of man's social instinct, with its necessary conditions of obedience and work".

What's New ...

Campaigns

E-petition to stop Vulture Funds swooping on Greece - a situation faciliated by UK law.

Coalition for Marriage

Sign the online petition to oppose the Government's plans to redefine marriage. See "Campaigns".

In News

Progress made by WDM's campaign against Food Speculation.

In Abbey News:

More from the first London Citizens meeting to discuss the future of Ealing Hospital.

News from the Abbey's CAFOD connect-2 partner, Cambodia, following a donation we sent through.

In News: FAIRTRADE

2012 is Year of the Co-Operatives and we will be marking Fairtrade on 12th May with stalls, information, and your chance to win a hamper full of FAIRTRADE goods. Lots of people have already pledged their support to try and make Fairtrade a reality in our parish: join us, and Take a Step for Fairtrade.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday, 27 May 2012 CAFOD Pedal Against Poverty: Lee Valley Country Park, North London/Hertfordshire: see Campaigns.

What is a Just War? Conference. 28th-29th July. Weekend Conference and Pilgrimage. See peace page.

The Church's Social Teaching

Catholic Social Teaching is the Church's authoritative teaching, based on gospel values relating to political, social and environmental issues, with the aim of providing criteria for reflection, judgement and action. It is not an ideology or a model, but a method for facilitating faith-filled discernment of particular historical, political and cultural situations. If it has a formula, it can be summarised by Pope John XXIII's dictum: "see, judge, act", and illustrated by the cycle below:

Guiding principles are:

1. The dignity of the human person: made in the image of God, human beings have a fundamental and inalienable dignity and freedom. This means the Church rejects any policy or ideology that reduces people to economic units or passive dependence.

2. The common good: we all exist as part of society and all have a duty to promote the welfare of the community and a right to benefit from that welfare. This applies at every level: local, national and international.

3. Solidarity: we are all interdependent, members of one human family, so the rich are responsible for the poor, and the strong for the weak.

4. Subsidiary: power and decision making in society shoud take place at the most local level compatible with the common good, or in a manner in which people are best served.

5. Option for the poor: seeing Christ in the face of the suffering and wounded.

Source: Catholic Social Teaching website