The Feast of St. Benedict

Dear Parishioners,

This past Friday, July 11, we celebrated the Feast of St. Benedict

of Nursia (Abbot and Founder; b. cir. 480 – d. 547). He is known

as the founder of the Benedictine Order, as well as the Benedictine

Monastery at Monte Cassino. He is called the Father of Western

monasticism. He wrote the Rule of St. Benedict that eventually

became the norm for monastic life throughout Europe. He was

known for great sanctity and worked many great wonders in honor

of our good Lord during his lifetime. His famous sister, St. Scholastica,

also founded a women’s monastic order. St. Benedict was

named the Patron Saint of all of Europe by Pope St. Paul VI.

Many people wear the Medal of St. Benedict on their person or

have one in their home. If you do not have a St. Benedict Medal, I

encourage you to practice devotion to St. Benedict through the use

of the St. Benedict Medal! I include a summary of the St. Benedict

Medal to learn more about this great devotion:

“Many Catholics proudly wear the St. Benedict Medal. It is a sacramental

containing many symbols and prayers that can remind us

to hold fast against temptation.

During his life, Benedict was known to work many miracles

through the power of the Holy Cross. These included his heroic

conquering of temptations and his miraculous vanquishing of attempts

to kill him. By making the Sign of the Cross over a glass of

wine that had been poisoned, for example, the glass shattered and

he was spared from drinking it.

These miracles, and his devotion to Christ’s Cross, led to the creation

of the St. Benedict Medal. It was a Jubilee medal first struck

in 1880 by the Archabbey of Monte Cassino to commemorate the

14th centenary of St. Benedict’s birth.

On the front of the medal, St. Benedict can be seen holding a cross

in his right hand and the Rule he wrote for his monks in his left.

To the right there is an image of the poisoned cup which he was

once given.Benedict and the Desert Tradition of the Middle Ages | Classically Christian

On the other side of Benedict, a raven can be seen. This is because

an enemy once sent him poisoned bread; God sent a raven to take

the loaf and fly off with it, thereby protecting Benedict from harm.

The letters on the medal contain either whole phrases in Latin or

the first letter of each word in these phrases. What do they mean in

English?

Front of the Medal:

Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti

The Cross of our Holy Father Benedict

Eius in obitu nostro praesentia muniamur

May we at our death be fortified by his presence

Back of the Medal:

Pax

Peace

On the cross in the center:

C.S.S.M.L.—N.D.S.M.D.

Crux Sacra Sit Mihi Lux

Non Draco Sit Mihi Dux

May the Holy Cross be my light

Let not the dragon be my guide

Circled letters at each corner of the cross:

C.S.P.B.

Crux Sancti Patris Benedicti

The Cross of our Holy Father Benedict

Initials around the perimeter:

V.R.S.N.S.M.V.—S.M.Q.L.I.V.B.

Vade Retro Satana, Nunquam Suade Mihi Vana

Sunt Mala Quae Libas, Ipse Venena Bibas

Begone Satan! Never tempt me with your vanities!

What you offer me is evil. Drink the poison yourself!” (from

www.catholiccompany.com)

Basically, this is a medal that tells the devil to go back to hell where

he belongs. If you obtain this medal, it should be blessed before

you begin devotional use. If you have any questions, you can contact

me.

Through the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Mount Carmel, St.

Joseph, St. Michael, St. Paul, St. Benedict and St. Scholastica, may

our good Lord grant us to be always free from the influence of the

devil and all evil spirits!

In Christ through Mary,

Fr. Kasel