Promises made to the Benedictine Order

THE BENEDICTINES

The educating of people about what they must know and do in order to save their souls, which is the most important work of charity with which anyone could be involved. “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Heb. 11:6). And without the Catholic faith it is impossible to be saved.

Promises made to St. Benedict regarding the destiny of his Benedictine order and that of its friends and enemies:

1) His order will continue to exist to the End of the World.
2) It will, at the End of the World, in the final battle, render great services to the holy Church and confirm many in the faith.
3) No one shall die in the Order whose salvation would not be assured. And if a monk begins to lead a bad life and does not amend, he will fall into disgrace, or be expelled from the Order, or will leave it of his own accord.
4) Everyone who persecutes his order and does not repent will see his days shortened or meet with an unfortunate end.
5) All, however, who love his order will obtain a happy death.(14)
* Note: Promise number#3 obviously does not apply to the “Benedictines” of the Novus Ordo/Vatican II sect, who claim to be Benedictines but aren’t. Likewise, it does not apply to any heretical group which claims to be a Benedictine community.

In Subiaco, Italy, St. Benedict built 12 benedictine monasteries. At the Benedictine monasteries at Subiaco, Italy, we find no solitaries, no conventual hermits, no great austerities, but men living together in organized Benedictine communities for the purpose of leading good lives, doing such work as came to their hand- carrying water up the steep mountain-side, doing the other household work, raising the twelve cloisters, clearing the ground, making gardens, teaching children, preaching to the country people, reading and studying at least four hours a day, receiving strangers, accepting and training new-comers, attending the regular hours of prayer, reciting and chanting the 150 psalms.(12)