Today is the feast day of St. Scholastica, Benedict’s twin sister. The two siblings were born around 480 to a Roman noble family in Nursia, Italy. Although little is known of her early life, she founded a religious community for women five miles from Monte Cassino where her brother was abbot.
Following her brother’s example of total dedication to the Lord, she joined a small community of pious virgins and eventually founded a monastery of nuns not far from Benedict’s own monastery.
In his biography of Benedict, Pope Gregory wrote that the two used to meet once a year at a farmhouse situated halfway between the two communities because Scholastica was not permitted inside the male monastery. They spent their time together in prayer and discussion of spiritual matters. Benedict seems to have directed his sister and her nuns, most likely in the practice of the same rule by which his own monks lived. However, I like to think that Benedict’s more gentle and balanced guidelines for leadership and discipline may, in fact, be due to this feminine influence in his life.
A story is frequently told about their last visit together. They passed the time as usual in prayer and conversation — after which Scholastica begged her brother to remain for the night, but he refused. His Rule required him to return to the monastery before night.
Immediately there arose such a storm that neither Benedict nor his fellow monks could leave. Benedict complained to his sister, “God forgive you, what have you done?” He had no choice but to stay and talk to his sister about spiritual matters throughout the night. Three days later in the year 543, Scholastica died.
Prayer
We pray, O Lord, that, following Scholastica’s example, we may be diligent in our prayer, serve you with pure love, and happily receive what lovingly comes from you. Amen.
Improbable Benedictine 