Order of Saint Benedict

The Order of Saint Benedict (Latin name: Ordo Sancti Benedicti) is a Roman Catholic religious order of independent monastic communities that observe the Rule of Saint Benedict. Within the order, each individual community (which may be a monastery, a priory or abbey) maintains its own autonomy, while the organization as a whole exists to represent their mutual interests. Today the terms "Order of Saint Benedict" and "Benedictine Order" are also used frequently to refer to the total of the independent Benedictine abbeys, thereby giving the wrong impression of a "generalate" or "motherhouse" with jurisdiction over dependent communities. The Benedictine Confederation, which was established in 1883 by Pope Leo XIII in his brief Summum semper, is the international governing body of the order, headed by the Abbot Primate. Members of the order generally use the initials O.S.B. after their name.

Read more about Order Of Saint Benedict:  Historical Development, Benedictine Vow and Life

Famous quotes containing the words order, saint and/or benedict:

    Men who think deeply appear to be comedians in their dealings with others because they always have to feign superficiality in order to be understood.
    Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)

    The anguish of the neurotic individual is the same as that of the saint. The neurotic, the saint are engaged in the same battle. Their blood flows from similar wounds. But the first one gasps and the other one gives.
    Georges Bataille (1897–1962)

    I haven’t strength of mind not to need a career.
    —Ruth Benedict (1887–1948)