In Place Of Relativism…Healing Consequences – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB and Kris McGregor reflect on the healing purpose of consequences within Christian community life. Drawing from Chapters 23–30 of the Rule, especially Chapter 27 concerning the care of the excommunicated brother, St. Benedict presents correction not as punishment for punishment’s sake, but as a path toward reconciliation and healing. Like a wise physician treating illness, the abbot and...

Instead of circling around one’s self, hospitality – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB and Kris McGregor reflect on Chapter 53 of the Rule and the profound call to hospitality. St. Benedict teaches that every guest is to be welcomed as Christ Himself, a striking and transformative vision rooted in the Gospel. In a world where the stranger can be met with hesitation or fear, this teaching invites a deep...

Instead of leaning on others, standing on one’s own feet – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, and Kris McGregor explore the wisdom behind Chapter 69 of the Rule, which cautions against defending another within the monastic community. At first glance, this teaching may seem surprising, even counterintuitive. Yet St. Benedict’s insight reveals a deeper spiritual purpose: fostering maturity, responsibility, and trust. By encouraging each monk to speak fo...

In place of idleness, work – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, and Kris McGregor reflect on Chapter 48 of the Rule and the teaching that “idleness is the enemy of the soul.” While modern culture often leans toward constant activity, St. Benedict offers a deeper understanding of work, not as mere productivity, but as a means of spiritual formation. He establishes a rhythm of manual labor, prayer, and sacred r...

Living in Community – the benefits for all of society

– The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Kris McGregor and Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, reflect on the essential role of community life in the Benedictine tradition. Drawing from Chapter 1 of the Rule, St. Benedict distinguishes between different types of monastic life, highlighting the cenobites, those who live together under a rule and an abbot, as the “strong kind.” Community life is not the go...

In place of provincialism, respect and tolerance

– The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Kris McGregor and Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, explore the challenge of overcoming provincialism through the Benedictine virtues of respect and tolerance. Within the stability of monastic life, there exists a real temptation to turn inward and lose sight of the broader human family. St. Benedict addresses this by fostering communities composed of people from different backgrounds, cult...

In place of spiritual homelessness, stability – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Kris McGregor and Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, explore the deeply countercultural Benedictine vow of stability as a remedy for what Fr. Mauritius describes as a kind of “spiritual homelessness.” In a world marked by constant movement, change, and restlessness, St. Benedict calls the monk to remain rooted in one place and one community. This stability is not merely geographical but spir...

In place of confusing life patterns, the security of a healthy balance – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Kris McGregor and Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB reflect on how the Rule offers a remedy for the confusing life patterns of the modern world. Fr. Mauritius points to the way contemporary life has drifted from the natural rhythms God built into creation: day and night, work and rest, weekdays and Sunday, even the chan...

In place of the disability to express ourselves, to sing – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Kris McGregor and Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB, reflect on St. Benedict’s guidance on prayer and the place of singing in the spiritual life, particularly as expressed in Chapter 19 of the Rule. While silence prepares the heart to listen, St. Benedict also calls monks to raise their voices in song. Singing the Psalms becomes a powerf...

In Place of Materialism, Gratitude – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Kris McGregor and Fr. Mauritius Wilde, OSB reflect on Chapter 6 of the Rule of St. Benedict, which addresses restraint of speech and the spiritual importance of silence. In a culture overflowing with words, St. Benedict proposes something countercultural: silence as the pathway to deeper listening. Drawing on Scripture and the wisdom of the monastic tradition, the Rule reminds us that “in a f...

In Place of Materialism, Gratitude – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B

In this episode of The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World, Kris McGregor and Fr. Mauritius Wilde reflect on Chapter 34 of the Rule, “On the Distribution of Goods According to Need.” Drawing from St. Benedict’s teaching rooted in the Acts of the Apostles, Fr. Mauritius explores how gratitude becomes the remedy to materialism. Rather than measuring wellbeing by consumption, the Benedictine vision proposes something countercultural: whoever needs less should give thanks, an...

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER II
What Kind of Man the Abbot Ought to Be

“…..Let him make no distinction of persons in the monastery. Let him not love one more than another, unless it be one whom he findeth more exemplary in good works and obedience. Let not a free-born be preferred to a freedman, unless there be some other reasonable cause. But if from a just reason the Abbot deemeth it proper to make such a distinction, he may do so in regard to th...

Episode 27- The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B.,
Ph.D.

“To contemplate the Holy Eucharist”

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

PROLOGUE

Listen, O my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart, and cheerfully receive and faithfully execute the admonitions of thy loving Father, that by the toil of obedience thou mayest return to Him from whom by the sloth of disobedience thou hast gone aw...

“In place of serving self…the community meal”  – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., Ph.D.

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER XXIV

The degree of excommunication or punishment ought to be meted out according to the gravity of the offense, and to determine that is left to the judgment of the Abbot. If, however, anyone of the brethren is detected in smaller faults, let him be debarred from eating at the common table. The fo...

Episode 25 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., Ph.D.

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER II

The Abbot who is worthy to be over a monastery, ought always to be mindful of what he is called, and make his works square with his name of Superior. For he is believed to hold the place of Christ in the monastery, when he is called by his name, according to the saying of the Apostle: “You have receive...

The Monk, the Missionary Spirit and Evangelization

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

PROLOGUE

Listen, O my son, to the precepts of thy master, and incline the ear of thy heart, and cheerfully receive and faithfully execute the admonitions of thy loving Father, that by the toil of obedience thou mayest return to Him from whom by the sloth of disobedience thou hast gone away.

To thee, therefore, my speech is now directed, who, giving up thine own will, takest up the strong and most excellent ar...

Prayer during the Night

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER 8

Of the Divine Office during the Night

Making due allowance for circumstances, the brethren will rise during the winter season, that is, from the calends of November till Easter, at the eighth hour of the night; so that, having rested till a little after midnight, they may rise refreshed. The time, however, which remains over after the night office (Matins) will be employed in study by those of the brethren who still have some parts of...

Fighting the Demons

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER I

an excerpt:

The second kind is that of Anchorites, or Hermits, that is, of those who, no longer in the first fervor of their conversion, but taught by long monastic practice and the help of many brethren, have already learned to fight against the devil; and going forth from the rank of their brethren well trained for single combat in the desert, they are able, with the help of God, to cope single-handed without the help of o...

Episode 18 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., Ph.D.

Listening to God’s Voice…Obedience

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER V

Of ObedienceThe first degree of humility is obedience without delay. This becometh those who, on account of the holy subjection which they have promised, or of the fear of hell, or the glory of life everlasting, hold nothing dearer than Christ. As soon as anything hath been commanded by the Superior they perm...

In place of wanting the latest….sustainability

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER XXXI

The Kind of Man the Cellarer of the Monastery Ought to Be

Let there be chosen from the brotherhood as Cellarer of the monastery a wise man, of settled habits, temperate and frugal, not conceited, irritable, resentful, sluggish, or wasteful, but fearing God, who may be as a father to the whole brotherhood.

Let him have the charge of everything, let him do nothing without the command of the Abbot, let hi...

Everybody seeks for himself a healthy balance in his life. Our whole life is a balancing, to inhale and exhale to the pendulum movement of wakefulness and sleep. We work and recover, we are alone and with others, we talk and listen. As long as we follow this healthy pendulum movement, we are satisfied with ourselves. We do not respond to what our body or soul actually calls.

For some reason, we do not give ourselves what we need, but something else. We avoid what we need, maybe. Here we come across the phenomenon of...

A leader who is not sober can do a great deal of damage to those for whom he is responsible and, of course, harm the cause he is meant to serve. If you allow yourself to be seized with emotions, such as anger, vindictiveness, sadness, pride or envy – whatever “demons” you want to call them here – then you are not in contact with yourself and not in contact with your people. One is identified with the feeling and has no clear view of the truths. The task of the manager is to decide. However, to make the right de...

The origin of the virtue of soberness is attributed to the monastic tradition. The German term “nüchtern” (sober in English) is borrowed from the Latin “nocturnus” and describes the state of the monk at night (see Friedrich Kluge, etymological dictionary of the German language). So, to gain access to what “soberness” really means, Fr. Mauritius discusses what role the night plays for the monks and how they spend it. Saint Benedict of Nursia, the founder of the Benedictine order, has much to say. His observations can also help us to reflect on how we spend the night.

Fro...

Are you being caught up in the swirl and chaos of fear, violence, and anger assaulting our world today?  Father Mauritius Wilde invites us to contemplate the Benedictine understanding of sobriety. He does not advocate for the renunciation of enjoyment, but rather to accept what God has in store for us. This series will shed light on the facets of this ancient and yet up-to-date concept and shows the spiritual and practical significance it can have for us in the current social situation.

From the Gospel of St. Mark 6:

The Death of John th...

Episode 22 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., Ph.D.

On Suffering

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER 7

an excerpt:

The fourth degree of humility is, that, if hard and distasteful things are commanded, nay, even though injuries are inflicted, he accept them with patience and even temper, and not grow weary or give up, but hold out, as the Scripture saith: “He that shall persevere unto the end shall be saved” (Mt 10:22...

FORGIVENESS – MERCY -RECONCILIATION

Fr. Mauritius discusses the distinction between forgiving and forgetting.  He encourages us to ask God in prayer, “Father, give me the grace to forgive.  Give me the grace to reconcile.”  Also, there is a difference between forgiving and reconciling.

Remember:

From Chapter 4 of the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

To make peace with an adversary before the setting of the sun. And ever to despair of God’s mercy.

The Parabl...

Episode 2 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.  In Place of Many Vain Words, Silence. There is a time for speaking and a time for silence.  The secret of silence…it is the best way to listen to God.

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER VI

Of Silence

Let us do what the Prophet saith: “I said, I will take heed of my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I have set a guard to...

Episode 3 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

In place of the disability to express ourselves, to sing

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER XIX

We believe that God is present everywhere and that the eyes of the Lord behold the good and the bad in every place (cf Prov 15:3). Let us firmly believe this, especially when we take part in the Work of God. Let us, therefore, always be mindful of what the Prop...

Episode 4-  The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

In place of confusing life patterns, the security of a healthy balance

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER XLI

From holy Easter till Pentecost let the brethren dine at the sixth hour and take supper in the evening. From Pentecost on, however, during the whole summer, if the monks have no work in the fields and the excess of the heat doth not interfere, let the...

Episode 5-  The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

In place of spiritual homelessness, stability

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER LXVI
Of the Porter of the Monastery

…If it can be done, the monastery should be so situated that all the necessaries, such as water, the mill, the garden, are enclosed, and the various arts may be plied inside of the monastery, so that there may be no need for the monks to go...

Episode 7 –  The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

Living in Community – the benefits for all of society

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER I

Of the Kinds or the Life of Monks

It is well known that there are four kinds of monks. The first kind is that of Cenobites, that is, the monastic, who live under a rule and an Abbot.

The second kind is that of Anchorites, or Herm...

In place of idleness, work

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER XLVIII

Of the Daily Work

Idleness is the enemy of the soul; and therefore the brethren ought to be employed in manual labor at certain times, at others, in devout reading. Hence, we believe that the time for each will be properly ordered by the following arrangement; namely, that from Easter till the calends of October, they go out in the morning from the first till about the fourth hour, to do the necessary...

[poweroress]

Instead of leaning on others, standing on one’s own feet

CHAPTER LXIX

That in the Monastery No One Presume to Defend Another
Care must be taken that on no occasion one monk try to defend another in the monastery,
or to take his part, even though they be closely related by ties of blood. Let it not be
attempted by the monks in any way; because such conduct may give rise to very grave
scandal. If anyone overstep this rule, let him be se...

Episode 11 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

Instead of circling around one’s self, hospitality

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER LIII
Of the Reception of Guests

Let all guests who arrive be received as Christ, because He will say: “I was a stranger and you took Me in” (Mt 25:35). And let due honor be shown to all, especially to those “of the household of the faith” (Gal 6:10) and to wayfarers.

Episode 12 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

In place of relativism…healing consequences

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER XXVII

How Concerned the Abbot Should Be about the Excommunicated

Let the Abbot show all care and concern towards offending brethren because “they that are in health need not a physician, but they that are sick” (Mt 9:12). Therefore, like a prudent physician he ought to use every opportunity to send consolers...

Episode 13 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

In place of self-righteousness…seeking God

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER LVIII
Of the Manner of Admitting Brethren

Let easy admission not be given to one who newly cometh to change his life; but, as the Apostle saith, “Try the spirits, whether they be of God” (1 Jn 4:1). If, therefore, the newcomer keepeth on knocking, and after four or five days it is seen that he patient...

Episode 14 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

In place of idealistic spirituality…acknowledging one’s needs

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER VIII

Of the Divine Office during the Night

Making due allowance for circumstances, the brethren will rise during the winter season, that is, from the calends of November till Easter, at the eighth hour of the night; so that, having rested till a little after midnight, they may rise...

Episode 16 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

The remedy for fear is love

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER VI

“…Having, therefore, ascended all these degrees of humility, the monk will presently arrive at that love of God, which being perfect, casteth out fear (1 Jn 4:18). In virtue of this love all things which at first he observed not without fear, he will now begin to keep without any effort, and as it were...

Episode 17 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

The Value of Listening and Silence

From the Holy Rule of St. Benedict:

CHAPTER XLII

That No One Speak after Complin

Monks should always be given to silence, especially, however, during the hours of the night. Therefore, on every day, whether of fast or of a mid-day meal, as soon as they have risen from their evening meal, let all sit together in one place...

Episode 19 – The Holy Rule of St. Benedict: A Spiritual Path for Today’s World with Fr. Mauritius Wilde O.S.B., PhD.

In this episode, Fr. Maurtius is joined by his fellow Missionary Benedictines,  Sr. Fidelis Marie Lanowich and Sr. Gabriel Mary Oestreich of the Immaculata Monastery, Norfolk, NE and Br. Damian Cayetano of Christ the King Priory, Schuyler, NE.  The group  discusses what drew them to the Holy Rule of St. Benedict.  They share their discernment process concerning their vocational call, the response of family and friends.  They discuss the experience of finding “home” within the life of their c...