St. Benedict Rools OK

Whilst in Yorkshire, we paid a visit to Ampleforth Abbey, a benedictine monastery under the edge of the North York moors. We didn't have the guided tour but I left wishing that we had, because the short glimpse we did have into the monastic life gave rise to lots of questions in my mind afterwards. You could ask questions of the brother on duty in the visitor centre, but I was rather too embarrassed to. Well, how can you ask a monk if he wears any underwear?!

The monks live according to the rule (or order) of St.Benedict (whereas Franciscans etc live according to the rule of St. Francis etc). St. Benedict was born in 480AD in Norcia, Umbria, Italy, now more famous for its pork products. The top pic is a photo I took of St. Benedict's statue there in 2009.

There was some info on the habit that Benedictine monks wear, which consists of a tunic, a top and a hood, all black of course since that is their colour. They are the original black friars. But it didn't mention any undergarments. I could see they had socks and sandals or shoes on and I wanted to ask if they were allowed pants. Do they wear black pyjamas at night? They didn't have that baldy hairstyle (tonsure) with surrounding ring, just normal short hair.

So I googled the rule of St. Benedict once back home and what did I find? They have to wear habits in bed at night, with a belt. Not the same ones as in the day I don't suppose; they didn't look that much creased to me.They sleep in a dormitory, so the Rule says, and young monks must be interspersed with old ones. Maybe that stops any monkey business.

They own no property of their own. If their parents, say, send them a present, the abbot has to say whether they can keep it or not. I imagine in most cases they have to share everything with one another. According to the Rule, the abbot has the right to search their beds at random to check that they are not harbouring personal possessions such as pens, books and teddy bears.

They go to prayer seven times a day and that is interspersed with meals and work. They eat no meat from 4-legged animals so that means only fish and poultry (as St. Benedict ordered) and they are allowed half a pint of wine a day and a pound of bread. That's a lot! They eat in silence, with one monk reading to the others. That monk gets his meals an hour earlier than the rest, so he can read whule they eat. If somebody wants someone else to pass the potatoes, the water etc, they have special sign language. They don't have readings from the Book of Kings at evening meals. I think the tales of evil and greed in there are thought to excite them too much before bedtime.

If the reader makes a mistake, he must apologise and correct himself. If he fails to, he is punished. ( What kind of punishment I wonder?) If a monk is very bad he can be corporally punished. He can be booted out but he is allowed two more chances to be let in again. After the third expulsion he is never allowed back.

I thought to myself what I always think when I visit a care home: that I quite fancy it. It's a bit like living in a hall of residence and turning up for regular meals, your mates all living round about you, and having a nice social time of it. But the rising at 6am and the total silence after the last night prayer would really get me. They get very little time to chat and have a little fun.

The other downside: Every morning the abbot gives them their tasks for the day. Benedict said that idleness isn't good for people. (Damn.) Some will be cooking, some will be digging potatoes, some will be making jam, some will be teaching at the well-renowned Ampleforth College, their own Benedictine school. (So do they get paid a salary? No, they can't. So how does that work legally? Or maybe they are paid but hand it all back to the monastery. That's probably it.) Some will be cleaning and doing laundry. There are all sorts of admin jobs I suppose. Brother Jeremy runs the shop. There is a guest master, a cellar master, a finance officer etc etc.

They don't leave the abbey, but it said somewhere they have parish churches. So they must go to these. They must drive cars then surely. They must have to run out to the shop occasionally for elastoplast or a pound of sugar. Can they really say everything they'll ever need is always in stock?

I do know for a fact they can get away. They go away to study if they want to, in Rome sometimes, and on pilgrimages to Lourdes and other places. They go to theological conferences. Heck, what it must be like for them to get out and go places. Their eyes must be on stalks, especially if they only venture out every few years. How things must change in the world in between times. The noise must be deafening.
I read on. If they have to journey away for longer times they are given something 'better' to wear. Oh good. But is it still heavy and black? Poor things.

At Ampleforth, apart from having the Benedictine school which must be a huge money spinner, they make cider, apple juice and jam and other liqueurs. They go out gathering plums and damsons from local lanes to make all that. So they get outside to do that. But they are not allowed to speak to people they see. They have a cracking good tea room, but obviously employ staff to run it. A pleasant Polish girl served us. But since they have Bro. Jeremy in their shop and Bro Somebody Else in the visitor centre, I think they should have Brothers in the tea room. Bro Jeremy is allowed to talk to visitors. So there were little anomalies like that.

Every night at about 8.30 I found myself thinking 'Poor things'. At that hour the monastery falls silent. I wonder if they can quietly put on some soft trainers or something and quietly slip out for a walk. If it's glorious sunshine it seems such a waste.They hardly see the light of day, poor mites, unless they are lucky enough to be given garden duties between 9.30 and 12.30 and 2pm and 5.30. Still whatever anyone says, it's what they chose and what they want so we can't make judgements about their choice. It's not as if they are on state benefits or sponging off the rest of us. I suppose once in, the less they think about Outside, the less it matters. What they are doing becomes the only thing; what everything is really about. I just think of them all there, in their life of prayer and thank God that somebody is willing to do that, for no gain, for the good of us all. Raise a glass to them, next time you enjoy a Benedictine (, Bernard).