St. Benedict and the Benedictine Values

List of 8 items.

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  Seeking God

  God’s love is the cornerstone of the work we do.
  As the community of Monte Cassino, it is God’s unconditional love that calls us to live by our Benedictine Values. As 1 John 4:19 tells us, “We love because He first loved us.” It is because of this encounter with God’s unyielding love, our hearts are expanded and made capable of loving others. Endowed with this capacity for fellowship, we nurture our relationship with Christ through communal practices that foster hope, understanding, and love.
• 

  Prayer

  Our lives are deepened and enlivened by prayer.
  As the community of Monte Cassino, we believe that God’s call is most clearly heard when we are committed to prayer. Communal prayer is a central rhythm of our school life. It is a way we can express our collective gratitude and remain focused on God’s love for us. Through regular prayer, we remain attuned to God’s divine presence and calling.

  St. Benedict says in the Prologue of the Rule, “Every time you begin a good work, you must pray to God most earnestly to bring it to perfection.”
• 

  Love of Learning

  The heart of Benedictine education is a profound commitment to the love of learning.
  As the community of Monte Cassino, we are rooted in the belief that education enriches the mind, heart, and spirit. We uphold a legacy of scholarly inquiry that fosters intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong pursuit of wisdom. As St. Benedict writes in the Prologue, “We intend to establish a school of the Lord’s service.”
• 

  Stewardship of God's Creation

  Stewardship is gratitude for God’s gifts in action.
  As the community of Monte Cassino, we are humbled by God’s loving creation and seek to moderate our use of its resources. It is our duty to appreciate and to care lovingly for all the gifts entrusted to us. Rule of St. Benedict Ch. 31 instructs us to “regard all utensils as if they were the sacred vessels of the altar.”  We promote the respectful use of material things for the good of all, with a special eye to simplicity and a focus on the capacity of beauty to communicate the presence and power of God.
• 

  Community

  Community is the heart and soul of everything we do.
  As the community of Monte Cassino, we view community as the workshop where we learn and embody all the Benedictine Values. We strive to live by these values with a spirit of ongoing forgiveness and a commitment to "trying to be the first to show respect to the other" Rule of St. Benedict Ch. 72.
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  Hospitality

  Hospitality is humility in practice.
  As the community of Monte Cassino, we adhere to the Rule of St. Benedict, Ch. 53 which states, “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ.” We are to warmly receive and embrace those we encounter. We value the dignity of each student, faculty, and staff member, as well as each person’s spirituality within their family's faith.
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  Service

  Service is a foundational value of our school.
  As the community of Monte Cassino, we are committed to joyful service as a hallmark of student and adult life. Guided by the Rule of St. Benedict Ch. 35, that “members should serve one another,” we live out this value by seeking to understand and meet the needs of others.
• 

  Balance and Simplicity of Life

  Balance is an outflow of simplicity.
  As the community of Monte Cassino, we strive to be content with simplicity: finding balance in prayer, work, and leisure. We embrace a lifestyle of moderation “so that in all things God may be glorified” Rule of St. Benedict Ch. 57. When we live simply and consciously nurture our faith, we are prepared to handle the challenges of our changing society.