Benedictine Life
Benedictine monks take their name from Saint Benedict of Nursia, whose "Rule for Monks" they follow. The Rule of Saint Benedict is a unique blending of the principles of the desert monks' deep spiritual wisdom and practical insight. The virtue for which the Holy Rule is best known is its moderation. The Rule's influence and popularity through the centuries are attributed to Saint Benedict's wise avoidance of extremes.
Newark Abbey enjoys the special patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary, under her title of the Immaculate Conception. The Abbey Church and its thriving Parish and grade school are known as Saint Mary's.
Prayer, Silence, and Solitude at the Center
Linz
Several times a day the monks come together to pray the
Liturgy of the Hours, the Church's constant prayer of praise,
using especially the Psalms from the Old Testament. The heart of
Benedictine life is the sacred liturgy, especially the daily
celebration of the community Eucharist, which is open to all.
Private prayer, meditation and holy reading are also essential to
the monk's seeking of the Hidden God. The serenity necessary and
essential to the spiritual life is both fostered and reflected by
the spirit of silence that pervades the monastery and is carried
into our daily occupations.
Connected to the Abbey is a secondary school for
boys, St. Benedict's Prep. Every
work the monks engage in, whether educational or parochial, is
marked by these same characteristics of interior peace.