feast day: February 10
patron of: nuns; convulsive children; invoked against storms and rains
about:
- born: c. 480 A.D., Nursia, Umbria, Italy
- died: 10 February 542, near Monte Cassino
- twin sister of St. Benedict of Nursia
- is the foundress of the women's branch of Benedictine Monasticism.
- is a saint of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Churches
- attributes: nun with crozier and crucifix; nun with dove flying from her mouth
- St. Scholastica, sister of St. Benedict, consecrated her life to God from her earliest youth. After her brother went to Monte Cassino, where he established his famous monastery, she took up her abode in the neighborhood at Plombariola, where she founded and governed a monastery of nuns, about five miles from that of St. Benedict, who, it appears, also directed his sister and her nuns. She visited her brother once a year, and as she was not allowed to enter his monastery, he went in company with some of his brethren to meet her at a house some distance away. These visits were spent in conferring together on spiritual matters. On one occasion they had passed the time as usual in prayer and pious conversation and in the evening they sat down to take their reflection. St. Scholastica begged her brother to remain until the next day. St. Benedict refused to spend the night outside his monastery. She had recourse to prayer and a furious thunderstorm burst so that neither St. Benedict nor any of his companions could return home. They spent the night in spiritual conferences. The next morning they parted to meet no more on earth. Three days later St. Scholastica died, and her holy brother beheld her soul in a vision as it ascended into heaven. He sent his brethren to bring her body to his monastery and laid it in the tomb he had prepared for himself. She died about the year 543, and St. Benedict followed her soon after.
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PRAYER IN HONOR OF SAINT SCHOLASTICA
source: http://catholicism.about.com/od/prayers/qt/Prayer-In-Honor-Of-Saint-Scholastica.htm
O God, to show us where innocence leads, you made the soul of your virgin Saint Scholastica soar to heaven like a dove in flight. Grant through her merits and her prayers that we may so live in innocence as to attain to joys everlasting. This we ask through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
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LITANY OF SAINT SCHOLASTICA
source: http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Scholastica%20popup.html
Lord have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on. us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ hear us.
Christ graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven,
Have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
Have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God,
Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary,
Pray for us.*
Holy Mother of God,*
Holy Virgin of virgins,*
Saint Scholastica,*
St. Scholastica, true sister of St. Benedict,*
St. Scholastica, chosen by God from eternity,*
St. Scholastica, prevented by the grace of Christ Our Lord,*
St. Scholastica, consecrated to God from thy infancy,*
St. Scholastica, always a virgin incorrupt,*
St. Scholastica, espoused to Jesus Christ,*
St. Scholastica, scholar of the Holy Ghost,*
St. Scholastica, mirror of innocence,*
St. Scholastica, model of perfection,*
St. Scholastica, pattern of virtues,*
St. Scholastica, glory of the monastic life,*
St. Scholastica, mother of numberless virgins,*
St. Scholastica, imitator of the angelic life,*
St. Scholastica, full of faith in God,*
St. Scholastica, replenished with hope of the goods of heaven,*
St. Scholastica, ever burning with the love of thy Spouse,*
St. Scholastica, resplendent with humility,*
St. Scholastica, trusting as a daughter in the Lord,*
St. Scholastica, intent on prayer,*
St. Scholastica, quickly heard by the Lord,*
St. Scholastica, famed for the praise of perseverance,*
St. Scholastica, who didst enter the courts of Heaven in the form of a dove,*
St. Scholastica, who dost now follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth,*
St. Scholastica, who dost rejoice in delights of thy Spouse for ever,*
St. Scholastica, adorned with a crown of glory,*
St. Scholastica, advocate with God of those who invoke thee,*
St. Scholastica, generous patron of those who imitate thee,*
St. Scholastica, holy and innocent virgin,*
We sinners: Beseech thee, Saint Scholastica, to hear us.
That thou deign to help us, by thy most holy and efficacious prayers to God,
We beseech thee, hear us.**
That thou deign to cherish and preserve, by thy protection, the Benedictine Order and all who dwell therein,**
That thou admit us into the number of thy children,**
That thou deign to raise up, increase, and preserve our devotion toward thee,**
That thou deign to preserve in us the perfect observance of the Rule of thy blessed brother, our most holy Father Saint Benedict,**
That thou deign by thy supplications, to moisten the dryness of our hearts with the dew of heavenly grace,**
That, by thy intercession, thou mayest eternally unite us to Christ, the Spouse of our souls,**
That thou mayest lead us to eternal joys, and to Jesus, (our most sweet Spouse),**
That thou wouldst vouchsafe to hear us,**
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world:
Have mercy on us.
V. Pray for us, O holy Virgin Scholastica:
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray: O God, Who, to show the innocence of her life, didst cause the soul of Thy blessed Virgin Scholastica to ascend to Heaven in the form of a dove: grant, we beseech Thee, by her merits and prayers, that we may live so innocently, as to deserve to arrive at eternal joys. Through Jesus Christ, Thine only-begotten Son, Our Lord, Who with Thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth, God, for ever and ever. R. Amen.
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PRAYER TO SAINT SCHOLASTICA
source: http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Scholastica%20popup.html
Dear Spouse of the Lamb! Innocent and simple Dove! How rapid was thy flight to thy Jesus, when called home from thine exile! Thy brother's eye followed thee for an instant, and then heaven received thee, with a joyous welcome from the choirs of the Angels and Saints. Thou art now at the very source of that love which here filled thy soul, and gained thee everything thou asked of thy Divine Master. Drink of this fount of life to thy heart's eternal content. Satiate the ambition taught thee by thy brother in his Rule, when he says that we must "desire Heaven with all the might of our spirit." Feed on that sovereign Beauty, Who himself feeds, as he tells us, among the lilies?
But forget not this lower world, which was to thee, what it is to us,--a place of trial, for winning heavenly honours. During thy sojourn here, thou wast the Dove in the clifts of the rock, as the Canticle describes a soul like thine own; there was nothing on this earth which tempted thee to spread thy wings in its pursuit, there was nothing worthy of thy giving it the treasure of the love, which God had put in thy heart. Timid before men, and simple as innocence ever is, thou knewest not that thou hadst wounded the Heart of the Spouse. Thy prayers were made to him with all the humility and confidence of a soul that had never been disloyal; and he granted thee thy petitions with the promptness of tender love: so that thy brother,--the venerable Saint,--he who was accustomed to see nature obedient to his command,--yes, even Benedict was overcome by thee in that contest, wherein thy simplicity was more penetrating than his profound wisdom.
And who was it, O Scholastica, that gave thee this sublime knowledge, and made thee, on that day of thy last visit, wiser than the great Patriarch, who was raised up in the Church to be the living rule of them that are called to Perfection? It was the same God who chose Benedict to be one of the pillars of the Religious State; but who wished to show, that a holy and pure and tender charity is dearer to him, than the most scrupulous fidelity to rules, which are only made for leading men to what thou hadst already attained. Benedict, himself such a lover of God, knew all this; the subject so dear to thy heart was renewed, and brother and sister were soon lost in the contemplation of that Infinite Beauty, who had just given such a proof that he would have you neglect all else. Thou wast ripe for heaven, O Scholastica! Creatures could teach thee no more love of thy Creator; he would take thee to Himself. A few short hours more, and the Divine Spouse would speak to thee those words of the ineffable Canticle, which the Holy Spirit seems to have dictated for a soul like thine: Arise, make haste, my Love, my Dove, my beautiful one, and come ! Show me thy face; let thy voice sound in mine ears; for thy voice is sweet, and comely is thy face.
Thou hast left us, O Scholastica! but do not forget us. Our souls have not the same beauty in the eyes of our God as thine, and yet they are called to the same heaven. It may be that years are still needed to fit them for the celestial abode, where we shall see thy grand glory. Thy prayer drew down a torrent of rain upon the earth; let it now be offered for us, and obtain for us tears of repentance. Thou couldst endure no conversation which had not eternity for its subject; give us a disgust for useless and dangerous talk, and a relish for hearing such as are on God and Heaven. Thy heart had mastered the secret of fraternal charity, yea of that affectionate charity, which is so well-pleasing to our Lord; soften our hearts to the love of our neighbor, banish from them all coldness and indifference, and make us love one another as God would have us love.
Dear Dove of holy solitude! remember the Tree, whose branches gave thee shelter here on earth. The Benedictine cloister venerates thee, not only as the sister, but also as the Daughter of its sainted Patriarch. Cast thine eye upon the remnants of that Tree, which was once so vigorous in its beauty and its fruits, and under whose shadow the nations of the West found shelter for so many long ages. Alas! the hack and hew of impious persecutions have struck its root and branches. Every land of Europe, as well as our own, sits weeping over the ruins. And yet, root and branches, both must needs revive, for we know that it is the will of thy Divine Spouse, O Scholastica, that the destinies of this venerable Tree keep pace with those of the Church herself. Pray that its primitive vigor be soon restored; protect, with thy maternal care, the tender buds it is now giving forth; cover them from the storm; bless them; make them worthy of the confidence wherewith the Church deigns to honour them!
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links/ sources:
- "Scholastica" (source: Wikipedia):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholastica
- "St. Scholastica" (source: Catholic Online):
http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=240
- "Saint Scholastica" (source: The Order of Saint Benedict):
http://www.osb.org/gen/scholastica.html
- "St. Scholastica" (source: American Catholic):
http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/Saints/saint.aspx?id=1287
- "St. Scholastica" (source: EWTN):
http://www.ewtn.com/library/MARY/SCHOLAST.htm
- "Prayer in Honor of Saint Scholastica" (source: About- Religion- Catholicism):
http://catholicism.about.com/od/prayers/qt/Prayer-In-Honor-Of-Saint-Scholastica.htm
- "Litany to Saint Scholastica" and "Prayer to Saint Scholastica" (source: Catholic Harbor of Faith and Morals):
http://catholicharboroffaithandmorals.com/St.%20Scholastica%20popup.html
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St. Benedict's Rule/Motto: "ora et labora" ("prayer and work")