St. Scholastica

One of the people I most admired growing up was my great-aunt, a Benedictine sister. She had the warmth, joy, and no-nonsense directness I have come to associate with Benedictine sisters, many of whom are or have been teachers or nurses. It’s a specific kind of aura that grows from a life of hospitality, disciplined prayer, community living, and teaching littles their times tables. This is how I imagine the original Benedictine sister, Scholastica, to be.

Less known than her brother (some say twin) the Father of Western Monasticism, St. Benedict of Nursia, St. Scholastica does not have many written details of her life. She used her brother’s Rule to establish communities of women not long after he founded his communities of brothers. The most famous story comes from St. Gregory the Great’s Dialogues about St. Benedict’s life. Every year, Benedict and Scholastica would meet for a day between their two monasteries to discuss monastic life and pray together. It was at one of these meetings that she asked him to stay the night; she felt her death would be soon. He refused. She prayed, and a terrible storm started making travel impossible. Benedict turned from the window to ask “What have you done?” She replied, “I asked you and you would not listen; so I asked my God and he did listen. So now go off, if you can; leave me and return to your monastery.” Oh snap. Of course, Benedict stayed the night.

St. Scholastica is the patron saint of Benedictine nuns, education, and children who suffer from convulsions. She is invoked sometimes to quell rain and storms, but I think it would be more appropriate to ask her intercession when rain is needed! I would like to also name her the patroness of any woman (or man) who has to talk to a bull-headed man (or woman). We all need to say a little prayer of endurance in those moments.