The Rule of St. Benedict -- Only one book has had a greater impact on the Western World

St. Benedict and his Rule of St. Benedict. Did we all miss something in our public education? Because of the power and effectiveness of his Rule for monks living in a community, St. Benedict is often called the father of Western monasticism, born at Nursia, Italy c. 480; died at the famous monastery he founded, Monte Cassino, Italy, 543 AD. It has been said other than the Bible, the Rule of St. Benedict has been the most important book for the development of Western civilization.

I heard recently on EWTN (Eternal Word Television Network) that virtually every ancient scroll that survived to the 700's has survived to today — thanks to the monks. Their contribution to the preservation of Western civilization is remarkable. And that is just one of the many things they did while sitting silently in their rooms behind monastery walls.