Saint Benedict: A Patron Saint of Siblings?

Yesterday was the feast of Saint Benedict, one of my boys most favorite saint to celebrate. It was a busy busy day to say the least. I finally found the motivation to get back onto my exercise routine. I have really been struggling because I have been having some pretty serious pains in my back (I was born with Spina Bifida and had surgery as a baby but it is that time to get a doctor involved with continued treatment) I had an exhilarating mile run and did some light weight training. I just joined a new accountability group that I am hoping will keep me  on the exercise wagon this time.

In my laziness I have been fighting, I have been putting off going to the grocery store as well so that was a necessity. I decided it would be nice to take the walk to the store together and we purchased the items we needed to make our traditional homemade pizza we make on the Feast of Saint Benedict. I "mom failed" and forgot to buy the olives we normally put to form the cross on our pizzas. Also, in an effort to be a little healthier, we used whole wheat english muffins as the crust (which were a little too small). As you can see the turkey pepperoni we used almost engulfed the entire english muffins and they are not the prettiest pizzas we have ever made. If you like, you can view our previous Feast of Saint Benedict here if you would like to see some prettier Saint Benedict Cross Pizzas.

There is so many places to learn things about Saint Benedict and the Saint Benedict Medal but this website has the most detailed information and prayers that I have ever seen! As my family has progressed in our liturgical year celebrations, I have been trying to educate myself more so that my family will learn more. It is known that Saint Benedict had a twin sister named Saint Scholastica. There are so many stories about the strong love these saintly siblings had for God and each other. One story says that Saint Benedict and his companions had come to visit Saint Scholastica but as the day drew to a close, Saint Benedict wanted to return to his monastery. Saint Scholastica pleaded with her brother repeatedly to stay overnight but he refused. Saint Scholastica bowed her head in prayer and a great storm grew above them. Saint Benedict asked his sister what she had done. She simply said, "I requested something of you and you denied me, so I requested it of God and he has granted my request".

I couldn't imagine having a pair of siblings that get along the way these twins did. My boys definitely love each other but they fight quite often. We decided to take a little swim after our visit to the grocery store and my boys were at it! They were yelling at each other and throwing their swim toys... I was at a loss. We were having such a wonderful day up until arriving at the pool. Thankfully, they decided playing together was better than screaming at each other and going home. Sibling rivalry is something that every family with multiple children face everyday. This made me think.. who is the patron saint of siblings? or sibling rivalries? I did some research and I couldn't find anything but I feel that Saint Benedict and Saint Scholastica would be perfect patron saints for this. If anyone else knows more information, I would love hear it!

These are the happy faces of my boys that I love to see. Our time at the pool did not end on a bad note and that is a true blessing. I hope that everyone else has been able to enjoy some fun in the sun like my family.

Although I had no luck finding the patron saint of siblings or sibling rivalries, Saint Benedict is the patron saint of gallbladders, inflammatory disease and a happy death. I found this prayer to Saint Benedict in a Catholic Prayer Book my father bought for me several years ago.

St. Benedict himself revealed to St. Gertrude:

"whoever reminds me of the extraordinary privilege with which God deigned to glorify my last moments, shall experience my particular assistance in his final combat. I will be a faithful protector against the assaults of the enemy. Fortified by my presence, he will escape the snares of the evil one and safely attain eternal happiness."

Prayer to St. Benedict for a Happy Death

O holy Father, St. Benedict, blessed by God both in grace and in name, who, while standing in prayer, with hands raised to heaven, didst most happily yield thy angelic spirit into the hands of thy Creator, and hast promised zealously to defend against all the snares of the enemy in the last struggle of death, those who shall daily remind thee of thy glorious departure and heavenly joys; protect me, I beseech thee, O glorious Father, this day and every day, by thy holy blessings, that I may never be separated from our dear Lord, from the society of thyself, and of all the blessed. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

Saint Benedict, pray for us!