February 10

Scholastica and St. Benedict were twins born in central Italy in 480.

It is said that for many years, their parents had begged God to send them

children. When at last Benedict and Scholastica were born, their parents

cherished them. The couple tried to raise them well.

Scholastica was a friendly, intelligent girl. She promised herself to

Jesus when she was still very young. After her parents died, she went to

visit her brother who had already left home. He had built a big monastery

and was the leader of many good monks. Benedict had become the founder of

the Benedictine order.

St. Benedict was very good to his sister. When he realized that she

and other young women wanted to become nuns, he helped them start a

monastery for women. While Benedict was at Subiaco, Scholastica was at a

nearby monastery. When her twin brother moved to Monte Cassino, she

entered a woman's monastery near there.

Once a year Benedict visited his sister and spent the day with her. On

one of his visits, when he rose to leave, Scholastica begged him to stay

longer. Benedict said he could not. His sister quietly bowed her head

and begged the Lord to prolong her brother's visit. Suddenly, a storm

arose and Benedict was unable to leave. He stayed and they talked all

through the night. They spoke of the goodness of God and the happiness of

the saints in heaven. Not long after, Scholastica passed away. She died

in 547.

Scholastica and Benedict helped each other draw closer to God by the way

they treated one other. We, too, can learn to value people who share with

us their good example and spiritual attitudes.