Feast Day: February 10
Canonized: Pre-Congregation

In the year 480, twins were born in Nursia, Italy. Their parents educated Scholastica and Benedict. Together they learned about their world and about God. Together they played and prayed and worked.

Later, Benedict went off to Rome to study. Scholastica stayed in Nursia to study. People noticed that the twins loved to follow Jesus’ example. Seeing this, these people asked Benedict and Scholastica to form a group, or community, to praise God. So Benedict built a monastery at Monte Cassino in Italy. There he wrote a rule by which the monks would live. Many men joined his monastery.

Five miles away, at Plombariola, Scholastica and a group of women built a convent. There they, too, followed Benedict’s rule. They met seven times a day to pray and praise God. Each week, they prayed all the Psalms of the Old Testament.

One day a year, and only once a year, Benedict came to Scholastica’s convent. They spent the day in prayer. They talked about the great goodness of God. They talked about how they could help others follow the example of Jesus.

When she was 62, Scholastica died. Benedict buried her close to Monte Cassino. When he died a short time later, his monks buried Benedict next to Scholastica. Together, these twins praise God for all eternity!

St. Scholastica is the patron saint of nuns, and her name is invoked against storms and rain.

Connecting to Be My Disciples^®
Grade 2, chapter 19
Grade 4, chapter 9