The Catholic Church in Medieval Lifestandard 7.6.8

The goal: To understand the importance and roles of the Catholic Church in medieval Europe.

IMPORTANCE OF CHURCH

•Everybody belonged•Charity for poor•Where festivals happened

•ACCESS TO HEAVEN! (Do not want to be excommunicated!)

Priests

Bishops

Simplified Church Hierarchy

Monks/nuns

Abbots/abbesses

Pope

•Bishop of Rome•Boss of whole Catholic Church

•Infallible

POPE

Popes

•Weddings•Mass•Confession•Last rites

PRIESTS

BISHOPS•Bossed priests/ran church day to day

•Knew church teachings, rules, etc.

Priests and bishops

•Ran schools•Copied books•Cared for poor•Joined religious orders•Lived in monasteries

MONKSand

NUNS

ABBOT/ABBESS

•Bossed monks and nuns/ran church day to day

•Knew church teachings, rules, etc.

Monks and nuns

The focus of a monk’s or nun’s life:

Serving God through

Poverty

Chastity

Obedience

Worship

Work

Can’t own anything.

No man/woman stuff!

To abbot or abbess

Pray, read Bible, etc.

Labor!

•Benedictines•Carmelites•Dominicans•Franciscans•Jesuits•Ursulines

SomeReligious

orders

Each order has its own rules!

In the first place to love the Lord God with the whole heart, the whole soul, the whole strength...

To deny one's self in order to follow Christ.

Not to seek after pleasures.

To love fasting.

To relieve the poor.

To clothe the naked.

To visit the sick.

To bury the dead.

To help in trouble.

To console the sorrowing.

Not to be given to wine.

Not to be a great eater.

Not to be slothful.

Not to speak useless words and such as provoke laughter.

To apply one's self often to prayer.

The Benedictine RuleCHAPTER IV

The Instruments of Good Works

The Benedictine RuleCHAPTER XXII

How the Monks Art to Sleep

Let them receive the bedding befitting their mode of life, according to the direction of their Abbot. If it can be done, let all sleep in one apartment; but if the number doth not allow it, let them sleep in tens or twenties with the seniors who have charge of them. Let a light be kept burning constantly in the cell till morning.

Let them sleep clothed and girded with cinctures or cords, that they may be always ready; but let them not have knives at their sides whilst they sleep, lest perchance the sleeping be wounded in their dreams; and the sign having been given, rising without delay, let them hasten to outstrip each other to the Work of God, yet with all gravity and decorum.

3:40 amThe bell rings, announcing the presence of the Lord. 4:00 amPrayer and religious readings.

5:00 - 5:45 amBreakfast - monks serve themselves.

5:45 - 7:15am Religious services.

7:15 - 7:45 am Free time to clean up, make beds, etc. After mass, unnecessary talking is not permitted. 7:50 am Work or study begin. 8:45 am Prayer. 9:10 am – 12:40 pm Work.

12:40 pm Prayer.

1:10 pm Lunch, taken in silence.

2:00 pm Work.

3:30 pm Prayer.

3:40 pm Coffee or tea, taken in silence. 4:00 pm Religious readings. 5:15 pm Break. 5:20-5:50 pm Silent prayer for half an hour. 5:50 - 6:20pm Group prayer and hymns.

6:20 pm Optional light meal or free time. 7:10 pm Religious reading and discussion.

7:30 pm Group prayer and hymns.

7:50 pm The day officially ends.

A Day In The Life Of A Monk

Checking for understanding:

1.Who was the boss of the Catholic Church?

2.What was a big reason why the Church was so important to the people of the Middle Ages?

3.Which group ran the church on a day-to-day basis?

4.What was a big difference in lifestyle between priests and monks?

fin