RB 48,1: "The brothers should have specified periods for manual labor as well as for prayerful reading"

"To establish a school of divine service" is the need deeply felt by St.Benedict, the founder of western monastic life, in order to encourage the conversion of the hearts and minds of those who wish to answer: "Here I am" to God's calling. This school that still lives on Benedictine monasteries is known by its "ora et labora", pray and work, the foundation of a monk's life.

But that is not all! Life in a monastery is based on four pillars: prayer through the liturgy and lectio divina, work, communal life and hospitality, which are all four alternated giving a concrete sense in space and time to our life.