Set against the bloody backdrop that was Italy in mid-first-millennium, Benedict's life charts a course far different from the violent struggles of his day. In a time of war and want, this monk and abbot aimed to establish and nurture community, cultivate the wilderness, and feed the poor. He also left us his famous Rule, seventy-three short chapters that are the foundation for Western monasticism and remain a spiritual classic. Man of Blessing answers these questions: - Why did Pope Benedict XVI choose the name "Benedict"? - What other popes have been named Benedict? - What were the important events in the life of St. Benedict? - What are St. Benedict's lasting legacies? - What is in St. Benedict's Rule? (A brief chapter-by-chapter summary of St. Benedict's Rule is presented.) Praise for Man of Blessing "The difference with Butcher's book… is the exploration of Benedict's unusual life; his relationship with his twin sister, Scholastica; and the illumination of the saint's miracles. The book's readability will make it easy for patrons to escape into late Roman Culture and find peace in monastic simplicity." -Library Journal starred review "This remarkable book is a delightful blend of legend and solid history." Sr. Lenora Black OSB, Spirit & Life "Throughout the book [Butcher]…interweaves some good research that expands the context of Benedict's world and adds dimension to his character." -American Benedictine Review "Butcher's life of St. Benedict is an excellent example of modern hagiography, written with imagination in a contemporary style based on historical facts and tradition." -Catholic Library World