The (transferred) feast of St Benedict, so much rejoicing in choir and refectory. We hope all our Associates will be sharing in the rejoicings today — it is sad that none will be here with us. Of course, the general jubilation does beg some important questions. What precisely are we celebrating? St Benedict or, perish the thought, ourselves? There are times when we Benedictines can give the impression of basking in reflected holiness, as though the mere fact of being a disciple of St Benedict conferred a special dignity, not to say glory, upon us. That is absurd. Cucullus non facit monachum. It is not donning the cowl that makes the monk (or nun) but living as one. I wonder what St Benedict thinks of his disciples today. Do we truly radiate the humanity, the humility and the holiness he sought to instill? If not, perhaps we need to examine our consciences a little more closely. We cannot sing our way into the Kingdom of heaven.