Saint Benedict “was able to discern between the essential and the secondary in spiritual life, placing the Lord firmly in the centre. May you, his children in our time, practice discernment to recognize what comes from the Holy Spirit and what comes from the spirit of the world or the spirit of the devil”. This is the wish expressed by Pope Francis to the monks of the Benedictine Confederation, received in audience this morning on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Confederation and the laying of the first stone of the Primatial Abbey of Saint Anselm in Rome. “In this age, when people are so busy that they do not have enough time to listen to the voice of God, your monasteries and convents become like oases, where men and women of all ages, backgrounds, cultures and religions can discover the beauty of silence and rediscover themselves, in harmony with creation, allowing God to restore proper order in their lives”, the Pope added: “The Benedictine charism of welcome is very precious for the new evangelization, because it gives you the opportunity to welcome Christ in every person who arrives, helping those who seek God to receive the spiritual gifts He has in store for each of us”.