Catholics in Angola Urged to Foster St. Benedict’s Motto, “pray and work”

The Catholic Church leader further noted that prayer brings inner peace and strength. “Just being near Him, knowing He is by my side, comforts and calms me. Like a child who stops crying in the presence of the mother, so does our soul find rest in God,” he explained.

Reflecting on the Feast of St. Benedict, which the Church celebrates annually on July 11, Archbishop Dias described work as a form of worship and self-sustenance. 

“Live from the labor of your own hands. St. Benedict promoted a life of manual work as a service to God and a dignified way of living, just like the Apostles and early monks,” he said.

Archbishop Dias further said that work, even in difficult circumstances, is sanctifying, and added, “Do not be discouraged by poverty or hardship. The mission of work remains valid and holy.”

He recalled how St. Benedict left behind the comforts of imperial Rome to live a life of contemplation and fraternity, first in solitude, then in community with others dedicated to God, and added, “He gave rise to a way of life that still endures in the Church — a life of prayer, work, and communal living.”

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The Local Ordinary of Luanda urged the people of God to take pride in their spiritual heritage as members of the St. Benedict community, saying, “To be like St. Benedict is to welcome God’s Word, to receive His blessing, and to live in attentive listening to the divine voice.”

“St. Benedict and his companions sought to be immersed in the mystery of God — and to bring that divine presence to others. This is the mission we are invited to continue today,” Archbishop Dias said.

João Vissesse is an Angolan Journalist with a passion and rich experience in Catholic Church Communication and Media Apostolate.