Monks, Beer, and the Labor of their Hands
Religion & Liberty Online

Monks, Beer, and the Labor of their Hands

Fr. Z’s Blog has a great post highlighting the Benedictine Monks at Norcia and their new brew.

Here is the motto from the Birra Nursia site. Wonderful stuff, really:

In complete harmony with the centuries old tradition, the monks of Norcia have sought to share with the world a product which came about in the very heart of the monastic life, one which reminds us of the goodness of creation and the potential that it contains. For the monks of Norcia, beer has always been a beverage reserved for special occasions, such as Sundays and Feast days. The project of the monastic brewery was conceived with the hope of sharing with others the joy arising from the labor of our own hands, so that in all things the Lord and Creator of all may be sanctified. In one word, “ut laetificet cor”.

I believe “Ut laetificet cor“ translates “to the heart’s joy?” I went to a Protestant seminary so I struggled with the translation. Here’s a great video on the brewing process Father Z posted. It’s a splendid story of entrepreneurship and labor:

Ray Nothstine

Ray Nothstine is editor at the Civitas Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina. Previously, he was managing editor of Acton Institute's Religion & Liberty quarterly. In 2005 Ray graduated with a Master of Divinity (M.Div) degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky. He also holds a B.A. in Political Science from The University of Mississippi in Oxford.