Our University Ministry has the pleasure to experience the Benedictine Spirituality through the Benedictine monks on campus.
Below are several questions that you may have about Benedictine monks and their Spirituality.
Who founded Saint Leo?
Fr. Lucius Amarillas, Chaplain and Prior of the Saint Leo Abbey:
"Saint Leo University, as the first Catholic college in Florida, remains the only Benedictine university throughout the state. Monks of the Order of Saint Benedict began ministry at Saint Leo in 1889 with the arrival of five monks from Mary Help of Christians Abbey, Belmont, North Carolina. Monks from Saint Vincent’s Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania preceded the Belmont monks throughout the 1880s, assisting the Catholic colony at San Antonio, Florida, planting the seeds for what would become the worldwide institution of Saint Leo University."
How did the Benedictine order start? And who is Saint Benedict?
Fr. Lucius:
"The Order of Saint Benedict is one of the oldest religious orders of the Universal Church, beginning in the 5th century AD when Benedict of Nursia retreated from the city of Rome, Italy to live in seclusion in a cave at Subiaco, imitating the hermitages of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the Church's first century. 
Following years of prayer and solitude in his cave, Benedict was sought out as a wise teacher of other youngsters seeking holiness which ultimately led to Benedict establishing multiple monasteries, communities of monks working and praying in common, throughout Italy. Before his death at the Sacrifice of the Mass in 543 AD, Benedict wrote his little Rule for monks. The Rule of Saint Benedict consists of 73 chapters guiding readers to reject the ways of the world by living life differently from the rest of the world, or what the Church calls "holiness."  Living the Benedictine Rule continues throughout the world by men and women alike; including, the communities of monks, sisters, and students at Saint Leo."
What is the core element to the Benedictine life?
Fr. Lucius:
"A daily element of Benedictine spirituality is the consecration of our day through the Sacred Liturgy (Mass and Divine Office). Daily, monks, students, and faculty gather at the heart of our campus, the Saint Leo Abbey Church, to unite in a 'full, conscious, and active participation' in the liturgy, lifting the needs and intentions of the entire Saint Leo community to the Lord. The monks at Saint Leo pray for all who work and study at Saint Leo University, and especially, our alumni.
'Work & Prayer' (Ora et Labora) remains the motto of the Order of Saint Benedict. Daily, Benedictines unite Heaven and Earth through our daily lifting up of our voices in prayer and exercising our God-given gifts through our service to the community in our various ministries. 

As Benedictines, we 'welcome all as Christ,' and as a Catholic University, 'we teach all not because they are Catholic but because we are Catholic.' We invite you to join us, the monks and campus ministry, as we seek to continue the mission of Saint Benedict by seeking to live our lives differently from the rest of the world, seeking to put Jesus’ love before everything."
Below is an informative video of the daily habits and personalities of these Benedictine monks.