Volume 39, Nr. 3, October 2009 Richardton, ND 58652
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Monks East and WestAmerican Christian monastic life already comes in many shapes and sizes, but the range seems to continue to expand. Now East and West have met in a unique experiment in Valyermo, CA. St. Andrew's Abbey was originally founded in 1929 as a Chinese daughterhouse of the Belgian abbey of St. Andr, now known as Sint Andries, Zevenkerken, of the Congregation of the Annunciation. The situation in China in the 1940s led to a move to California in the 1950s. This time, however, the meeting of East and West has to do with branches of the Church rather than geography. Five Byzantine Romanian Catholic monks have taken up residence at Valyermo. Holy Resurrection Monastery, formerly in Newberry Springs, CA, was in need of a new location, and the community had a long-standing relationship with St. Andrew's. It seemed only natural, in true Benedictine hospitality, to invite the monks to move to Valyermo. For a period up to three years, the two communities will live side by side while each retains its own distinct community life and identity. The Byzantine monks will occupy a designated section of the abbey and take some meals with the monks or guests while having their own worship space and common life. This is the only arrangement of its kind in the United States, and is believed to be one of only a few in the entire world. On his community's website, Archimandrite Nicholas Zachariadis, abbot of Holy Resurrection, refers to the experience as monasticism, in the words of Pope John Paul II, "breathing with both lungs." His community has as its goals: to be a center of prayer and self-giving for the cause of Christian unity, to offer hospitality and bring together Christians of various traditions in a milieu for friendship and ecumenical exchange, to organize exchanges and visits with other monasteries, to promote joint studies, seminars, conferences and publications on the major figures of monasticism in both East and West, and on their spiritual teaching, and to witness, especially through fidelity to the Byzantine heritage, to the possibility of a true union of East and West in which the authentic distinctiveness of both sides is respected and nurtured. What seemed to be a crisis for the community has turned into an extraordinary opportunity to act upon their goals. They will have opportunities to offer their insights and expertise in St. Andrew's retreat ministry. They will be engaging in an ongoing dialogue with the host monks and with their guests of all faiths. The abbot notes, "There may be people who fear that we are 'becoming Benedictine' or that they are 'going Byzantine' but nothing could be further from the truth. The whole point of this arrangement is to celebrate the possibility that monastic communities of distinctive churches can live together, work together, 'breathe' together." The two groups have already hosted some joint events, including a weekend pilgrimage to share the spiritual treasures of the Christian East and West. More information about the Byzantine monks and their community may be found on their website <www.hrmonline.org>. |
OSB | ABA | Am Monastic Newsletter
The American Monastic NewsletterPublished in February, June and October | |
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Judith Sutera OSB |
The Mission of the American Monastic Newsletter is to be an instrument of communication and information for Benedictine monasteries of North America and members of the American Benedictine Academy. |
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Renée Branigan, OSB |
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Adel Sautner OSB |
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