OSB. ABA. American Monastic Newsletter (May 2000). Contents.

I have discovered just how quickly the two-year term of ABA president zips by. It seems like only a few weeks ago I was sitting at my desk staring at a big box of ABA files and wondering what on earth I was supposed to do with them. Lucky for me and fortunate for the ABA, my predecessor, Sister Mary Forman, left me a wonderful set of notes designating what needs to be done and when it has to be finished. Of course, the major task is getting the ABA convention organized and working with the board of directors, making sure that everything comes together as best it can. Most of the details for the convention are in place and I think we can look forward to a good experience this August.

In this my last column as ABA president, I would like to make two observations that have struck me as being important for the future of the ABA. The first has to do with the role that technology is assuming in monastic life throughout this country and the world in general. Many monasteries have been quick to figure out how to use this tool in their work as well as in their apostolic endeavors. Monasteries that operate schools find that computer technology is an essential part of what goes on in education today and they have implemented it in order to stay current and competitive.

A piece that still needs to be addressed, at least in my opinion, is how computer technology can be used to enhance or promote monastic life itself. Many of our monasteries do not have a great deal of resources available for the monastic formation of new members nor for the ongoing education of those already in final profession. We tend to make do with what we have. It seems to me that computer technology could provide monastic communities with tools for sharing some of our valuable monastic resources. Some of this is currently being done with the wonderful OSB Web site sponsored by Saint John's Abbey. However, this is just a beginning.

Collectively we have a vast wealth of resources which could benefit all of us if we just had a way to share them. Today we do have a way for sharing those resources. The next challenge is to organize ourselves in such a way that we can all take advantage of what in fact we already have. Of course, Benedictine monasteries are well known for their dislike of centralization and that makes our task here a little more challenging. However, would not the ABA be a good place at least to begin thinking about what this sharing of resources might look like and how computer technology might assist us? Some of our own ABA members are very sophisticated in understanding and implementing computer technology. The ABA itself has a section entitled, "Benedictine Information Technology." Would not a project such as this be a worthy contribution that the ABA could make to monastic life every where? What do you think?

My second observation has to do with the changing membership of the ABA. In the past history of our organization we have moved from an all-male, highly academic professional society to a much broader membership of both men and women interested in all facets of monastic life. In more recent times our membership has begun to shift even further to include many more oblates and other people simply interested in the so-called "monastic thing." These members do not live in traditional monastic communities yet they find monasticism, and especially monastic spirituality, very attractive. Some know a good bit about monastic life while others know next to nothing. In the past the ABA could almost presuppose a certain basic common understanding of monastic life on the part of all its members by the mere fact of each member going through a novitiate and a juniorate. Today that is not the case. Should the ABA make a more conscious effort to determine and meet the needs of this "new" membership? How should this be done? Obviously I am better at asking questions than at providing answers. However, I am convinced that with the committed membership we have in the ABA there are plenty of qualified members who can move us toward the answers we need. Sometimes we just need a few good question to get us moving. I have enjoying serving you during these past two years and I look forward to seeing many of you at the convention in August.

Eugene Hensell, OSB, President
Saint Meinrad Archabbey

Issue Contents

OSB | ABA | Am Monastic Newsletter

Published in February, June and October

The American Monastic Newsletter

Judith Sutera OSB
Editor in Chief
Mt. St. Scholastica
801 8th Street
Atchison, KS

Renée Branigan, OSB
Managing Editor
PO Box 364
Sacred Heart Monastery
Richardton, ND

Articles: Please submit articles, typed double-spaced to Judith Sutera OSB

Address/Subscriptions: Please submit any address changes and subscription inquiries to Renee Branigan, OSB.

The American Monastic Newsletter is published three times per year as a complimentary service to members of the American Benedictine Academy and its sponsoring communities. Others may receive a Newsletter for a donation of $5 per year to cover printing and postage. Sponsor monasteries may also order bulk copies (10 or more to same address) at a special rate of $3 per year.