October 1999
The 40th General Chapter of the Swiss-American Congregation convened at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon from Thursday, July 16, through Monday, July 19. Among the major business of the chapter, was the approval of a scrutinium process as an option for communities to use in preparation for an abbatial election. The administrator is required to ask the capitulars if they wish to have a scrutinium. The decision to do so requires the consent of an absolute majority of the monastery chapter. The General Chapter will review the process that is outlined in the document in six years.
Also approved were modifications to C41, 2 in the congregation's constitution: When a member of another religious institute seeks to transfer to a monastery of this congregation, he will have a three-year probationary period as required by the Code of Canon Law with the first of these years now being a novitiate. If the transferring religious is from an institute that follows the Rule of Saint Benedict, he is not required to do a novitiate, but the probationary period remains three years.
Several decisions were also made regarding congregational finances. Other business included: a review by Abbot Patrick of the acts of the congregation (e.g. elections of abbots, dispensations, visitations) since the last general chapter in July, 1996; reports on significant events in each monastic community; and the nomination of visitators. Abbot Patrick also offered personal reflections on the significant events in the congregation during his twelve-year tenure as abbot president.
On Saturday, July 17, the delegates enjoyed an excursion to Oregon City, Mount Hood, the Columbia River Gorge, and Portland. On Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, Mr. Robert F. Shea of Shea Consulting Services (Dallas, Texas) gave a series of presentations on the managerial role of the abbot and strategic planning. Abbot Peter Eberle (retired abbot of Mount Angel) was elected as the new abbot president. Abbot Vincent Bataille (Marmion) and Father Aelred Kavanagh (St. Joseph) were elected as new members of the president's council. Abbot Jerome Kodell (Subiaco) and Brother Thomas Sullivan (Conception) continue as members.
The General Chapter of the Federation of St. Gertrude was held at Mount St. Benedict Monastery in Crookston, MN, this past summer. Keynote talks were given by Maria Christine Zauzich on the witness of the Guatemalan martyrs. She encouraged her listeners to reflect on their monastic identity and their gifts of prayer, silence and peace. She also plans to send the federation a wall hanging of paintings of biblical women which is to be passed around to the monasteries. Sister Ruth Fox, OSB, outgoing president of the federation, used the image of gleaners in her "State of the Heart" message, encouraging monastic women to live close to nature and to seek out the insignificant, the forgotten and the lost.
Several study committees also gave reports. The Blessings Committee presented scriptural and historical accounts of blessings and anointings by women. An interfederational committee on monastic profession was represented and received approval of a resolution regarding ongoing study of the document of profession. The Affiliation Committee presented information on the affiliation of non-canonical communities. In addition, other chapter business was conducted and directional statements for the next three years were approved. These directions are: to explore current challenges and issues involved with monastic leadership, liturgical and spiritual leadership, and the visitation process; to reclaim monastic practices that support the rhythm of monastic life through research, study and shared wisdom; and to promote networking, collaboration and sharing of resources among member monasteries (e.g., scriptural, theological and monastic education, promotion of monastic vocations, incorporation of new members, alternative forms of membership, reality of diminishment).
Sister Kathryn Huber of Ferdinand, IN, was elected president of the federation on July 2, effective August 1, for a term of six years. Sister Ruth Fox of Richardton completed nine years of service as president and was honored at a banquet. Councilors elected for three year terms were: Sisters Rachel Best, first councilor (Beech Grove, IN), JoAnn Schmidt (Columbia, MO), Mary Coswin (Winnipeg), Paula Larson (Richardton, ND), and Sandra Meek (Watertown, SD). The 2002 chapter was invited to St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, AR.
Two monastic congregations elected new presidents at their general chapters this summer. Kathryn Huber, OSB (Immaculate Conception, Ferdinand, IN) will lead the Federation of St. Gertrude and Peter Eberle, OSB (Mt. Angel Abbey, OR) is the new abbot president of the Swiss-American Congregation.
The following communities announce their newly elected prioresses:
Mount St. Scholastica (Atchison, KS) -- Sister Mary Collins, OSB
St. Scholastica Monastery (Duluth, MN) -- Sister Kathleen Hofer, OSB
Holy Angels Convent (Jonesboro, AR) -- Sister Mary Eileen Schneider, OSB
Re-elected to continue in their service are:
Queen of Angels Monastery (Liberty, MO) -- Sister Imelda Koch, OSB
St. Joseph Monastery (St. Marys, PA) -- Sister Raphael Baker, OSB
Portsmouth Abbey (Portsmouth, RI) -- Abbot Mark Cerna, OSB
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St. Meinrad's Archabbey hosted this year's annual summer school for junior professed monks, with 48 men from 24 monasteries in attendance. The instructors were Abbot Primate Marcel Rooney, teaching liturgy, and Columba Stewart, OSB (St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, MN), covering patristics. Sponsored by Benedictine formation directors, the program was coordinated by Jacob Grisley, OSB (St. Meinrad, IN) and Nathaniel Grossman, OSB (St. Bede Abbey, Peru, IL). Next year's program is scheduled for Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, CA.
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AIM USA, the organization for international monastic cooperation, has developed a prayer vigil for the celebration of the millennium new year's eve. The worship aid includes prayer services for dusk, midnight and dawn, as well as short prayers (song and psalm) for each hour between these hours. Abbot Marcel Rooney OSB is having the prayers translated into the languages of all the European monasteries and will distribute them throughout those countries. United States monasteries will be receiving copies soon. Press packets and further information may be obtained from AIM's office at
AIM USA
345 East 9th Street
Erie, PA 16503
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Rev. Michael McEwen, BSC, would like to familiarize others with the prayer of the "Celtic Rosary." Emphasizing that ancient spirituality, it includes reflections on the natural environment as well as the traditional meditations on the life of Jesus. A small leaflet describes the construction of such a worship aid and the way it may be used. Single copies of the leaflet are available by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:
Rev. Michael McEwen
St. Gregory's University
1900 W. MacArthur Drive
Shawnee, OK 74801
Benet Press is once again publishing a calendar for the coming year, entitled "Beauty Bridge to Justice." The 11" by 17" wall calendar combines beautiful photography by the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, PA, with text by Joan Chittister, OSB. Copies are $10 each (discount for orders of 3 or more) plus shipping and may be ordered (pre-payment not necessary) from:
Benet Press
355 East 9th St.
Erie, PA 16503
E-mail: msbpr@juno.com
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Here's good news for people who want to support religious life. Now there is a catalog that sells only products made by monasteries and religious communities. Monastery Greetings was launched this fall and includes a wide selection of Christmas cards, greeting cards and note cards, as well as food, devotional, and gift items. Traditionally, many monasteries and religious communities support themselves with businesses and cottage industries which produce unique, high quality products. Many of these communities are also home to artists who contribute their talents to designing greeting cards and note cards, as well as devotional items such as icons.
Since many of these communities are small or cloistered, they are unable to reach a wide audience. Monastery Greetings was designed to help them. Monastery Greetings brings many of their products together for the first time. The first issue features about 90 different products from about 30 different communities. "Monastery Greetings is more than a convenient way to order high quality products which are often not widely available," says founder Will Keller. "Communities earn revenue from every sale. It's a great way to support religious life." You can receive a free catalog by contacting:
Monastery Greetings
Dept-2
3287 Hyde Park Avenue
Cleveland Heights, OH 44118-213
Voice: (216) 321-2720; Fax: (216) 371-1993
You can also view the catalog and place orders through the website: <www.monasterygreetings.com/>.
My postulancy and novitiate have coincided with the building of Marmion Abbey church and the renovation of the abbey. Marmion is a community of 32 monks, 5 novices and 2 postulants in Aurora, IL, a western suburb of Chicago. These physical changes parallel the tearing down and building up that go on within the formative process of a newcomer. The last investiture in the habit took place in our former chapel on July 10, 1998. We five novices would bring an end to almost fifty years of such important experiences in that sacred space. Within less than a month's time, that space would be converted into a library and chapter room. While the new abbey church was dedicated on August 1, 1998, we are still in the process of having the abbey itself renovated.
In one sense, life has been in a constant state of flux since the beginning of my postulancy. Imagine, if you will, a whole year of the noise and activities, the changes and constant adaptations that come with any type of major renovations. While the community had experienced the building of the monastic infirmary a few years ago, its relative isolation from the rest of the abbey minimized the disruption of community life. The arrival of the work crews each morning at 7:00 a.m. with their radios blaring, their jack hammers thundering, drills droning and mouths cussing were all a necessary part of the rebuilding of the monks' rooms. Their departure each afternoon at 3:00 p.m. left us with a heightened appreciation for silence. The normal routines, the accustomed quiet and peace of the monastic life all got stretched. In a sensitive and loving community their disruptions can become the source of many acts of charity. These disruptions can serve as a constant invitation to go deeper than the surface of things. By doing so, we discovered a new rootedness in peace.
For example, what happened during the transition from the "old" refectory to the makeshift one, was a revelation of the power of the Word to anchor us in peace. We were set up in the corridor of the abbey basement; it was very hot, crowded and uncomfortable. Our abbot often reminds us that meal times are sacramental time as we break bread together and listen to the Word of God. Even in that hot and crowded corridor we managed to have table reading for supper. In fact, a few of the monks mentioned an almost heightened sense of attentiveness and a renewed appreciation for table reading while there. Perhaps having a chance to experience something so familiar and therefore so easily taken for granted has enabled us to appreciate anew the abbot's insight.
Moving from the abbey chapel to the new abbey church took place gradually. I, for one, thank God for that because it gave each of us, young and old, a chance to digest what was happening on many different levels. First, the workers came and removed the choir stalls so that they could be refurbished and placed in the new church. They had been built by one of the monks at the beginning of the abbey's existence. I will never forget the look on one of our senior monk's face as he stood in the doorway to the chapel gazing at the devastatingly empty space, a space where the monks had given voice to the praise of God for some fifty years. There was a sadness that pierced one to the heart and yet, at the same time, there was a gentle peaceful look of resignation and acceptance which he radiated.
For a long while we used wooden chairs taken from our chapter room in place of the choir stalls. At first, it felt strange. There is a whole psychology of what people experience in terms of "personal space" in choir. When the boundaries of the choir stalls are taken away, there is a heightened sense of vulnerability. Some were afraid that without the stalls we would lose the experience of being "the choir." In fact, this experience renewed our understanding that we are "the choir." With this understanding, the psalms from the office took on an added dimension as we appeared to be more and more a pilgrim community on the move.
There were countless visits, and the more formal guided tours with our abbot, to the construction site of the abbey church. It was especially moving to walk into the shell of the church during its construction and frequently encounter my brother monks praying silently in that pregnant space which was soon to become a place of encounter and the heart of our monastic community.
In so many ways the construction and reconstruction going on all around us reminds me of the miracle of birth, that mystery of hidden growth going on in the womb. The spaciousness of the physical frame of our new "house for the church" really acted as a focal point leading to the awareness of the sacred within and all around us.
The experience of the construction of the abbey church concretized for me parts of the Rule that we were studying in class, as with this passage: "That is why the Lord says in the Gospel: Whoever hears these words of mine and does them is like a wise person who built his house upon rock" (Mt 7:24-25; RB 1980, Prol 22-23). Just as our novice master was trying to instruct us in the foundations of a healthy monastic life, we watched as the construction workers laid the steel and concrete foundations for the physical structure being built.
One is struck immediately by the spaciousness and openness of the new church in comparison to the former chapel. The design of the diamond-shaped church through the use of huge wooden beams draws one's attention upward. The verticality of the design evokes the lifting up of the heart and mind in prayer. While most windows use clear glass, the windows of the Eucharistic chapel and the Lady chapel utilize stained glass. These were designed by a woman who spent time dialoguing with the community and studying the Rule. The result is that she gave expression to the community's hopes for these sacred spaces in a dynamic creation of light and color.
Exhilaration might be one of the best words to describe the experience of moving into the abbey church. Now that we have been in the church for almost a year it is still overwhelming to try to define how these changes have effected the community and our prayer life. Exactly what the new church building will bring about remains to be seen. What is already obvious is that each of us has been affected on many different levels. Daily, we are being challenged by this new space to understand who we are as monks, as a community of prayer, and as Church.
Mark St. Jacques, OSB
Marmion Abbey
Aurora, IL