MONASTIC LITURGY FORUM
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2007 - 11th National MLF Conference
was held at Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton, South Dakota, July 17-21, 2007, in conjunction with the Benedictine Musicians of the Americas.
The theme of the conference was "Changing Realities: Living the Monastic Tradition in the 21st Century." The keynote addresses on the theology of aging were given by Father Raymond Studzinski OSB and gerontologist Dr. Beth Mikkelson. These were followed by a panel presentation addressing the material presented by the speakers and the particular observations and questions brought forth by an online survey.
The panel consisted of Prioress Cecilia Dwyer OSB, Prioress Anne Stedman OSB, Prior Tobias Colgan OSB, and Subprior Paul Richards OSB. Group photograph.
The Forum
The Forum, active for over 15 years, grew out of the sharing of ideas, resources and problems by liturgists attending monastic workshops and meetings of the Benedictine Musicians of the Americas. They realized that their needs were not being adequately met by these events.
Male and female Benedictine and monastic liturgists have, therefore, gathered
in recent years to explore topics ranging from the liturgical year and Liturgy
of the Hours to rituals and blessings in monastic houses.
What Is the Monastic Liturgy Forum?
The Monastic Liturgy Forum is an organization for monastic communities, formed to provide support, continuing liturgical education, and sharing opportunities for men and women monastic liturgists. The organization was formed to deal with liturgical issues that arise in monastic communities ... issues that might not be addressed at other types of liturgical workshops. The ultimate purpose of the forum is to enhance worship in monastic communities and thus deepen the liturgical spirituality of these communities and give greater glory to God.
Services of the Monastic Liturgy Forum:
Newsletter: Four times a year the Monastic Liturgy Forum issues a newsletter that serves as a resource of solid input with regard to monastic liturgy. Member communities of MLF receive multiple copies of the Newsletter.
National MLF Conferences: Now meeting biennially, the Monastic Liturgy Forum hosts Liturgy Conferences that attract men and women monastic liturgists from throughout North America. With excellent speakers, the Forum has addressed such topics as: the liturgical year, the Liturgy of the Hours, rituals and blessings in monastic houses, and the Word in monastic liturgies. Conferences are held in different regions. Regions are selected by the availability and willingness of male and female monasteries to work collaboratively in hosting the conference.
Membership:
Annual membership in the Monastic Liturgy Forum is a community membership. The financial support that member monasteries provide gives MLF a fund from which to pay the working costs of the organization: mailings, postage, conference calls, business supplies, etc. There are several options for membership:
Membership dues are $40.00/year
Communities that are financially able and willing to contribute more may offer, if they choose, an added amount to help co-sponsor smaller communities that cannot afford the basic membership dues.
Communities interested in MLF that cannot afford $40.00 for membership may offer a contribution they can afford, to be supplemented by the co-sponsoring communities.
An Invitation
In 2006, consider adding your monastery to the list of 60+ men's and women's monastic communities throughout North America that are taking advantage of the resources of support, liturgical education and sharing that MLF provides.
Conference Host
In 2007 Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton, South Dakota, will host the Monastic Liturgy Forum. Details will appear in the quarterly newsletter.
For more information send an e-mail to the Membership Secretary: DMoorse @ csbsju.edu
2007 MLF/BMA:
