NORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF BENEDICTINE OBLATE DIRECTORS
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January 2010 Newsletter
FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Oblate Directors and Associate Directors of Oblates,
“The snow lay on the ground when Christ was born” are words to a Christmas hymn that goes through my head as I look out the window today and see the blanket of snow that covers the ground here in central Indiana. It reminds me to look for the many ways that Christ is born anew here today, not just on Christmas. Benedict invites, or maybe challenges is a better word, to see Christ not only in others around us—the Abbot or Prioress, guests, the sick, the poor, younger or older confreres and ourselves. We who live in cenobitic communities know the potential to see Christ in the events of daily life—at common prayer, in the refectory and recreation rooms as well as in the hallways and places of work. There is potential for meeting Christ in what appears to be mundane but becomes sacred for those who know how to see. Although I cannot see you physically as I write this, I do see with the eyes of faith, a sea of oblates and directors who go about their daily lives trusting in God’s love and mercy; and desiring to live this monastic way of life faithfully. May we continue to support one another in our efforts!
As of January 1, 2010, Fr. Paschal Morlino, Associate Director of Oblates for Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, PA, assumed duties of Vice President of NAABOD. Welcome aboard, Fr. Paschal! He resides in Baltimore where he is also pastor of St. Benedict Church. In addition, Fr. Paschal recently served as spiritual director for the North American attendees at the World Congress of Oblates that met in Rome this past October 2-10. You will be hearing from him as he takes up his duties as Vice President. He has a goal to increase membership in NAABOD.
I would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Bro. John Peto of St. Benedict Abbey in Atchison, KS who served as Vice President from 2006 through 2009. He will continue to serve NAABOD by being the keeper of the “Handbook for Directors of Benedictine Oblates” and will mail a copy to new member monasteries that do not yet have a copy. Bro. John has gifted this leadership team with wisdom, practical insight and humor while serving as Vice President. We hope he will continue to share these gifts with his own community, oblates and NAABOD. Thank you, Bro. John!
Sr. Bonita Gacnik of Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton, SD will continue to serve NAABOD as Secretary. She collects dues and keeps records of Oblate Directors, Associate Directors and addresses, etc. of member monasteries. She is also responsible for minutes of membership and officer meetings. Thank you, Sr. Bonita, for continuing to graciously serve NAABOD during my second term as president, January 2010 through December 2011. (Her position is appointed by the president.)
Without news from you this newsletter limps. If you have some news to share in the spring edition please get items to me by early March. You can send it via email to antoinette_46107@yahoo.com or to my postal address: 1402 Southern Avenue / Beech Grove, IN 46107. Thank you to those who sent news for this edition!
Please make a note of my new email address, just above, and save it. If you use my old address at benedictine.com, it might not get through to me. Note that there is a single space underline between my name and the numbers.
Winter blessings,
Antoinette Purcell, OSB
President NAABOD
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2011 BI-ANNUAL MEETING
Please mark your calendar now and save the dates of July 1-6, 2011 for our next bi-annual meeting that will be hosted by the three communities in Indiana and held at St. Meinrad Archabbey. We realize that these might not be the best dates for some NAABOD members. It is not an easy task to find amenable dates that coincide with available accommodations to house our gathering. After pursuing a number of options, this was the best choice. We hope that by giving you these dates this far in advance you will be able to make arrangements to join us. Being over a holiday could actually serve some who might not be able to attend otherwise. The planning team for this meeting will meet at St. Meinrad on Tuesday, March 2 to begin working out details. We will keep you informed as we have news to share.
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NEWS OF MEMBER MONASTERIES AND DIRECTORS
Congratulations are in order for Benet Hill Monastery who has moved to its new monastery. Their new address is Benet Hill Monastery / 3190 Benet Lane / Colorado Springs, CO 80921-1590. Phone number is 719-633-0655 and web site is www.benethillmonastery.org. Sr. Joseph Marie Jacobsen shares the role of Oblate Coordinator with Sr. Katherine Wawersich and Oblate Barbara Neilon.
We also want to congratulate St. Walburg Monastery in Villa Hills, KY who celebrated 150 years since their foundation from Erie, PA. On June 7 they celebrated with Eucharist at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption in Covington, KY. On July 11 there was a special dedication and blessing of a house they built with the help of Housing Opportunities of Northern Kentucky to house a needy family. The house was built on a site near their original foundation building in Covington. On October 11, they hosted a sesquicentennial concert and open house at the monastery. The sisters were joined by The Cathedral Choir to provide a wonderful concert of sacred music. Sr. Mary Tewes is Director of Oblates for St. Walburg’s Monastery.
St. Benedict’s Abbey in Bartonville, IL is celebrating 25 years since their foundation. They have produced an ABBEY COOKBOOK to sell as a way of raising funds for the anniversary celebrations. For more information about the cookbook, contact sba@sbabbey.com. Fr. Harold Camacho is Director of Oblates for St. Benedict’s Abbey in Bartonville.
On a sadder note, Our Lady of Peace Monastery in Columbia, MO has announced that it will be closing due to a number of interlocking factors including the aging of its membership and lack of new members. Currently there are seven members. They are in the process of visiting other Benedictine monasteries and considering their choice for transfer. Each sister will enter into a time of mutual discernment with the community they choose as part of the process of transfer. Let us hold these sisters in prayer at this difficult time of transition. Our support will mean a lot to them as they work out the many details that face them in the coming months. Sr. Barbara Bock serves as Director of Oblates for this community.
NEWS ABOUT DIRECTORS AND OBLATES
Sr. Bonita Gacnik of Sacred Heart Monastery in Yankton, SD is featured on the cover of a recent news magazine put out by AIM USA (Alliance for International Monasticism). This past summer, Sr. Bonita was one of several Benedictine women who participated in AIM USA’s African Women’s Commission. In the picture she is with Sr. Auxilia Hokororo as they enjoy an afternoon at Ruvula Beach on the Indian Ocean in Tanzania. Sr. Bonita is Associate Director of Oblates for her monastery, working mainly with the online chapter.
Ken Mansfield, Associate Oblate Director of St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster, Sk. Canada sent a message that one of their oblates, Fr. Don Bolen of Regina, has been appointed Bishop of Saskatoon. Congratulations, Bishop Bolen!
Saint Meinrad Archabbey hosted a general assembly of seventy oblates who were coordinators and representatives of the twenty chapters of the monastery. Fr. Eugene Hensell was the facilitator of the assembly. His topic was “Looking to the Future: Leadership.” He talked about the four modes of leadership as needed for people in leadership positions in the oblate community. He talked about the structural, human resource, political, and symbolic modes of leadership. The oblate council is now working on all the information that he talked about and a survey of the oblates who were present at the assembly on ways to make this intellectual understanding of leadership into practical applications. Message sent by Fr. Meinrad Brune, Director of Oblates.
In response to a request for news I received the following message from Berkeley Merchant, Oblate Coordinator for Monastery of Christ in the Desert, Santa Fe, NM who wrote on behalf of Br. Christian who is Oblate Director. It is a nice summary about the monastery and its oblates so I offer it here for your information.
“Christ in the Desert is a contemplative community located in a remote desert canyon in northern New Mexico so the oblate program has been low key. There are about 20 oblates and they live from Hawaii to New York, with most being in New Mexico, Colorado and Texas. There have been no formal meetings. The community does not directly participate in retreats of either groups or private individuals who are guests of the monastery, unless it is by special request which is rare. Otherwise, Br. Christian has advised and shepherded the oblates very ably when they ask, which is a real blessing.
“Realizing that there was some interest, a retreat was organized and held in August of 2009 on an experimental basis. The retreat was fully attended and successful based on formal feedback from the participants, the retreat leaders, and the informal observations of members of the community who has interaction with the retreatants. Based on this modest first step, two activities are now unfolding. First, we will be sending letters to the current list of active oblates to update our records and solicit their ideas on what might be helpful to their ongoing formation as oblates. Second, we will be offering a retreat this July.”
Editor’s Note: Reading the message above reminded me that we have a number of communities that are struggling with how to keep in touch with their oblates because the community is dwindling in size and age of the members limits their availability and energy. This is one of the reasons why the current leadership of NAABOD continues to pursue ways to encourage and promote regional gatherings of Oblate Directors and oblates. As communities close, there is a concern for how to continue a connection with their oblates and how to continue to provide ongoing formation needs of their oblates. Each case of dissolution of a monastic community is unique so there is no one solution that will be an answer as to what happens to the oblates associated with the community that moves or closes. Yet, it is a concern for all of us as we share in the sadness it means for both the monastic community and its oblates.
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REGIONAL NEWS
There was no regional news received to report except for a request that we identify the regional groups and who belongs to them. First, let me make it clear that the organization of regional groups is somewhat arbitrary in that I simply looked at a map of North America and tried to put into a region the monasteries that were located in that area. It is possible that a monastery might fit better into a different region than the one named for it. Please adapt as needed, then let me know how you adapted so I can change the list I have for reference. The regions as given are simply a beginning tool for organization. Your feedback is still sought but for those who are new to NAABOD, the list we currently use to identify the monasteries and the regions follows.
At our bi-annual meeting in Latrobe the schedule allowed time for regional meetings. I got the impression from other regions besides my own, that this was time well spent and helped to get some regions off to a good start and others to continue developing what they had already begun.
It really depends on Oblate Directors to take initiative about how they want to organize their region. If nothing else, it would be good if experienced oblate directors could welcome new directors within their region. This could be done via email, a phone call or a note in the mail. Another possibility is for an oblate director to invite directors within the region to a meeting where directors could simply get to know each other. I trust the Spirit will take it from there leading the directors of each region in the work we need to do to continue to provide for the ongoing formation and growth of oblates in North America.
Region 1, Northwest: includes monasteries located in western Canada, Washington, Oregon, northern California, Idaho, Wyoming, and northern Utah.
Region 2, Southwest: includes monasteries located in central and southern California, Hawaii, Arizona, New Mexico and Mexico.
Region 3, North Midwest Plains: includes monasteries located in central Canada, North Dakota, northern South Dakota, northern Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Region 4, Central Midwest Plains: includes monasteries located in southern South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa and Missouri.
Region 5, South Midwest: includes monasteries located in Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas.
Region 6, Midwest Woodlands: includes monasteries located in southern Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, southern Michigan and Kentucky.
Region 7, Great Lakes: includes monasteries located in eastern Michigan, Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
Region 8, Northeast: includes monasteries located in eastern Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia, Washington DC, Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island. NOTE: I think this group divided themselves but I do not have the updated record of how that division affected this configuration. I would appreciate hearing from someone about it. Do we need to add a region? What shall we call it?
Region 9, Southeast: includes monasteries located in North Carolina, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Bahamas and Puerto Rico. NOTE: I think this group met with the South Midwest region when they gathered at Latrobe. I hope you will proceed in whatever way is most helpful.
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REQUEST FOR PRAYERS
Fr. Harold Camacho, Oblate Director for St. Benedict’s Abbey in Bartonville, IL asks prayers for a safe journey to and from a medical mission trip to the Dominican Republic, January 25 to February 6. God speed, Fr. Harold!
Fr. Donald Raila, Oblate Director for Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, PA asks prayers for his community as they prepare for abbatial election scheduled for May, 2010.
In response to a sympathy card sent in the name of NAABOD to Abbot Placid and the community of Belmont Abbey at the death of Oblate Director, Fr. Raymond Geyer, Abbot Placid sent a write up about Fr. Raymond with a handwritten note thanking us for the card and our prayers. For those of us who knew Fr. Raymond, we can appreciate the Abbot’s words, “It is certainly a quieter and less colorful place without him! I am glad to report that, just as he was blessed with a happy life, so also did he receive the grace of a happy death.” Along with many other duties, Fr. Raymond was Director of Oblates for twenty years and attended bi-annual meetings of NAABOD through the years, adding much color to our meetings.
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MEMBERSHIP
Membership in NAABOD is open to all monasteries following the Rule of St. Benedict that have oblates or are considering inviting oblate members. Membership of a monastery includes the Oblate Director who is officially appointed by the monastic leadership and professed monastics or oblates officially appointed as Associate Directors by the monastic leadership. At the meeting in Latrobe this past July membership voted to raise the dues to $50 per year. If this presents a hardship for any community, please let me know. We do not want to lose members because of financial restraint.
It is time for monastic communities to renew their membership in NAABOD that runs January 1 through December 30 each year. You can go to the left of our home page and click on MEMBERSHIP FORM to access a form so your community can renew or join NAABOD. Print out the form, complete it and mail it with your check to:
Sr. Bonita
Gacnik, OSB
NAABOD Membership Dues
Sacred Heart Monastery
1005 West 8th Street
Yankton, SD 57078-3389
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WORLD CONGRESS OF OBLATES
It was a great delight to be able to attend the world congress of oblates meeting in Rome this past October 2-10 as a representative of NAABOD. Also attending were Lavern Hayworth, Associate Oblate Director for Mount Angel Abbey in St. Benedict, OR who went as Coordinator for attendees from the United States; and, Fr. Paschal Morlino, Associate Oblate Director for Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, PA who went as Spiritual Director for attendees from the United States. In addition, there were many oblates representing monastic communities that are members of NAABOD. I want to thank both Lavern and Fr. Paschal for all the work they put into the organization of this event. They were also part of the organization team for the first world congress of oblates that took place in 2005. Having been there myself, I appreciate all the more the good work that they do in the name of NAABOD. Thank you Lavern and Fr. Paschal!
About 220 people attended the congress representing about 30 countries and five major language groups. Besides the talks and the special tour we had at Montecassino (it included Mass, lunch and Vespers with the community), a special highlight for me was meeting and visiting with people from all over the world who share a common interest in and love for Christianity and Benedictine spirituality. It was a great honor for me to serve as a presider for Morning Prayer being only one of two women who had the privilege of leading prayer while we were together.
The overall theme of the congress was “The Religious Challenges of Today: The Benedictine Answer”. I want to share some notes I took from the talks. In the interest of space, I will share here only the notes I had for our first full day, Saturday, October 3. I will continue to share other notes in future newsletters.
Laurence Freeman, OSB spoke on Saturday, October 3. He is a monk of Christ the King Priory, Cockfosters, England. In his talk, “The Contemplative Oblate Today,” he highlighted six areas. These were: the difficult call to action/contemplation; the need for balance; the contemplative element in the Rule of Benedict; what is/why be an oblate; solitude as the goal of monastic life; and how one can live oblation at different stages of life.
He spoke about the tension of contemplative/active life in the Gospel and how Jesus exemplified the balance of work and prayer. He said that we know balance in our bodies through left and right brain activity. He likened Benedictine life to a tree planted by flowing water. The tree is rooted, which gives it stability, and it is also growing, reaching out as the water flows, taking its gifts beyond. He commented that Pope Benedictine XVI encourages monasteries to renew the world through love and contemplation. Pope John Paul II said that the deeper our contemplation, the more effective our work.
Br. Laurence pointed out that John Main promoted the use of silent moments as part of common prayer. He said further that monasticism by nature is marginal—it began in the desert and even Benedict lived on the edges of culture. If we are to contribute to our times, then we must examine more closely how we pray. In community, common meditation creates a bond, a
powerful experience of love and mutuality. The Rule is geared to achieving contemplation in that it promotes the Work of God, lectio divina, and silence. He spoke of other authorities mentioned in RB 73 and highlighted the revolutionary movement to retrieve the form of prayer suggested by John Cassian and teachings of his 10th conference.
Monastics need to be open to new forms of commitment. Oblates can be significant in this development. Periods of effective monasticism were periods of many forms of oblation, of common meditation. Oblates can broaden the perspective of prayer, contemplation, and meditation, and these can be the way to renew monasticism itself. Oblates and monks are refreshed by the renewed meaning of the Rule of Benedict. The Rule is about equality for
all—monks, nuns, oblates. It does not distinguish differently for clerics but is same for all. An Oblate can live in the world, the monastery, or the lay community; in whatever form, the oblate seeks God in prayer and work and peace.
All forms of prayer need to nurture and lead us to contemplation. If oblates focus on prayer in this way, we can expect to see the world grow in holiness. Monks and oblates are equal partners in transforming the world. We should see oblation as evolving from Benedict’s time to our own and beyond—extending a vision of contemplation to the world. A monastery must be a center of contemplation.
In the afternoon on this same day, we heard from a panel of oblates representing Viet Nam, Brazil, Nigeria, and the United States. They each shared their own story about why they are oblates and what oblation means to them. Our own Lavern Hayworth was the oblate who spoke from the United States. She did a fine job of sharing her story. In the evening, we met in language groups to share insights and stories.
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RESOURCES
Benedictine Monks. LITURGY OF THE HOURS FOR BENEDICTINE OBLATES. St. Meinrad Archabbey, St. Meinrad, IN 2009. It sells for $20. Plus shipping. To order, send a check for $25 payable to Saint Meinrad Archabbey, Oblate Office 200 Hill Drive, Saint Meinrad, IN 47577; or call (812) 357-6817.
Various authors and titles. NOTES FROM A MONASTERY: THE SACRED WAY EVERY DAY. Abbey Press, St. Meinrad, IN. Booklets presenting Benedictine spirituality can be purchased by single title or in collection of nine titles. For more information contact Br. Francis, fwagner@abbeypress.com.
CD with power point presentation on world congress of oblates put together by Oblate Barbara Neilon of Benet Hill Monastery is available for $5. The donation to Benet Hill Monastery can be credited to their oblate travel fund, thus is tax deductible. Send request with postal address to Barbara via email, BarbNeilon@aol.com or with check to Benet Hill Oblates, c/o Barbara Neilon, 3190 Benet Lane, Colorado Springs CO 80921-1590.
www.OneMinuteMonk.net commentary on applying The Rule by Abbot Placid Solari, OSB, 8th abbot of Belmont Abbey, Belmont NC.
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Please send information to:
Antoinette Purcell, OSB
1402 Southern Avenue
Beech Grove, IN 46107
antoinette_46107@yahoo.com
FAX: 317-780-2368.
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