Oblate letter
of the Pluscarden Benedictines, Elgin, Moray, Scotland. IV30 8UA.
Ph. (01343)
890257 fax 890258
Advent Christmas--2012
Monastic Voice
Father Abbot ( Anselm
Atkinson OSB)
Conference on “Monastic Values” (from the Oblate
Weekend 2012)
In this
conference I intend to talk about monastic values. By values, I don’t mean
things I live by, or feel anywhere close to living by. If I were only to talk
about the things I live, then I wouldn’t have much to say. By values, I mean
things which are true in such I way that they define reality for me, they
constitute the world in which I live, they are literally things I stake my life
on because if these things are not true then my world falls apart.
Values
are not ideals. My values are already established. Even if they haven’t yet
changed my life much yet, they are still my treasure; their loss would cost me
something. Ideals cost nothing. They don’t exist outside my mind. Ideals
represent the direction in which I would like my life to go. My values are
things around which I have already begun to shape my life, at least in the
sense that I am committed to them in such a way that if they go, my life will
never have any shape.
A list of
values is necessarily personal, even if we are talking about monastic values. I
am talking about things I value. Speaking in this way provides a speaker
with an opportunity to be personal, without boasting (because he not speaking
about things he consistently does) and to speak to others without preaching to
them or imposing a programme on them.
Well, the
first value, of course, is Our Lord. Here I turn to the Rule. If you look up
every place in the Rule where Christ is mentioned, St. Benedict speaks of
Christ in the context of a living relationship between Christ and the monk. One
could, I think, say more than that. St. Benedict never speaks of Christ simply
“objectively”, as a theologian might; nor is Christ ever simply presented as
the object of devout meditation, or even, precisely, as one to whom we pray.
Nor is St. Benedict subjective in his presentation of Christ - in fact he is
the very opposite. When Christ is named by St. Benedict, he seems to become a
living presence, he is either the subject of the action, or he is a point of
attraction. As point of attraction, he is true King for whom the monk fights,
he is obeyed in the Abbot, he is welcomed in the guests and served in the sick,
he is the principle of unity in the community - we are all one in Christ; he is
the rock on which evil thoughts are dashed, and his love is the culmination of
the ladder of humility. As subject, he is present to the monk’s mind as he
struggles with evil thoughts, and the whole Rule ends by saying that with his
help the monk will arrive.
For St.
Benedict, it is as if Christ cannot be named without his becoming present.
This, I think, is the first monastic value, what is most precious for a monk:
the presence of Christ. Of course, this is true for every Christian; but it has
a particular meaning for the monk and for the monastic community. If the monk
loses sight of Christ even for a little while, his life loses all structure,
all form. In other Christian vocations, there may be other things which can
give life a certain false structure and meaning. Part of the monastic charism
is that Christ’s presence is so necessary that remove him, and the whole thing
dies. There may be something left, but it is very obviously a corpse - useless
even from a purely human perspective.
Good zeal
We are all
driven by something, an inner fire. At first, in the monastery, we are inflamed
by ideals. There comes a point at which either our ideals turn sour and
embitter us, or we must choose to be inflamed by something else.This, I think,
is the point at which we choose between good zeal and bitter zeal.
Chapter
72 of the Holy Rule, the chapter on good zeal, is the summit to which St.
Benedict leads us through chapters 63-71 (63 Rank in the Community, 64 The
Appointment of an Abbot, 65 The Prior of the Monastery, 66 Monastery Porters,
67 Brothers Sent on a Journery, 68 If a Brother is assigned the Impossible, 69
Nobody in the Monastery Should Presume to Defend Another, 70 Nobody Should
Presume to Strike at Random, 71 They Should Be Obedient to One Another).
Chapter 72 contains the reciprocal honours of chapter 63, the ‘love for the
abbot’ of chapter 64, and the mutual obedience of chapter 71. There are also
several phrases scattered through these chapters which seem to prepare us for
chapter 72: 66:4: cum omni mansuetidine timoris Dei...cum fervore caritatis;
68:1-2: cum omni mansuetudine...patienter; and 68:4: ex caritate.
With its
eight maxims leading to eternal life, chapter 72 is reminiscent of chapter 4,
on the instruments of good works. In chapter 72 the list of good works is
completely adapted to a monastic community. The maxims are phrased in the
plural, not the singular, and the monks hope to be led “all together” by Christ
to eternal life. The theme common to all eight maxims is the bond of love
uniting the brothers with one another and with their abbot in Christ.
In
dealing with mutual relationships, the chapter picks up from chapter 63, and in
a sense corrects it. As in chapter 63, the relationships between the brothers
combine reverence with love, but now love is clearly seen to predominate. The
ascent from order and discipline to the triumph of charity in chapters 63-72 is
reminiscent of chapter 7, On Humility, where the monk rises from fear to love.
It is
significant that the specific regulations determining how mutual honour and
obedience are to be rendered, given in chapters 63 and 71, are omitted in
chapter 72. Previously obedience has only been given by the junior to the
senior, and showing respect has also
been mostly in the same direction. Now it seems that honour and obedience are
given to all without restriction. This cannot mean that the precise regulations
given in the preceding chapters are now abrogated, but it does seem to imply
that charity transcends laws and good order.
Good zeal
is directed entirely to persons; to the brethren, to God, to Christ who is at
the centre of the community leading us all together to everlasting life. Bad
zeal also focuses on the brethren, but it is directed to something else, to my
own goals, and it tries to shape everyone according to those goals. Good zeal
loves others without asking any questions about them or imposing any
obligations on them. Because good zeal leads to eternal life, it orients us to
that which is eternal in the present, i.e. to my brothers who will live for
ever.
Obedience
I may not
be obedient, but I cannot question the value of obedience. I may not obey
Christ in the superior, but I must always see him in the superior. I cannot
question for a moment that when a superior legitimately calls on my obedience,
it is Christ who is calling me.
In a
sense, obedience is everything for the monk. Just about everything else can be
taken away, so that obedience is all that is left. But obedience must be seen
in all its glory, as obedience to Christ and as transforming me into the
likeness of the obedient Christ. It must not be reduced just to keeping the
rules. There is a constant danger in the Church, and perhaps especially in
monastic life, of reducing Christian life to keeping the rules. To do whatever
it is we are to do because we’re told to do it. But Christian life is living
the life of God, sharing in the divine nature, doing with Christ whatever he
shows us the Father doing.
Obedience
must eventually be free, i.e. the expression of love. I obey not because I have
to but because I choose to love. There must be times when I feel the
restrictions of obedience, when it seems to be destroying me -obedience unto
death. But the goal is freedom. Free obedience is part of good zeal. When
obedience becomes simply the expression of love, it becomes universal, I obey
everyone.
Superiors have the charism of fallibility. We must
cling to the Covenant. That superiors will fail us is written into the
contract: in our obedience, we will meet with difficulties and injustices. St. Benedict
is practically telling the novice in his monastery: “I, your abbot, will be
unjust to you.” If that happened to St. Benedict’s subjects, it will certainly
happen to us. We shouldn’t be surprised, or blame anyone else. It’s what we
freely took on by our vows.
Discipleship
Christians
are always disciples, there is only one master. Like all learners, we have to
be aware of the occupational hazards that go with the our undertaking. For the
monk, a few one might name are:
-ambition
-envy
-covetousness
-sloth
The monk is a man of the Church.
All
should be welcome in a Benedictine monastery. “In my Father’s house there are
many mansions.” And all should know who we are: that we are monks because we
are Catholics.
Prayer
If I had written this at the beginning of my monastic life, I would not
have left prayer to the end. Prayer is what each of us comes here for. But it is a gift we must receive from the community.
BOOKS
The Infancy Narratives.The momentous third and final
volume in the Popes international bestselling Jesus of Nazareth series,
detailing how the stories of Jesus infancy and childhood are as relevant today
as they were two thousand years ago. In 2007, then “Joseph Ratzinger” published
his first book as Pope Benedict XVI in order to make known the figure and
message of Jesus. Now, the Pope focuses exclusively on the Gospel accounts of Jesus life as a child. The root of these
stories is the experience of hope found in the birth of Jesus and the
affirmations of surrender and service embodied in his parents, Joseph and Mary.
This is a story of longing and seeking,..£8.39 approx hardback—available on 26th
December! Amazon etc---Pondering the
mystery.“My hope is that this
short book despite its limitations will be able to help many people on their
path to and alongside Jesus”—Pope Benedict xvi
Real
21st century Philosophy & a real 21st century Philosopher David
Braine. Contemporary analytic philosopher
with interests in analytic Philosophy of religion and Metaphysics, who seeks to marry the techniques and insights of
analytical philosophy and Phenomenology to
the Metaphysics of classical Thomism. His The Reality of Time and the Existence of God (used
copy £17.00 approx!()sets out to prove the existence of God from the fact that
the world enjoys continuity in time. He argues that nothing in the world could
be the cause of this continuity, whence God comes into the picture. David
Braine has been an important, if insufficiently well-known, contributor to the renaissance
of analytical Philosophy of religion. David
is a friend of mine who lives his faith but proves that logic gives a level
playing-field for metaphysics –and everyone “does” metaphysics, especially
those who think they don’t!
“Conversation With Saint Benedict”
by Terence G. Kardong ISBN
978-0-8146-3420-2 A monk and scholar of the Rule applies it in some modern
areas of preoccupation. £11.15 approx A stimulating read.
From The
Oblatemaster’s Desk –borrowing
the poet’s words:-
The Burning Babe
(By St. Robert Southwell who was beatified in 1929 and canonised by Pope Paul VI as one of the Forty Martyrs of
England and Wales on 25 October 1970)
As I in hoary winter’s night stood shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow ;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright did in the air appear ;
Who, scorchëd with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shed
As though his floods should quench his flames which with his tears were fed.
Alas, quoth he, but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I !
My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns ;
The fuel justice layeth on, and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought are men’s defilëd souls,
For which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.
With this he vanished out of sight and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I callëd unto mind that it was Christmas day.
Surprised I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow ;
And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright did in the air appear ;
Who, scorchëd with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shed
As though his floods should quench his flames which with his tears were fed.
Alas, quoth he, but newly born in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I !
My faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns ;
The fuel justice layeth on, and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought are men’s defilëd souls,
For which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.
With this he vanished out of sight and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I callëd unto mind that it was Christmas day.
Events
Talk number two given by Fr Benedict for the Year of Faith
continuing on the theme of “LumenGentium” 12th January 2013 at 10.15
am ending 3.30 pm.
The
3rd National Oblate Retreat, open to all oblates of whichever abbey,
is at Douai Abbey 10th- 12th May 2013—cost about £140, I
think, also see the Oblate Team’s website.
The Next Oblate Congress(near Rome!) is
October 10th to the 14th if you are planning to be there!
Go to the UK Oblates Website to register.
THE 2012 OBLATE WEEKEND 27th to
30th . Martin Gardner
is making a dvd of the whole thing and
you can get your copies from him if you simply mail him at:- Dunmoir,18 Gurney
St., STONEHAVEN, Kincardineshire, AB39 2EB or
email him at martin@guardair.co.uk & all he asks is that you make a donation to the
Abbey!—Thank you from all of us to Martin Gardner( He says three have contacted
him so far.)
Prayer Intentions
Br.
Antony, who made his Solemn Profession
at Kristo Buase, on the 6th of August, The Transfuguration. Frs
Pierre-Marie & Peter Thu who have
returned to their monastery in Vietnam after their exemplary presence amongst
us, learning English and teaching us in return how to be kind to one another!
For our new wood chip heating
system and all those monastic and lay
whose work has made and will continue to make it possible.
Prayers
for Br. John (formerly Br Jan) who was clothed as a novice recently. Also for
Br. Cyprian who is helping Fr. Ambrose at KB for 3 months, Br. Matthew helping
at St. Mary’s Petersham for 1 year and for Fr. Mark studying bookbinding for 3
weeks in a Dutch monastery to revive
that monastic art here. For Colin & Rita Sim recently married and working
in and around the monastery & its guesthouses.
Please pray for the repose of the souls of Oblates:-Tom Devine, Irene Coulthard, Theresa McQuillan
and Pamela’s auntie, Shirley Khoo, & for the bereaved.
We pray for new
postulant Oblates: Mrs. Kathleen Hoy,
James Craig, Stuart Coleman & Lilian Bailey.
Our new novices:
Mrs. Rebecka Winell-Reid, John Wilson, Georgina Quinn, Campbelll Murdoch, David
Paterson, Rev. Christopher Mayo, Dr. Lorn Macintyre, Jacqueline Maguire.
Our new Oblates: Rev. Dr Michael Columba
Ross, Mrs. Alice McLeod, Mrs. Christina
Monica Teresa Nicol, Robert Benedict Clark, Joan Gabriel Hildegaard Kilmurray,
Anne-Marie Elizabeth Ferla, Grant Margaret of Scotland Farley –Sutton, Anne
Paula Morgan, Mrs. Julia-Jane Margaret Teresa
Gladwin.
Please pray for sick Oblates especially for Sarah
Drever’s husband Leslie, for Bob Barr, Mary Buist,
Gail Schmitz, Beth Fraser & her
husband Chris, Marie Claire Hérnandez,
Bob Clark, Nick Macrae’s son, Martin Macrae, Dr.David Paterson &; his wife
Angela, Jacqui’s daughter, Sally, Deacon William Joss, Mary Roche, Poppy
Sinclair, Ian Brodie, Carolyn Boardman, Val Farrelly, David Braine( writings
mentioned above), Susan Stephen and Sheila Fraser, friends of the Abbey and for
all oblates, friends & the sick, and those who care for them.
The OBLATE WEEKEND
2013 2nd to 5th
August on CALDEY ISLAND (WALES!)Principal speaker Fr. Aelred Baker of Prinkash;
expert on the origins. This is to commemorate 100th anniversary of
the conversion of the Caldey community. All the places are taken already though
you can go on a short leet for a cancellation… ./OR:- I am in the process
of asking if we can have a second
three nights/two days for another group
of 15 to twenty ( i.e. 5th -7th or 31st
July to the 2nd August—check your diaries) So it’s still worth
registering your firm intention if you want to be there. (“2nd
sitting” so to speak. £100 each plus your own travel. Name & contact
details to me please saying that you intend to come. There are 20 places &
those intending coming already:-1.Fr Aelred Baker,2. Fr. Giles Connacher,3. Fr.
Martin Birrell,4. Joan Kilmurray,5. Joseph Ly,6. George Brown,7. Hester Du
Plessis,8. Marie Cumming,9. Rebecka Winell-Reid, 10.Michael Blair, 11.Martin
Gardner,12. Leonora Duson,13. Margaret Kessack + 8 from Prinknash--- which as
you see makes 21 with 20 places( Is your name missing?—let me know!)—but the
Lord will provide and you see there is a plan for a “second sitting”—so YOU CAN
STILL SIGN UP!
St Mungo’s Chapter
Glasgow.
As announced. Peter Aitken 11, Maxwell Grove, Glasgow. G41 5JP. Phone:0141 4272084.
St.
Monica’s Chapter, Thurso. Contact Jane Coll .
"Scaraben”, Westside,Dunnet,Thurso,Caithness,KY14
8YD
Phone
01847 851467
St. Peter’s Chapter Aberdeen. St.Peter’s Chapter Oblates Group The group meetings are
held in Flat 19/ 3rd floor, Donview House, Seaton, Aberdeen. All meetings will
be on the 1st Wednesday of the month at 7.30pm but only as announced. For more
information please speak to Mr Brian Milne Donview House, Seaton,Aberdeen AB24
1TZ Tel 01224 485781 E-Mail:- sacristanstpeters@talktalk.net
St Mary’s Chapter Dundee. Dates as agreed 11.30 at St. Mary’s High
Street, Lochee, Dundee. -------information from St Mary’s, or samsiamese@googlemail.com
Moray Group: To be announced
January? Provisionally you’re your diaries for 22nd/23rd
January, 7.00 pm St Sylvester’s Elgin( provisionally a presentation by a guest
speaker!)(May alternate local/Pluscarden—local being Forres, Elgin, Fochabers,
etc )
The community magazine Pluscarden
Benedictines has been
in print now for over 44 years and has gone from a modest 12 pages to an
average 28-32 pages, with a full colour centrefold. It is produced quarterly
and is sent out all over the world, for the very modest annual subscription of
£5, or £10 airmail. We are trying to build up our subscription list. If you
would like to go on the mailing list, please contact The Editor of
Pluscarden Benedictines at the
Abbey.
Summary
regarding our sponsored Seminarian
Pluscarden Oblates are
sponsoring for the Priesthood an 18 year old Ugandan boy, Dominic, who is
approaching the completion of his second year at Junior Seminary near Tororo.
Full support is given for all Seminary fees, books, uniform, transport
& a small allowance for pocket money in addition to an allowance for
medication due to the problems with Malaria.
Our contact in Uganda is with Sr. Catherine OSB at the Benedictine
Priory in Tororo.
It is hoped that Dominic will
start his third academic year at Junior Seminary in February 2013 and has before
him seven further years of study before entering his final year at the National
Seminary in 2021.
Joe Costello( our organiser)
asks—would you be interested in sponsoring a seminarian through KB in Ghana? Let him/me
know.
Please find enclosed the oblate
renewal for this year for you to fill in together with an update of details;
you were expecting it with the last issue!
BLESSINGS
for CHRISTMAS
Fr
Martin
PAX
THE OFFICE RECITED BY BENEDICTINE
OBLATES
Oblates are strongly encouraged
to unite themselves with the prayer
of the monastic community through
a habit of daily liturgical prayer
(cf. the Oblate Statutes n. 28).
The official Prayer of the Church in
the Divine Office is an ideal
form of this. The most important
“Hours” of the Office are Morning
and Evening Prayer, otherwise
known as Lauds and Vespers. If
these prove too much for a person
to manage, they could be replaced
by one of the various abbreviated
forms available in good
Benedictine and Catholic prayer books.
Alternatively oblates can say the
little Office of St. Benedict by
heart, as given below. Formerly
oblates were asked to say this seven
times a day, ideally at the very
times of day the monks would be
praying in Church. While this
would remain an excellent practise,
it is not now in any way
obligatory.
THE "LITTLE OFFICE"
V/ O GOD, COME TO MY AID.
R/ O LORD, MAKE HASTE TO HELP ME.
GLORY BE TO THE FATHER AND TO THE SON AND TO THE HOLYSPIRIT.
AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, IS NOW AND EVER SHALL BE, WORLD
WITHOUT END. AMEN.
PSALM 116
O PRAISE THE LORD, ALL YOU NATIONS,
ACCLAIM HIM ALL YOU PEOPLES!
STRONG IS HIS LOVE FOR US;
HE IS FAITHFUL FOR EVER.
GLORY BE TO THE FATHER, AND TO THE SON, AND TO THE HOLY
SPIRIT.
AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING, IS NOW, AND EVER SHALL BE, WORLD
WITHOUT END. AMEN. ALLELUIA.
V/ LET US BLESS THE LORD.
R/ THANKS BE TO GOD.
V/ MAY THE SOULS OF THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED, THROUGH THE MERCY
OF GOD REST IN PEACE.
R/ AMEN
OR IN LATIN:
V/ DEUS IN ADIUTORIUM MEUM INTENDE.
R/ DOMINE, AD ADIUVANDUM
ME FESTINA.
GLORIA PATRI, ET
FILIO, ET SPIRITUI SANCTO.
SICUT ERAT IN
PRINCIPIO, ET NUNC, ET SEMPER: ET IN SAECULA
SAECULORUM. AMEN.
ALLELUIA.
LAUDATE DOMINUM
OMNES GENTES
COLLAUDATE EUM
OMNES POPULI.
QUONIAM CONFIRMATA
EST SUPER NOS MISERICORDIA EIUS,
ET VERITAS DOMINI
MANET IN AETERNUM.
GLORIA PATRI, ET
FILIO, ET SPIRITUI SANCTO.
SICUT ERAT IN
PRINCIPIO, ET NUNC, ET SEMPER: ET IN SAECULA
SAECULORUM. AMEN. ALLELUIA.
V/ BENEDICAMUS DOMINO.
R/ DEO GRATIAS.
V/ FIDELIUM ANIMAE PER MISERICORDIAM DEI REQUIESCANT IN
PACE.
R/ AMEN.