Benedictine Juniorate Summer School 2009
St Benedict's Abbey, Atchison, KS
On Monday, the Holy Cross Monks assembled for annual chapter at Holy Cross Monastery conducted the last few official duties of chapter before converging on St Augustine church for a mid-morning Eucharist. During the mass, the Life Professed amongst us renewed their life vow; it's always poignant to see these men who together have centuries of monastic experience renew their engagement to God through our religious order. This year, having myself requested permission to make my life profession of the vow, I noted how hard it was not to say the words with them yet. At the end of the mass, the Superior got us together in the middle of choir to pray blessings on the three Juniors who were about to leave for Kansas and then to pray for safety for all who were about to voyage back to their next destination (their home monasteries for most of them).
Our beloved Chet Wilkinson, an Associate of OHC, then drove Brothers Randall, James and I to Newark airport where we got on a direct flight to Kansas City. Father Marion, OSB, was collecting us at the airport, together with the monk who was teaching this week's class.
At this "Monk Camp", we are about 20 monks from a dozen communities throughout the US. This is the third time I attend the Benedictine Juniorate Summer School (the official name) and it is wonderful to re-connect with friends made at earlier sessions. I always seem to easily connect with the guys from St Meinrad's, Indiana, and from St John's, Minnesota.
Our white habits always draw attention in the sea of black habits. Today, on campus we were twice stopped and told how beautiful they are; nice! They also are a pain to keep clean. Yesterday after having lovingly laundered and pressed my habit, I proceeded to sit down on a bench only to find out I was making perfect imprints of bird-digested mulberries on the back of my scapular which I then had to display to all as I processed into Vespers... Knowingly, I had packed two habits. 'Guess I'll be headed for the laundry room again soon.
This first week's class was about liturgy. I was looking forward to learning more about it but the teaching style proved counter-productive for me. I couldn't see a discernible structure to much of the rambling and reading. Whenever some of us tried questions that didn't lead to much either. So eventually, most of us politely retreated to whatever could distract us to kill the time. 'Shame! as our Brother Daniel, OHC would say.
Luckily, I noted the names of authors referenced by our teacher and started researching them on-line. Today, I finished reading a good recent article reviewing the contribution of Dom Odo Casel, OSB to the last century's liturgical movement.
The monks of St Benedict's Abbey are very welcoming. It is a large and varied community with a variety of ages represented. While we see the odd spent or depressed monk around, like in any monastery, they seem to have joy in their corporate life and in one another's company. It's an energizing feeling. Maybe it helps that this community has nurtured and developed a Benedictine College all along (150 years this coming academic year). Many monks are engaged with the students and the college in various pastoral ways.
The only dark cloud on the hospitality front is that the Abbey sticks to the recommendations of the local bishop in terms of (not) sharing the communion table with non-catholics. Today, Jim, Randy and I walked cross-campus to the old monastic church which now is a parish church that host a perpetual adoration altar (a consecrated host in an elaborate display object called a monstrance accessible and staffed 24/7).
While I prayed there for a few minutes, I noted the framed "Apostolic Blessing" bestowed by Pope Benedict XVI on those who pray there. It did not escape me that it was ironical that the 3 Anglican Benedictines at monk camp have been denied the sacrament of the Eucharist while allowed the sacramental of adoration and the papal blessing that comes with it. A sacramental (in Anglicanism and Roman Catholicism), is an action or object whose supernatural effects, unlike those of a sacrament, depend on the belief of the recipient.
I know the theory behind the "closed communion" policy and it doesn't make any theological sense to me while its offensive potential is hard to ward off psychically. For me who was baptized as an infant and raised in the Roman Catholic church (like Jim), it is an enforced division in the body of Christ that is painful to live. Just like last year, I will be SOOO hungry for the Eucharist by the time we reach the Lord's table set at the local Episcopal parish.
OK time to move away from under the black cloud (by the way we have already had two serious storms here).
Wednesday, most of us went to a baseball game in Kansas City. The KC Royals were hosting the Arizona Diamondbacks. Our caravan of five vehicles arrived several hours before the game. We laid out the grill, the games and the folding chairs and proceeded to tailgate (link provided for the wisdom of the non-American); a new highlight of my American inculturation! The catch was that once we were done playing, eating and drinking, we assembled in a big circle on the parking lot and sang Vespers together. It may sound corny but it was a powerful witness of how important the Divine Office and prayer is to this community.
After our tailgate party and Vespers, we were treated to a visit on the field itself by a friend of the president of Benedictine College. The Royals were warming up and we even saw the local star Joakim Soria up close even though he would not bat that night. We then proceeded to our seats or walked around the very pleasantly set-up Kauffman Stadium. Of course, more peanuts, drinks and ice-cream were had in the making of this evening. The Royals proceeded to not shine in this game and towards 10 p.m. we called it quits and listened on the radio to the sealing of their defeat as we drove back to the abbey.
At night, when the heat comes down somewhat, we love to go sit on a bench that overlooks the mighty Missouri river down the cliff and the alluvial plain that spreads for miles on end till the other bluffs. The mosquitoes are not too numerous but biiig! Eventually, one is led to turn into a moving rather than sitting target; yesterday, it led me to explore the cemetery and the vegetable garden.
Tonight is movie-night and we'll watch the James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace" on a big screen in one of the monastery's common rooms.
No pictures from Br. Randy yet. He's trigger-happy but will need to be home to post them.
Happy feast of the Sacred Heart! Thank You, Lord for your enduring Love!
