February 29, 2008

What do Monks do?

 
One of the questions we get asked is, "What do monks do?" The simple answer is that we pray and we work. This means that our day begins with prayer, we pray throughout the day, and our day ends with prayer. Through our prayer life we are able to serve the people of God in a variety of ways but our service is nothing without the power of surrender to God our Father in our prayer. Recently, (you may have seen this in our blog) Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B. and Father Shawn Matthew Anderson, O.S.B. welcomed The Kings Men to St. Vincent College to speak with our students and to protest a local pornography store located close to our Campus. One of our students, Gabe Jakubisin, wrote about this experience in his St. Vincent College Blog. I invite you to read this devout young man's experience of standing up for the most vulnerable of our society. Click Here.

Lenten Reflection

 
For monks it is important to keep the Passion of our Lord ever before our eyes and to meditate on the suffering He endured to redeem us from our sins. Our Novice Brothers wanted to provide all you men discerning a vocation an opportunity to pray with them during this most Holy time of Lent.

Click here to pray the Stations of the Cross with the Brothers, Great job guys!

Great Vocation Resource

Brad and Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, (The ordinary of the Diocese of Raleigh)

Check out this great blog by out friend Mr. Brad Watkins who is the assistant to the director of vocations for the Diocese of Raleigh, thanks again Brad for adding us to your wonderful blog! Your in our prayers.
Click here!!!



February 26, 2008

"Monastic Musing" - From our website



Check out this great article on discernment: Click here

For more great articles like the one above and for a daily Homily written by a St. Vincent Monk be sure to visit saintvincentarchabbey.org (Click on: Sunday Homily)

February 25, 2008

"Into Great Silence"

Check out this great Movie about the Carthusian Monks of La Grande Chartreuse. A must see for anyone discerning a monastic vocation.



Click here for a link on how to purchase the film

Great article on Br. Elijah's "The Way of the Cross"

Check out this great article about Br. Elijah's "Way of the Cross" performance. More information on the show in the blog under the labels section. (Click on article to Read)


Monks taking a stand!!!

Benedictine Father Shawn Matthew Anderson, O.S.B. and The Kings Men take a stand against pornography (Click on article to read more)

February 24, 2008

Clip of our Br. Elijah, O.S.B. performing live on EWTN!!!

Click here for the live performance of Br. Elijah, O.S.B. during the live broadcast of the International Mother Teresa Conference which was held at St. Vincent.

Homily by our Archabbot on the occasion of the transitus of our Holy Father St. Benedict

Father Archabbot Douglas, O.S.B. with our beloved Sisters (the nuns of St. Emma's Monastery) Click here for more information on the Benedictine Nuns.

Spiritual Wisdom from our spiritual Father (a great video for any discerning a religious vocation) Click here!!!

Monastic Tradition

Check out this great video about making Monk Bread at St. Vincent Archabbey. (Click here)
 Fr. Shawn Matthew, O.S.B. kneeing the dough

Br. Patrick, O.S.B. (monk of Newark Abbey) and Fr. Shawn Matthew laying out the dough


February 21, 2008

More Happy Monks!!!

Br. Maximilian and a Vocation Guest at Lunch

Father Brian, O.S.B. coming up from the tomb of St. Benedict at Monte Cassino
Fr. Jacques De Paul, O.S.B. enjoying our Christmas dinner (watch for Father on EWTN!!!)
Our wonderful Novice Master, Fr. Sebastian, O.S.B.


Impressions of a "Come and Pray" Retreatant

Please read this great letter I received from one of the young men who just attended our Monastic Discernment Weekend:


God bless Father Fred!

Hey, guess what--I was telling my friend at lunch today what an awesome experience I had at St. Vincent. The introverted and isolated part of me is diminishing as the fire that was stoked within me Saturday night continues to consume me. I told him about everything--Lectio, Vespers, adoration in the morning, what the monks were like, I couldn't cover everything of course, but it turns out that he has also been struggling with ideas of religious life or priesthood. He started telling me this and I said "Dude, you have to talk to Father Fred." You may see him at the next come and see weekend.


I wish I could be telling you this in person, because I am very excited that God's present in my life and in those around me and I am seeing Him greater and greater.

See you later,
A discerner


(God Bless you, my friend, and thank you for your beautiful and kind words, be assured of our prayers for you and all men discerning a call to the priesthood and or religious life) - Fr. Fred, O.S.B.

February 19, 2008

"The Way of the Cross"


The St. Vincent Archabbey vocation office will sponsor "The Way of the Cross", a dramatic and musical presentation of the Stations of the Cross, March 6—9, 2008. Written by Brother Elijah Cirigliano, O.S.B., the show has been performed 19 times in New York and Connecticut, before making its Pennsylvania debut in February 2007.

Performances are set for 7:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, March 6 and 7, and for 2 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, March 8 and 9, and will take place in the Saint Vincent Theater in Carey Hall. Cost is $10 per adult and $5 per student, with all proceeds from the show going to support vocation programs at Saint Vincent. Discounts are available for groups of more than 100 people.

Prior to joining the Benedictine community at Saint Vincent, Br. Elijah worked as a Musical Director at St. Mary Parish in Katonah, New York. The pastor there encouraged Br. Elijah to write a musical piece that became The Way of the Cross. The 2006 performances will include Brother Elijah singing and playing the piano, and performances from professional and student actors and musicians.

Please call Fr. Fred at (724) 532-6655 to reserve a place for the performance.

February 18, 2008

Quotes from our Founder

“The life of man is a struggle on earth. But without a cross, without a struggle, we get nowhere. The victory will be ours if we continue our efforts courageously, even when at times they appear futile.” - Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B.
 

(Founder of St. Vincent Archabbey)

Get to know the St. Benedict Medal!

THE JUBILEE MEDAL OF ST. BENEDICT

The power of St. Benedict is revealed in this small object that has been fostered by his spiritual sons many years. Marvelous is the aid which the St. Benedict Medal affords to its devout wearers in the manifold necessities of soul and body. On this account the Medal is well known and widely used throughout the Christian world; everywhere it is regarded as a highly favored object of devotion.

Origin And Explanation Of The Medal

St. Benedict (born at Nursia, Italy, in 480) had a profound veneration for the holy Cross and for our Saviour Crucified. In virtue of the Sign of the Cross, he wrought many miracles and exercised great power over the spirits of darkness. In consequence of the great veneration in which St. Benedict was held from the early Middle Ages, it followed that a Medal was struck, one side of which represents St. Benedict holding the Cross in one hand and the Holy Rule in the other. Around the image of St. Benedict are these words in Latin "May his presence protect us in the hour of death." St. Benedict has ever been the patron of the dying, because of the circumstances attending his own most glorious death, for he breathed forth his soul while standing in prayer before the Most Blessed Sacrament.

The reverse of the Medal shows the image of the Cross. Around the margin are the initials of Latin words which form verses supposed to have originated with the holy Father Benedict himself. The English translation is: "Be gone Satan! Suggest not to me thy vain things. The cup thou profferest me is evil; drink thou thy poison." In the angles formed by the arms of the Cross are the letters C.S.P.B., signifying "Cross of the holy Father Benedict." The letters on the Cross itself have this meaning: "May the holy Cross be my light; let not the dragon be my guide."

Use

No special way of carrying or applying the Medal is prescribed. It may be worn about the neck, attached to the scapular or the Rosary, or otherwise carried about one's person.

Often it is placed in the fields, the foundations of buildings or attached to automobiles to call down God's blessing and the protection of St. Benedict. No particular prayer is prescribed, as the devout wearing itself is a continual silent prayer.

The Medal of St. Benedict is one of the Sacramentals of the Church, and as such it must be used. The value and power of the Medal must be ascribed to the merits of Christ Crucified, to the efficacious prayers of St. Benedict, to the blessing of the Church, and especially to the faith and holy disposition of the person using the Medal.
The following is a partial list of the many pious purposes of the Medal of St. Benedict.

1. It wards off from both the soul and the body all dangers arising from the devil.
2. The Medal is powerful in obtaining for sinners the grace of conversion.
3. It obtains protection and aid for persons tormented by the evil spirit, and in temptations against holy purity.
4. It procures assistance in the hour of death.
5. It has often proved an efficacious remedy for bodily sufferings, and a means of protection against contagious diseases.
6. Expectant mothers have obtained special assistance for a safe delivery.
7. In time of storms, tempests and other dangers on land and sea it has been found to be a protection.
8. Even domestic animals have been visibly aided by it when infected with disease.


More on The Jubilee Medal of St. Benedict

This old and powerful sacramental deserves an in-depth treatment, as it gives a kind of practical incarnation of the main purpose of this book. This medal has long been regarded as especially efficacious in protecting its wearers against demonic attacks, and securing a number of special graces. Let us take a closer look at the inscriptions on its two sides.

On the front of the medal we find St. Benedict holding a Cross in one hand, and the Rule of St. Benedict in the other. At his sides are the words "Crux S. Patris Benedicti" ("The Cross of the Holy Father Benedict"), and below his feet: "Ex S M Casino MDCCCLXXX" ("From the holy mount of Casino, 1880"). On that date, Monte Cassino was given the exclusive right to produce this medal, and special Jubilee indulgences were added. Still on this front side of the medal we find inscribed in a circle the words:
"Ejus in obitu nostro presentia muniamur" ("May his presence protect us in our hour of death").

The reverse side of the medal is where the real exorcistic force reveals itself. In the center is a Cross. The Cross, which St. Benedict so loved and often used as a powerful exorcism, is the sign before which even Dracula shrinked. The vertical beam of the Cross bears the letters C.S.S.M.L., and the horizontal beam, the letters N.D.S.M.D. 

These are the first letters of the words:
CRUX SACRA SIT MIHI LUX, May the Holy Cross be a light unto me,
NON DRACO SIT MIHI DUX. And may the Dragon never be my guide.
The four large letters at the corners of the Cross, C S P B, stand for CRUX SANCTI PATRIS BENEDICTI: The Cross of the Holy Father Benedict.

We are not through yet. In addition to the "Pax" ("peace") motto at the top, we find the following letters in a circle around the margin of this side: V.R.S.N.S.M.V.: S.M.Q.L.I.V.B. It almost looks masonic; except, of course, the Benedictines are quite willing to tell you what the letters stand for, and they are enough to make any secret society get the shakes:

VADE RETRO SATANA; NUNQUAM SUADE MIHI VANA.
Get behind me, Satan; Never suggest vain thoughts to me.
SUNT MALA QUAE LIBAS;
The cup you offer is evil;
IPSE VENENA BIBAS!
Drink the poison yourself!

This richly indulgenced medal can be worn around the neck, or be attached to one's Rosary, or simply kept in a pocket or purse. The pious intention of wearing such an object, together with the Church's powerful blessing and intercessory power, make it into an unspoken prayer which has been shown to be of great help in maintaining holy purity, bringing about conversions, protecting against inclement weather and contagious disease.

Certainly if every reader of this book would wear the St. Benedict's Medal, a new wave of exorcism would descend like a storm on the camps of God's enemies.

Rev. Randall Paine, ORC, His Time Is Short: The Devil and his Agenda, (St. Paul, MN: The Leaflet Missal Company, 1989) pp.89-91


Thoughts for Lent

Here is what our Holy Father Saint Benedict writes about Lent in Chapter 49 (vs. 1-7) of the Holy Rule:

The life of a monk ought to be a continuous Lent. Since few, however, have the strength for this, we urge the entire community during these days of Lent to keep its manner of life most pure and wash away in this holy season the negligences of other times. 

This we can do in a fitting manner by refusing to indulge in evil habits, and by devoting ourselves to prayer with tears, to reading, to compunction of heart and self-denial. During these days, therefore, we will add to the usual measure of our service something by way of private prayer and abstinence from food or drink, so that each of us will have something above the assigned measure to offer God of his own will with the joy of the Holy Spirit (1 Thess 1:6). In other words, let each one deny himself some food, drink, sleep, needless talking and idle jesting, and look forward to holy Easter with joy and spiritual longing.
 
Taken from RB 1980 - The Rule of St. Benedict in English (The Liturgical Press)

February 17, 2008

February "Come and Pray" Retreat

Five men ranging from ages 20-25 attended our February "Come and Pray" Retreat held at the Archabbey. I do not think I would be exaggerating to say that both the retreatants and monks had a wonderful and prayerful weekend. The Archabbey vocation office offers a variety of retreats and opportunities to experience Benedictine life here at America's first Benedictine Monastery including a chance for you to design your own monastic experience. Please contact Father Fred for more information. Also, our vocation website is constantly updated with information regarding upcoming retreats. Check out this link to our site: Upcoming Retreats. Posing in front of the statue of St. Boniface with the retreatants are Archabbey vocation director Fr. Fred Byrne, O.S.B. and Br. Gabriel Myriam Kurzawski.


February 16, 2008

Discernment Book of the Month

This Month we feature the great Book on Vocations by the late great Holy Father John Paul II. Read it online at this link: "The Meaning of Vocation"

February 14, 2008

The Benedictine Ultima

One of the special traditions at St. Vincent Archabbey is the singing of the Benedictine Ultima each evening after compline and also after important monastic functions (such as the send off of a monk to his eternal reward with God after a life of perseverance in the monastery). Often times people ask us if they may have a copy of the hymn so that they may make it a part of their prayer life. Here is a copy of the Ultima in Latin, German, and English.

Pics from around the Abbey

Br. Elijah and Fr. Boniface having a humorous conversation
Br. Gabriel Myriam and Br. Nathanael at Lunch
Monks at Recreation (Fr. Andrew, Br. Mark, and Fr. Shawn Matthew)

Fishers of Men DVD

An awesome work by the great guys at Grassroots films on the Holy Priesthood


Part 1 of 2

Part 2 of 2

A Documentary on our Father Boniface



Check out this great video documentary on our own Father Boniface Hicks, O.S.B. Father recently completed his doctorate studies at Penn State University in Computer Sciences and is now teaching at St. Vincent College.