Cistercian Monks (studying at St. Vincent Archabbey) Featured in Article

'There is God in this deserted place' -- Vietnamese monks live in remote Lucerne Valley monastery

By DAVID OLSON
The Press-Enterprise
www.pe.com

 Br. Michael, OSB and Brother Francis in front of St. Vincent Seminary

Long before dawn in the remote desert south of Barstow, the only light for miles around is a faint glow from a triple-wide trailer.  Inside, several monks chant in Vietnamese. Then there is silence.  The trailer is home to the first cloistered Catholic monastery in the Inland area. The white-robed monks pray and chant together seven times a day and silently meditate twice. Here in Lucerne Valley, off a dirt road and at the foot of barren mountains, there is little to disturb them.  "There is God in this deserted place," said Brother Matthew Nguyen. "There are not many people here, but God is here."  San Bernardino Diocese Bishop Gerald Barnes celebrated the opening of St. Joseph Monastery on Aug. 17, but for now, the two cream-colored trailers, a water pump and solar panels are all that sit on the 80-acre site.  The monks hope to one day erect permanent buildings to house a chapel, retreat center and living quarters.  

Peter Pham, a Cistercian monk, delivers food at sunrise outside the St. Joseph Monastery in the Lucerne Valley south of Barstow. Six Vietnamese members of the Cistercians devote their lives to contemplation there. It will also serve as a Catholic retreat.

St. Joseph is the second U.S. outpost of a Vietnamese congregation of Cistercian-order monks, who seclude themselves in monasteries to devote their lives to contemplation. The other opened in June near Sacramento.  There are nearly 7,000 Cistercian monks and nuns worldwide. Most sites are open to the Catholic faithful for retreats, as St. Joseph's visitors trailer will be in a few months.  The monks and nuns in Cistercian monasteries typically spend little time outside them, except for shopping for groceries and other necessities, and for special events such as ordinations.  Although the number of monks and nuns in U.S. monasteries has declined over the past few decades, experts say the drop has not been as steep as the fall in nonmonastic priests and nuns.  Proportionately more people choose a monastic life than before as a reaction to secularism and an increasingly fast-paced U.S. lifestyle, said Sister Patricia Wittberg, a professor of sociology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis.

There are about 200 Catholic monasteries in the United States, but there is no reliable count of how many people live inside them.  Like the parish priests who minister to their congregants and the nuns who serve the poor and sick, Cistercians and their devotion to intensely contemplative lives form a vital part of the Catholic church, said the Rev. Thomas Rausch, a professor of Catholic theology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.  "It's a special vocation," Rausch said. "The church needs people who energize it from within with their prayer."

Prayer and meditation

The monks of St. Joseph rise each morning at precisely 3:55 a.m.

Twenty minutes later, they gather in the dim light of the trailer's chapel to chant for a half-hour. Then comes 30 minutes of meditation broken by the ringing of a bell announcing daily Mass. The rest of the day is dedicated to prayer, meditation, singing, Bible-reading, study and work. They speak to each other as little as possible, said the Rev. Anthony Pham, the monastery's superior. "Most of our time is for God," Pham said, as he ate a breakfast of fried eggs topped with soy sauce. Pham said that, while he is meditating, he reflects upon God's love and the meaning of his calling as a monk. Work is an integral part of monastic life. As much of it as possible is manual labor, to leave the monks' minds free for contemplation. The monks are now clearing brush, digging trenches for pipes, grading land and performing other tasks to build and adorn their monastery. Like other monasteries, St. Joseph must be self-supporting, so the monks are discussing possible business ventures. Other monasteries make products such as beer, fruitcake or cheese, and one in Wisconsin sells toner cartridges under the name Lasermonks. The St. Joseph monks are thinking of opening an on-site gift shop featuring Vietnamese religious articles that they would also sell online. Or perhaps they'll make tofu for Vietnamese markets.

Spiritual Retreat

The 12-bed retreat center that will open in several months is why the monastery exists. A Vietnamese priest from Santa Ana, who attended a Cistercian boarding school as a boy, contacted the Cistercian order to convey the need for a retreat house geared toward Vietnamese immigrants, Pham said.

Many older Vietnamese Catholics do not speak English and would not feel at home or get the spiritual nourishment they seek if they were to attend a retreat at an English-speaking monastery, he said.  They and many other Catholics yearn for a place to recharge, to take a break from their busy lives to focus on their relationship with God, Pham said.  The retreat guests -- visitors who are not Vietnamese will be welcome as well -- will participate in the same prayers, singing, meditation and other devotions as the monks, Pham said.  If asked, the monks will guide them, suggesting which Biblical verses to read. But much of the benefit of a retreat will be the example the monks set, Pham said.  "The way we live has a special effect and impact on other people, in the way that we get closer to God," Pham said. "When we are closer to God, we love God more."  Even more than parish priests, the monks forgo worldly goods. Because they rarely leave the monastery, they have few material needs. They do not eat meat, as a way of sacrificing for God.  "If we put too many things in ourselves, we cannot serve other people," Pham said. "If you're willing to throw things like the good car, like status in the community away, you come back to only being a human being, nothing more. We try to empty ourselves, so God can pour his graces into us."

Building A Monastery

When a permanent monastery is complete, Pham will spend almost all his time there.  Until then, Pham is busier than he would sometimes like. He regularly interrupts the contemplative life of Lucerne Valley to drive to Victorville. There, he fills out forms, applies for permits and talks with county bureaucrats. Even monks can't avoid San Bernardino County land-use and building codes.  He has a studded ring on his right hand that he rubs while driving, so he can pray the Rosary while on the road. 

 
All six monks who live at the monastery spent at least six months at a Benedictine monastery in Pennsylvania to improve their English and acculturate themselves, Pham said.  Two more monks are now in Pennsylvania, preparing to move to St. Joseph. The goal is to have 13 monks by the end of 2009. 

 Brother Francis and Stephen with friends at St. Vincent Archabbey

The monks receive several-thousand dollars a month to support themselves and the monastery. Most money comes from Vietnamese immigrants in Orange County. Further donations, along with revenue from the monks' forthcoming business, will fund the construction of the permanent monastery.

The trailer chapel where the monks now spend much of their time is spare. The monks sit on white plastic chairs or kneel on a blue-and-white carpet before a crucifix and a wooden altar carved in Orange County by a Vietnamese craftsman. Statues of St. Joseph and Our Lady of La Vang -- an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 18th century Vietnam -- stand near a plaque commemorating Bishop Barnes' visit.  Outside, there is little but sand and desert brush.

Taking A Risk

Lucerne Valley was chosen for the monastery because it is remote enough to foster contemplation but within driving distance of the huge Vietnamese community in Orange County.  The land cost $80,000. Pham started paying for it with his $200 monthly stipend, along with donations from Vietnamese families.  It was a risk. Pham knew the money wasn't enough to pay the entire cost of the land. But he trusted in God.  Then a Vietnamese family took him to Florida with them on vacation. By chance, he met a wealthy Vietnamese Catholic there. Pham mentioned the monastery he was building. He didn't ask the man for money. But by the time he left Florida, the man offered to pay the remaining cost of the land.  "I didn't know this person, and I didn't have the money to pay for the land," Pham said.  "But everything comes together with God." 


Click here for a slideshow

Reach David Olson at 951-368-9462 or dolson@PE.com

Monk in India

Our Fr. Boniface Hicks, O.S.B. is on his way back from India after traveling there to present a paper and to spend some time with the Missionaries of Charity.  Here are a few pictures from his trip:

 

Blessed Teresa of Calcutta's tomb

Fr. Boniface and a volunteer take a break for a picture

An MC Sister taking a moment to visit with the poor

O Antiphons

The season of  Advent and Christmas is a great time at the monastery to dive deep into monastic tradition.  This being said, here is some information on the "O Antiphons" which we chant here at St. Vincent during our Evening Prayer (Vespers).

From: www.catholiceducation.org

www.catholiceducation.org

The “O Antiphons” refer to the seven antiphons that are recited (or chanted) preceding the Magnificat during Vespers of the Liturgy of the Hours. They cover the special period of Advent preparation known as the Octave before Christmas, Dec. 17-23, with Dec. 24 being Christmas Eve and Vespers for that evening being for the Christmas Vigil.

The exact origin of the “O Antiphons” is not known. Boethius (c. 480-524) made a slight reference to them, thereby suggesting their presence at that time. At the Benedictine abbey of Fleury (now Saint-Benoit-sur-Loire), these antiphons were recited by the abbot and other abbey leaders in descending rank, and then a gift was given to each member of the community. By the eighth century, they are in use in the liturgical celebrations in Rome. The usage of the “O Antiphons” was so prevalent in monasteries that the phrases, “Keep your O” and “The Great O Antiphons” were common parlance. One may thereby conclude that in some fashion the “O Antiphons” have been part of our liturgical tradition since the very early Church. 

The importance of “O Antiphons” is twofold: Each one highlights a title for the Messiah: O Sapientia (O Wisdom), O Adonai (O Lord), O Radix Jesse (O Root of Jesse), O Clavis David (O Key of David), O Oriens (O Rising Sun), O Rex GentiumO Emmanuel. Also, each one refers to the prophecy of Isaiah of the coming of the Messiah. Let’s now look at each antiphon with just a sample of Isaiah’s related prophecies: 

O Sapientia: “O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.” (11:2-3), and “Wonderful is His counsel and great is His wisdom.” (28:29).

O Adonai: “O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But He shall judge the poor with justice, and decide aright for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” (11:4-5); and “Indeed the Lord will be there with us, majestic; yes the Lord our judge, the Lord our lawgiver, the Lord our king, he it is who will save us.” (33:22).

O Radix Jesse: “O Flower of Jesse’s stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid.” Isaiah had prophesied, “But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom.” (11:1), and A On that day, the root of Jesse, set up as a signal for the nations, the Gentiles shall seek out, for his dwelling shall be glorious.” (11:10). Remember also that Jesse was the father of King David, and Micah had prophesied that the Messiah would be of the house and lineage of David and be born in David’s city, Bethlehem (Micah 5:1).

O Clavis David: “O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of Heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.” Isaiah had prophesied, AI will place the Key of the House of David on His shoulder; when he opens, no one will shut, when he shuts, no one will open.” (22:22), and “His dominion is vast and forever peaceful, from David’s throne, and over His kingdom, which he confirms and sustains by judgment and justice, both now and forever.” (9:6).

O Oriens: “O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; upon those who dwelt in the land of gloom a light has shown.” (9:1).

O Rex Gentium: “O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust.” Isaiah had prophesied, “For a child is born to us, a son is given us; upon his shoulder dominion rests. They name him Wonder-Counselor, God-Hero, Father-Forever, Prince of Peace.” (9:5), and “He shall judge between the nations, and impose terms on many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; one nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again.” (2:4) .

O Emmanuel: “O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God.” Isaiah had prophesied, “The Lord himself will give you this sign: the Virgin shall be with child, and bear a son, and shall name him Emmanuel.” (7:14). Remember “Emmanuel” means “God is with us.”

According to Professor Robert Greenberg of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, the Benedictine monks arranged these antiphons with a definite purpose. If one starts with the last title and takes the first letter of each one - Emmanuel, Rex, Oriens, Clavis, Radix, Adonai, Sapientia - the Latin words ero cras are formed, meaning, “Tomorrow, I will come.” Therefore, the Lord Jesus, whose coming we have prepared for in Advent and whom we have addressed in these seven Messianic titles, now speaks to us, “Tomorrow, I will come.” So the “O Antiphons” not only bring intensity to our Advent preparation, but bring it to a joyful conclusion. 

Father William Saunders is dean of the Notre Dame Graduate School of Christendom College and pastor of Our Lady of Hope Parish in Sterling, Virginia. The above article is a "Straight Answers" column he wrote for the Arlington Catholic Herald. Father Saunders is also the author of Straight Answers, a book based on 100 of his columns and published by Cathedral Press in Baltimore.

Saints who Visited St. Vincent Archabbey

I figured that you guys might be interested in the Saints who have stopped by the Monastery over the years.  I will start with one of my favorite Saints, Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, C.Ss.R.

From:  www.seelos.org

Francis Xavier Seelos was born on January 11, 1819 in Fussen, Bavaria, Germany. He was baptized on the same day in the parish church of St. Mang. Having expressed a desire for the priesthood since childhood, he entered the diocesan seminary in 1842 after having completed his studies in philosophy. Soon after meeting the missionaries of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (Redemptorists), founded for the evangelization of the most abandoned, he decided to enter the Congregation and to minister to the German speaking immigrants in the United States. He was accepted by the Congregation on November 22, 1842, and sailed the following year from Le Havre, France arriving in New York on April 20, 1843. On December 22, 1844, after having completed his novitiate and theological studies, Seelos was ordained a priest in the Redemptorist Church of St. James in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A. 

 

St. Philomena's in Pittsburgh, PA

After being ordained, he worked for nine years in the parish of St. Philomena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, first as assistant pastor with St. John Neumann, the superior of the eligious Community, and later as Superior himself and for the last three years as pastor. During this time, he was also the Redemptorist Novice Master. With Neumann he also dedicated himself to preaching missions. Regarding their relationship, Seelos said: “He has introduced me to the active life” and, “he has guided me as a spiritual director and confessor.”

 St. John Neumann (who visited the Abbey with Blessed Seelos)

 His availability and innate kindness in understanding and responding to the needs of the faithful, quickly made him well known as an expert confessor and spiritual director, so much so that people came to him even from neighboring towns. Faithful to the Redemptorist charism, he practiced a simple lifestyle and a simple manner of expressing himself. The themes of his preaching, rich in biblical content, were always heard and understood even by everyone, regardless of education, culture, or background. A constant endeavor in this pastoral activity was instructing the little children in the faith. He not only favored this ministry, he held it as fundamental for the growth of the Christian community in the parish. In 1854, he was transferred from Pittsburgh, to Baltimore, then Cumberland in 1857, and to Annapolis (1862), all the while engaged in parish ministry and serving in the formation of future Redemptorists as Prefect of Students. Even in this post, he was true to his character remaining always the kind and happy pastor, prudently attentive to the needs of his students and conscientious of their doctrinal formation. Above all, he strove to instill in these future Redemptorist missionaries the enthusiasm, the spirit of sacrifice and apostolic zeal for the spiritual and temporal welfare of the people.

In 1860 he was proposed as a candidate for the office of Bishop of Pittsburgh. Having been excused from this responsibility by Pope Pius IX, from 1863 until 1866 he dedicated himself to the life of an itinerant missionary preaching in English and German in the states of Connecticut, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Wisconsin.

After a brief period of parish ministry in Detroit, Michigan, he was assigned in 1866 to the Redemptorist community in New Orleans, Louisiana. Here also, as pastor of the Church of St. Mary of the Assumption, he was known as a pastor who was joyously available to his faithful and singularly concerned for the poorest and the most abandoned. In God’s plan, however, his ministry in New Orleans was destined to be brief. In the month of September, exhausted from visiting and caring for the victims of yellow fever, he contracted the dreaded disease. After several weeks of patiently enduring his illness, he passed on to eternal life on October 4, 1867, at the age of 48 years and 9 months.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II, proclaimed Father Seelos Blessed in St. Peter's Square on April 9th of the Solemn Jubilee Year 2000.  His Feast Day is October 5.


For more on Blessed Seelos, check out the great biography on him by clicking here

Seek Grace through Mary

Here is another great reflection from Fr. Philip Dabney, C.Ss.R. (friend of our Gabriel Myriam, O.S.B.).  Fr. Dabney is the Mission Preacher of Our Lady of Perpetual Help at the beautiful "Mission Church" in Boston.  For more great reflections from Fr. Dabney, click here .

Seek Grace Through Mary from The Mission Church on Vimeo.

Cool Picture

 

I thought you guys might all enjoy a picture of our Archabbot introducing our College President (Mr. James Towey) to our Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI in Rome.

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Here is President Towey's Blog entry which appeared on our college's website (the next day, Sept. 25), it seems appropriate to post as we gear up for the celebration of Archabbot Boniface's 200th birthday celebration!!!

 

Yesterday in Saint Peter’s Square when His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and our very own Chancellor Archabbot Douglas embraced and conversed about Boniface Wimmer, two of the most venerable traditions of the Church embraced: the papacy and Benedictine monasticism. 

While all of you were asleep, Saint Vincent College took center stage in the Eternal City. 

Under a crystal clear sky and with thousands of pilgrims from scores of countries in attendance, as well as three of Saint Vincent’s monks and a group of alums and pilgrims, your alma mater marked one of its proudest and most historically significant moments. 

Perhaps you know the story of Saint Vincent’s earliest days. It is worth recounting. A German Benedictine monk, Boniface Wimmer, traveled the Atlantic Ocean with 18 companions and in 1846 established the first Benedictine college in America on what would become our campus.

In January the College will celebrate the bicentennial of Father Abbot Wimmer’s birth. It is not possible to recount our college’s history and ignore the miraculous work of grace that has sustained us these 162 years. I speak often of the hardships and sacrifices of the Benedictines in those early years because they gave their lives for us. 

Think of the prayer and labor that was asked of the Benedictines who built the Basilica brick by brick at the turn of the century, or in more modern times, when a good bit of the campus burned to the ground, forcing so many Benedictines to actually work and sleep in their offices (trivia: it was during this time that both Bonnie and Gerry halls were hastily built). Today we enjoy a campus of unparalleled beauty and unprecedented prosperity because of these Benedictines as well as their successors – and the many lay men and women who have processed through the decades to come and labor by their side as faculty, administrators and staff. 

I love listening to alums tell stories about the old days. The more I hear, the more blessed I feel to be joined to Saint Vincent’s proud history. As I watched the Holy Father receive a beautifully bound edition of some of the letters of Boniface Wimmer from our Archabbot, I witnessed another chapter in that history being written. 

I had a chance to meet the Holy Father a few moments later and convey the love and gratitude of the entire College community - so if you felt a surge of grace around 5 a.m. yesterday, it was his apostolic blessing being conferred upon the entire campus! 

He congratulated our football team for winning our first game in 46 years and asked if Dan Brett was still SGA president. Ok, I made that up. 

But the rest, though dreamlike in its improbability and majesty, is true. Our students who went with Fr. Vincent in April to the Papal Mass in the Bronx know what it means to see the Holy Father in person. It is as if you are transported back to the time of Christ, to the company of Saint Peter and you hear those immortal words: You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church! 

An unbroken chain of succession stretches from Saint Peter to Joseph Ratzinger. It is a deep mystery. There is no human explanation for how the Church is still standing two millennia later despite all of the efforts from within and without to topple it. 

And today’s vicar of Christ - who like 15 of his predecessors took the name of the saint that inspired Boniface Wimmer, his companions, and their Benedictine successors in the foothills of the Laurel mountains – now knows about the marvel that is Saint Vincent College.

200th Anniversary of the Birth of our Founder!!!

Join the monks of St. Vincent Arcabbey as we celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the birth of our founder, Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, O.S.B.  Opening ceremonies will take place during Solemn Vespers on January 14, 2009 with the Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Order (the Rt. Rev. Notker Wolf, O.S.B. delivering the homily).  For more information please check out:

www.bonifacewimmer.org

The History of the Advent Wreath

From:  www.catholiceducation.org

The Advent wreath is part of our long-standing Catholic tradition. However, the actual origins are uncertain. There is evidence of pre-Christian Germanic peoples using wreathes with lit candles during the cold and dark December days as a sign of hope in the future warm and extended-sunlight days of Spring. In Scandinavia during Winter, lighted candles were placed around a wheel, and prayers were offered to the god of light to turn “the wheel of the earth” back toward the sun to lengthen the days and restore warmth. 

By the Middle Ages, the Christians adapted this tradition and used Advent wreathes as part of their spiritual preparation for Christmas. After all, Christ is “the Light that came into the world” to dispel the darkness of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God (cf. John 3:19-21). By 1600, both Catholics and Lutherans had more formal practices surrounding the Advent wreath.

The symbolism of the Advent wreath is beautiful. The wreath is made of various evergreens, signifying continuous life. Even these evergreens have a traditional meaning which can be adapted to our faith: The laurel signifies victory over persecution and suffering; pine, holly, and yew, immortality; and cedar, strength and healing. Holly also has a special Christian symbolism: The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns, and one English legend tells of how the cross was made of holly. The circle of the wreath, which has no beginning or end, symbolizes the eternity of God, the immortality of the soul, and the everlasting life found in Christ. Any pine cones, nuts, or seedpods used to decorate the wreath also symbolize life and resurrection. All together, the wreath of evergreens depicts the immortality of our soul and the new, everlasting life promised to us through Christ, the eternal Word of the Father, who entered our world becoming true man and who was victorious over sin and death through His own passion, death, and resurrection.

The four candles represent the four weeks of Advent. A tradition is that each week represents one thousand years, to sum to the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until the Birth of the Savior. Three candles are purple and one is rose. The purple candles in particular symbolize the prayer, penance, and preparatory sacrifices and goods works undertaken at this time. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, when the priest also wears rose vestments at Mass; Gaudete Sunday is the Sunday of rejoicing, because the faithful have arrived at the midpoint of Advent, when their preparation is now half over and they are close to Christmas. The progressive lighting of the candles symbolizes the expectation and hope surrounding our Lord’s first coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming to judge the living and the dead.

The light again signifies Christ, the Light of the world. Some modern day adaptions include a white candle placed in the middle of the wreath, which represents Christ and is lit on Christmas Eve. Another tradition is to replace the three purple and one rose candles with four white candles, which will be lit throughout Christmas season.

In family practice, the Advent wreath is most appropriately lit at dinner time after the blessing of the food. A traditional prayer service using the Advent wreath proceeds as follows: On the First Sunday of Advent, the father of the family blesses the wreath, praying: O God, by whose word all things are sanctified, pour forth Thy blessing upon this wreath, and grant that we who use it may prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ and may receive from Thee abundant graces. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.” He then continues for each of the days of the first week of Advent, O Lord, stir up Thy might, we beg thee, and come, that by Thy protection we may deserve to be rescued from the threatening dangers of our sins and saved by Thy deliverance. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.” The youngest child then lights one purple candle.

During the second week of Advent, the father prays: O Lord, stir up our hearts that we may prepare for Thy only begotten Son, that through His coming we may be made worthy to serve Thee with pure minds. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.” The oldest child then lights the purple candle from the first week plus one more purple candle.

During the third week of Advent, the father prays: O Lord, we beg Thee, incline Thy ear to our prayers and enlighten the darkness of our minds by the grace of Thy visitation. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.” The mother then lights the two previously lit purple candles plus the rose candle.

Finally, the father prays during the fourth week of Advent, O Lord, stir up Thy power, we pray Thee, and come; and with great might help us, that with the help of Thy grace, Thy merciful forgiveness may hasten what our sins impede. Who livest and reignest forever. Amen.” The father then lights all of the candles of the wreath.

Since Advent is a time to stir-up our faith in the Lord, the wreath and its prayers provide us a way to augment this special preparation for Christmas. Moreover, this good tradition helps us to remain vigilant in our homes and not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Saunders, Rev. William. “The History of the Advent Wreath.” Arlington Catholic Herald.

Annunciazione

Let us prepare for the coming of our Lord and King by meditating on the great mystery of God's love and the story of the first Chirstmas.

 

From: catholicism.about.com

While a novena is normally a nine-day prayer, the term is sometimes used for any prayer that is repeated over a series of days. This prayer is often called the "Christmas Novena" or the "Christmas Anticipation Prayer," because it is prayed 15 times every day from the Feast of Saint Andrew the Apostle (November 30) until Christmas. The first Sunday of Advent is the Sunday closest to the Feast of Saint Andrew.

The novena is not actually addressed to Saint Andrew but to God Himself, asking Him to grant our request in the honor of the birth of His Son at Christmas. You can say the prayer all 15 times, all at once; or divide up the recitation as necessary (perhaps five times at each meal).

  
Saint Andrew Christmas Novena

Hail and blessed be the hour and moment in which the Son of God was born of the most pure Virgin Mary, at midnight, in Bethlehem, in piercing cold. In that hour, vouchsafe, O my God! to hear my prayer and grant my desires, through the merits of Our Savior Jesus Christ, and of His Blessed Mother. Amen.

Monasticism

Thanksgiving 2008

 

We Gather Together


We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
Amen --

Traditional Thanksgiving Hymn
(A translation by Theodore Baker: 1851-1934)

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Sir 50:22-24; Ps 138:1-5; 1Cor 1:3-9; Lk 17:11-19
"With all of my heart"

The saints in every age teach us again and again that we become what we love. If we love money, our life is reduced to the value of money; we live for what we can buy, rather than buy that we may live. If we love the Eucharist, our life is thanksgiving. This is the feast of all who become what they eat. We who are thanksgiving celebrate our patron feast today. Indeed, we don't just go to Mass we celebrate who we are the body and blood of Jesus Christ, who alone offers a perfect sacrifice of praise because he is the great high priest and he is the paschal Lamb that he offers to the glory of the Father and in the Holy Spirit. We give thanks with whole hearts today for the LORD has heard the words of our mouth, and in the presence of the angels we sing his praise. Indeed, we worship at his holy temple. We give thanks to His Name because of his kindness and his truth. When we call, the LORD answers; he builds up strength within us. Indeed, this is his most gracious response to our fervent petition; He gives us strength by giving us his Holy Spirit. As Saint Luke proclaims elsewhere, "If you who are wicked fathers know how to give your sons good things when they ask, how much more will your heavenly Father give you the Holy Spirit, whenever you ask?" Can there be any more perfect response to our prayer, even if we did not recognize our own petition? Whenever we pray to Abba we are already filled with the Holy Spirit, who enables our every prayer, our every breath. Every king and every ruler on the earth shall give thanks to the LORD when they hear the words from his mouth. Indeed, they shall sing the ways of the LORD, "Great is the glory of the LORD!" For this glory we give thanks, and we become that which we love.

What are those wondrous things that God has done on the earth? He has taken a band of slaves out of Egypt and made them his chosen people, his holy nation. The LORD sent prophets among his people to summon them back to him in repentance and in love. These prophets were rejected and some were killed, but this does not prevent the LORD from forgiving and seeking reconciliation with his people. Even after their rebellion and idolatry, even after they rejected his covenant with them and he sent them into captivity in Babylon, still he brought them home and renewed his covenant love for Israel. We too, his holy people have seen such wondrous things in the sacraments. We have had daily opportunities to enter into prayer and grow in his love. The Eucharist has become the necessary food for the journey of faith. This journey was begun in baptism, and at every moment of failure we have been welcomed home in reconciliation. We have been strengthened by the sevenfold gift of the Holy Spirit to live a full and rich life of Christian witness, sharing in the cross of our Savior Jesus. Some have been brought into marital intimacy with a loving spouse, and some have been called to celibacy for the sake of the Kingdom. Others have been ordained to preach and to celebrate the mysteries of Christ in his Body the Church. When we need him the most the Lord Jesus has anointed us with the heal oil to raise us up from beds of pain and to send us on the final journey home. Indeed the LORD has granted us great joy of heart and the blessing of peace has made us one in his love. Indeed the favor and bounty of the LORD endures toward us the New Israel; we are delivered in our days.

What spiritual gift do we lack as we wait for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ? Nothing is lacking. In all honesty, how many of us have this response? What do we need that the LORD has not given? We are brothers and sisters in the family of God. We have begun to live in the intimacy of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We have a home; we have an identity. Grace and peace come from God the Father through his Holy Spirit and in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to live and move and have our being, day in and day out. Peace that surpasses understanding and remains no matter how much we suffer. Indeed, we have been enriched in every way; we have received all discourse and all knowledge of the mysteries of the Lord Jesus so that we can witness with confidence to the Kingdom of God already present and yet, still to come fully in his glorious plan. We abound in trust that the LORD will keep us firm to the end and irreproachable on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. This trust abides in our souls because the LORD is faithful, and he called us into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Even if we are unfaithful, he remains faithful. He cannot deny himself, even if we deny our own dignity by sin. His word of promise is sweet to our taste, sweeter than honey in the mouth. He promises to forgive and to forget. Indeed, the LORD casts our sins into the depths of the sea and as far away from us as the east is from the west. As the prophet preaches, "Behold I make all things new! Do you not perceive it?" Indeed, the Lord Jesus forgives our sins and forgets our sins. What joy and gladness abound in our hearts to remember that the Lord forgets, and that what he forgets ceases to exist. Indeed, we remember our sins only to repent, yet again, so that the healing continues and the fire of his love fully consumes the dross and purifies the true gold of our hearts.

Why did the ten persons with leprosy obey the command of the Lord Jesus? Were they waiting for just such a command? Did they know that the law commanded anyone who was healed of leprosy had to be examined by the priests? Perhaps they heard in the voice of the Master an authority they could not question. Perhaps when he said, "Go show yourselves to the priests;" they knew that he had pity on them. They knew that the Master had responded to their prayer, "Jesus, Master! Have pity on us!" It seems that all of them had the gift of faith, even the size of a mustard seed. Though they had this great gift of faith, something was lacking. What is that something? Perhaps it is gratitude? Do we come to Eucharist because of our faith? Do we have thankful hearts as we enter into the Holy Mass? Have we even given thanks for the gift of faith that brings us to the Table of the LORD again and again? Only the outcast is willing to express his gratitude! Only the rejected Samaritan is praised for his grateful return to give thanks to God! Without a thankful heart are we really at the Eucharist? Do we even notice our own leprosy of sin? Do we give thanks to God for the unconditional kindness of the Master who has pity on us again and again? Do we hear him saying to us even now, "Stand up and go; your faith has salved you."

The Present Moment

From franciscanfriars.com

By: Br. Jeremiah Myriam Shryock, CFR

There was a zealous young monk who entered a monastery intending to devote his whole life to God in prayer and silence. The monastery he entered was known for its austere way of life and its strict regimen of prayer. However, when the monks were not “praying” in the church or privately in their cells, they were assigned various jobs to help with the upkeep of the monastery. Every morning after Mass the novice master would assign the young monk jobs such as cutting the grass, planting vegetables and flowers in the garden, cooking and cleaning the church.

After a few weeks this young monk became infuriated. He complained interiorly about the “excessive” amount of work he was involved in and reminded himself over and over again that he came to the monastery to devote his whole life to prayer and not to manual labor. He imagined other monasteries tucked nicely on a mountain somewhere where there would be no intrusions upon his life of prayer.

Shortly after, the young monk approached the novice master and rattled off his list of complaints. Finally, hoping to sum up everything, the young monk said, “I came here to devote my life to prayer – not to work!” The novice master, who was patiently listening to him replied, “Well, what have you been doing these past couple of months while you were working? I knew of your desire for prayer, so I gave you the quietest jobs to help foster your prayer life.”

Oftentimes we don’t look for God exactly where He is – in the present moment. Rather, like the young monk, we imagine a life where everything is perfect or one that must conform to the ideas we often stubbornly hold on to. Therefore, everything and everybody becomes obstacles to God, love, happiness, etc. Since this person cannot accept reality and people as they really are, this person will spend their whole life running until eventually they will collapse somewhere and most likely be all alone.

God does not need the “ideal” setting to come into our lives. All He needs is our invitation. With this attitude of openness to God and to life, there is really no such thing as “distractions.” Although our ideas and preferences are good, God’s are always better and He is primarily concerned with what is really best for us.

Since there is nothing that passes by Him unnoticed, there should be nothing in our life, despite how annoying and burdensome something may appear, that prevents us from seeking God and sharing our lives with Him. Therefore, let us meet God where He is, here in the present moment, whether we are happy, annoyed, scared, joyful, tired, etc. Let us turn to Him however we may feel and in whatever situation we find ourselves right now. After all, that is where God is.

Founder's Day 2008

BONIFACE WIMMER AND THE
AMERICAN CASSINESE CONGREGATION

Each year the St. Vincent Archabbey Community celebrates the founder's of our Archabbey, Seminary, and College Community (particularly our Father Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, OSB).   Today, November 20, 2008 is the 2008 Celebration which will begin with Vespers in the Archabbey Basilica at 4:00 pm followed by a Festive Dinner with the whole St. Vincent Community and concluding with the Christmas lighting of Campus.  Here is a great little artcle about Archabbot Boniface.

From: http://ldysinger.stjohnsem.edu/

From the perspective of the twenty-first century it may seem strange to discuss monasticism in America from the perspective of missionary activity.  In the nineteenth century, however, the United States was considered to be an important mission territory. “During the First Vatican Council [and] among the authorities of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith (Propaganda Fide)...missionary work was primarily understood to mean activities among the Christians of the Eastern churches and the Catholic immigrants in North America.”³

The idea of a Benedictine “Mission” to America was the personal project of a Bavarian monk, Boniface Wimmer.  Born in 1809, Sebastian Wimmer was ordained a secular priest in 1831, and served as curate at the Marian shrine of Altoetting in the Bavarian diocese of Regensburg. In 1830, through the influence of King Ludwig I, monastic life in the abbey of Metten which had been suppressed since the secularization decrees of 1803, was officially reinstated.  The two aged monks who had agreed to return to conventual life at Metten hardly constituted a flourishing community, however;⁴ and the Bishop of Regensburg was asked for help in recruiting vocations.  Wimmer was one of these.  On December 29, 1833 he received the monastic name “Boniface”⁵ and became the second monk to make profession at Metten after the restoration. The first, Gregory, subsequently became Wimmer’s abbot. 

 Abbot Gregory, OSB

 Metten Choir

Sent as a professor to the newly-established Benedictine College of St. Stephen’s in Augsburg, Wimmer soon won a problematic reputation among his colleagues as a Projektenmacher (“project-maker” or “visionary” here intended in the pejorative sense of “dreamer”).⁶  Later sent as professor to Munich, he personally witnessed the beginnings of massive waves of emigration from Europe to the United States in 1842. In that same year he became acquainted with the plight of German Catholic immigrants in America, and he petitioned his fellow-novice Gregory, now abbot of Metten, for permission to go to America as a missionary.  His former confrere refused, however, suggesting instead that Dom Boniface support the American Mission with his prayers.

Throughout the next three years Wimmer’s conviction that he should go to America grew stronger.  He urged his abbot to allow Metten to serve the Church by taking on responsibility for foreign missions as had the medieval English and Irish monasteries: “We [the Benedictine Order] belong to the whole world.  The heretics are spreading to all parts of the earth and we are keeping warm behind the stove.”⁷   His notion of going to America as a solitary missionary underwent substantial revision during this time.  Partly as the result of a meeting with a German-American priest, Fr. Peter Lemke, Wimmer conceived the idea of transplanting  Benedictine monasticism to America.⁸

His abbot, however, remained unconvinced of the feasibility of Wimmer’s plans.  Thus in 1845 Fr. Boniface independently contacted the papal nuncio, Archbishop Charles Morichini, and submitted a request to be forwarded directly to Propaganda Fide in Rome.  He asked for permission to travel to the American missions and “also laid before His Excellency the plan of founding a monastery on the property which Father Lemke promised to sell me.”⁹

Wimmer subsequently received various unsatisfactory responses to his requests.  His abbot eventually granted him permission to go to America; but the Chapter at Metten was unwilling to authorize an American foundation.  They feared that Wimmer secretly longed for abbatial pontificalia, and that the proposal for an American foundation was merely a means for achieving his personal ambitions.¹⁰

In 1842, however, Fr. Boniface was able to win the personal support of King Ludwig I for his proposal.  The wholehearted support of the nuncio rapidly followed.¹¹  Eventually he received authorization from his abbey to proceed with his plans; and on July 25, 1846 Boniface Wimmer set out from Munich with a band of theological students who eventually became the nucleus of the American-Cassinese Congregation, today the largest Congregation in the Benedictine Confederation. 

Wimmer’s method of achieving his goal of a Benedictine mission (foundation) merits close attention.  Unable to convince his monastic confreres or superior of the merits of his plan, Wimmer appealed directly to Rome through the person of the papal nuncio.  When Propaganda Fide revealed its reluctance to interfere directly in the relationship between a Benedictine abbot and his subject, Wimmer was forced to seek the support of the King of Bavaria, which eventually proved essential for the achievement of his goals.

Wimmer’s correspondence with his abbot during this period reveals a curious mixture of ostensible respect for the abbatial office (“I will take you at your word, which is holy to me”)¹² coupled with a bullying attitude: “...I will not let you go so easily...you will have the choice [when I write to Rome] either of declaring me unfit for this mission...or admitting simply that you do not want to live up to your word.”¹³  This unusual approach to the implementation of monastic goals may be seen in the lives of the other founders of missionary Benedictinism.

---

³ Jacob Baumgartner, “Missions in the Shadow of Colonialism”, HISTORY OF THE CHURCH, ed. Jedin, (London, 1981) p. 527.

⁴ Jerome Oetgen, AN AMERICAN ABBOT, BONIFACE WIMMER, O.S.B., (Latrobe, 1976) p. 23.

⁵ His choice of the name “Boniface” did not signify an early interest in the Missions: rather, he took the name of Boniface Urban, dean of the diocese of Regensburg; Oetgen, p. 23.

⁶ Oetgen, p. 35.

⁷Oetgen, p. 39.

⁸ Oetgen, p. 41

⁹ Oetgen, p. 43.

¹⁰ Oetgen, p. 52.

¹¹ Oetgen, p. 51.

¹² IBID.

¹³ IBID. 

Brother Albert Gahr, n.O.S.B.

From: stvincentmonks.com

I was born and raised in a devout Catholic Family in Kersey, PA. My family was very active in the Church and School of St. Boniface parish in Kersey. Whether helping at the fish fries on Fridays, working bingo on Sunday night, cleaning the school in the summer or helping park cars for Easter and Christmas masses, we definitely spent more than just Sunday morning at the church. The example of my parents is in large part what kept my faith alive during my high school and college years. Although I may have not been considering a Benedictine vocation, Benedictines have played a central role in my education, starting with the Sisters of St. Joseph's Convent for grade school and high school and the monks at St. Vincent for college. When I began to discern my vocation, the educational experiences sparked my interest in seeking an educational outlet as part of my vocation.

As I reflect back on the journey that brought me back St. Vincent, I can not help but see the patience of God working in my life, and how he wanted me to have other experiences to bring me back to the monastery. As I mentioned above, I was a college student at St. Vincent, but I can not say that I had the least inkling to consider the monastic life at that point in my life; in fact it took 12 years after leaving the college to bring me back to St. Vincent. After leaving here, I went on to work for a couple of years back home before moving on to graduate school at West Virginia University. All during this time I would say that I was a good Sunday Catholic, I gave my one hour each week to God and may be a short prayer when I needed something from God, but other than that I had my own plans for life and my own ideas of how to get there.

After finishing graduate school, I moved to Charles Town, WV and joined St. James Parish. Although I moved there for work, I quickly discovered that God had other plans for me. The Deacon in the church grew up in Kane, Pa and had the same Benedictine Sisters as I for his grade school education. With his encouragement, I started to help out the youth group and boy scouts. Eventually, I began to see how the example given by my parents growing up was being lived out in my life in West Virginia. At around this time as my involvement in the Church activities began to increase, I began to feel that there was something missing at work. I did truly enjoy the work I was doing, and the people that I was working with, but I just did not feel the motivation to keep working for my own personal advancement, but wanted to be more active helping others. It was at about this time, the pastor of St. James gave a very good homily about the seven men in his parish that should be considering a vocation. These are men that would make good priests and/or religious. I remember thinking how great it is to know that there are these men in the parish that I belong to, but I never really thought he was talking about me. About a week or so later, I had run across the pastor and the deacon who both said you know that you are one of the seven men I was talking about. I said are you sure? They said "yes" and they will help me in any way that they can.

From that initial meeting, the pastor and the deacon helped me to find a spiritual director and allowed several opportunities to explore different religious orders and diocesan vocations. I was still in a bit of shock that I could be considered for a religious vocation, but early on, my spiritual director told me something that was very helpful for my considerations, and that was One will never see in oneself what others see in them . He also encouraged me to open my heart to different possibilities. I found that by entering into situations with a completely open heart allowed me to find myself as I was searching for my vocation. Being familiar with the area and parts of the community, for me a visit to St. Vincent's was an obvious 1st step. This first visit was nice and good chance to be reintroduced to the community from a completely different point of view. Although I was definitely not convinced I belonged here at that point, I knew that I would have to make a return visit. In the mean time I visited the Dominicans, Capuchins, Jesuits and a couple diocesan retreats. The one thing that was lacking in all the cases was the sense of community and family that I found at all the Benedictine houses. After about the third or fourth visit I remember thinking as I was getting ready to leave that I was home and I really did not want to leave, and shortly after that I started to formal application process that eventually lead me to be part of the Novice class at St. Vincent Archabbey. As I have taken the time to reflect back on my life, I do think God was calling me at earlier points in my life, but I was not ready to hear or respond to His call. I believe to circuitous route that lead me away from here after college and back here for the rest of my life was necessary for me to mature and be ready to respond to God's call. I thank God for all the help that I have been given to find my vocation and am very happy to have found my way home to St. Vincent Archabbey.