With the Gospel for our Guide
POST-PENTECOST II, 2010.
SECTION ONE: READING AND REFLECTION
The Rule of St. Benedict, chapter 2 and 64.
For revision purposes : The whole of the Rule of St. Benedict is addressed to every Monastic person – monks, nuns, oblates. Because these chapters are about the Abbot, that does not mean they are not addressed to me personally.
In a Conference given at the AIM meeting in 2005, Abbot Timothy Kelly asked the question: “Where in the Holy Rule does St. Benedict give us a good description of what a monastic person is to be? I found all sorts of answers, of course, scattered among the Prologue and the 73 chapters of the Rule. Then it dawned on me that the best description was to be found in the two chapters on the abbot: chapters 2 and 64. The very qualities he describes in the abbot are the qualities he wants to find in the monks as well.”
(AIM is an abbreviation for the Movement known as “ Alliance for International Monasticism”).
Read chapters 2 and 64 and see how you measure up.
Abbot Kelly says that these chapters show us the meaning of the Word made flesh, giving light for all to see by, giving life for all to live by.
As you read these chapters and take them to Lectio Divina, what are the “calls” coming your way? Note them in your prayer journal.
Section Two: Further Reading and Reflection
The tradition of “abbot/abbess/spiritual father/spiritual mother” goes back to the Old Testament and then into the New Testament.
Praying with the following Scripture texts will open one’s eyes and broaden one’s understanding of this call:
Deuteronomy 6, verse 7 and verses 20-23; Deuteronomy 32:7, and 45-47; Joshua 4:21-22 and Exodus 13:8. Even though these texts are “patriarchal” one can easily translate them into a “matriarchal” mode. It would be a pity to miss the richness because of the social setting. The editors of RB 80 note that “teaching how to live, communicating the fruits of one’s own experience, is a continuation of the transmission of life proper to fatherhood/motherhood. The wisdom handed on by the sage was a gift of life – Proverbs 13:14.”
Other O.T. texts are 2 Kings 2:12; 2 Kings 6:21 and 2 Kings 13:14.
In the Old Testament “instruction” is fatherhood/motherhood in action.
In the New Testament, St. Paul is a “father” to his Churches, but as the editors of RB 80 note, Paul is a “father” BY MEANS OF THE GOSPEL.
Our Rule is a Rule which exhorts us to journey “with the Gospel for our Guide.” And it is part of the title of this booklet: PAX – WITH THE GOSPEL FOR OUR GUIDE.
And now, with this background, go to and from Chapters 2 and 64 of the Rule and make your connections with Gospel stories. Find your own texts for Lectio Divina, by allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you.
Section Three
About (Concerning) the Rule of St. Benedict.
Chapters 2 and 64 present the Abbot as a surrogate father, the one who “holds the place of Christ”. And he/she is presented as father/mother, teacher, shepherd, physician and steward/stewardess in order to make Christ present… (cf. RB 80)
Spiritual formation of others is primary!
The ordering of daily life is part of the role.
The leader’s administration of the community is based on the fact that administration is one of the charisms mentioned in 1 Cor 12:28 and Romans 12:6.
If you have a large RB80 you can do a lot more study, but if you do, try not to get carried away with the study and ignore the “calls” coming your way as you pray with chapters 2 and 64.
You are single women and men or parents, and surely many of you are grandparents. These are VOCATIONS. And the questions you ask in the light of chapters 2 and 64 must be practical and govern how you live your vocation: physician, teacher, the one who brings Christ to your children and grandchildren, the one who prays with them, the good shepherd who goes after them when they stray, the steward/stewardess who teaches them about reverence and care.
SECTION FOUR
COMMUNITY HISTORY
One of the names in our Obituaries for these three months is: Sister Mary Patrick Emblem. Sr. Mary Patrick was a Lay-Sister. She was born Sarah Catherine Emblem at Hartley, just over the Blue Mountains, in 1855. She was the daughter of Joseph Emblem (born Westbury, England), and his wife, Mary (born C. Leitrim in Ireland). She was regarded as an ideal lay-sister, - very hard-working, very faithful. One could depend on her. Two of her most striking monastic characteristics were her SILENCE and her PUNCTUALITY. She would be every abbess’s dream! Her work was confined mainly to the kitchen and the school dormitory. (Our school wasn’t closed until 1921). She was also one of the sisters who worked tirelessly, restoring the ruined brass standards from the old St. Mary’s Cathedral. They were given to our community after the 1865 fire. They are still used today in our Church at Jamberoo, mostly for those BIG solemnities: Christmas, Easter, Pentecost. The recipe for the restoration of these massive brass stands was perseverance with lemon and tomato!
She was still working hard in her old age, even though suffering from what we now know as osteoporosis (small and bent). This condition weakened her heart, and she died one month before her Golden Jubilee on October 26 th, 1937. In those days, a Nun was rostered from week to week to wake everyone in the early morning with the words: Vigilate et orate (watch and pray). The answer to the call was Deo gratias (thanks be to God). Sr. Patrick heard the call and answered it. After those last words of fidelity to another day in monastic life, she collapsed from heart failure, and died later in the day.
SECTION FIVE
LITURGY
SEPTEMBER:
03: St. Gregory the Great (Feast).
08: Birthday of Our Lady (Feast).
13: St. John Chrysostom (Memorial)
14: TRIUMPH OF THE CROSS. Feast
15: Our Lady of Sorrows. Memorial
16: Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian. Memorial.
17: St. Hildegard of Bingen. Feast
21: St. Matthew. Feast
23: Padre Pio of Pietrelcina. Memorial.
24: Mercy Day (Sisters of Mercy)
27: St. Vincent de Paul
28: St. Lioba. Feast
29: Archangels. Feast
30: St. Jerome. Memorial.
OCTOBER:
01: St. Therese of Lisieux: Feast
02: Guardian Angels. Memorial
03: Blessed Columba Marmion. Feast in Benedictine Houses. (Omitted this year because it is also the 27 th Sunday in Ordinary Time).
04: St. Francis of Assissi. Memorial. World Day for Pets. Animal Welfare Day.
06: St. Bruno. Memorial.
07: Our Lady of the Rosary.
10: English Missionary Bishops (from the time of Augustine of Canterbury): Memorial. (Omitted this year because it is also the28th Sunday in Ordinary Time).
12: St. Mechtild. Feast or Memorial in Benedictine communities.
15: St. Teresa of Avila – Memorial.
16: St. Hedwig, or St. Margaret Mary Alocoque. Optional Memorias.
17: St. Ignatius of Antioch. Memorial (Omitted this year because it is also the 29 th Sunday in Ordinary Time).
18: St. Luke
28: Sts. Simon and Jude.
NOVEMBER:
01: All Saints. Solemnity
02: All Souls Day
05: Commemoration of the Deceased Relatives and Benefactors of our Community.
09: Dedication of the Lateran Basilica. Feast.
10: Pope St. Leo the Great. Feast.
11: St. Martin of Tours. Feast.
13: All Saints of the Order of St. Benedict.
14: All souls of the Order of St. Benedict. (Omitted this year because it is also the 33 rd Sunday in Ordinary Time).
16: St. Gertrud the Great. Feast.
17: St. Elizabeth of Hungary. Memorial
18: Dedication of the Basilicas of Sts. Peter and Paul. Optional Memorial.
21: Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is the Annual Feast for all Presentation Sisters. It is also Pro Orantibus Day. This day was proclaimed by Pope Benedict XVI on November 19, 2006, as the day dedicated to remembering cloistered religious.
21: SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING AND THE LAST SUNDAY OF THE YEAR.
22: St. Cecilia. (Memorial)
23: St. Columban. Optional Memorial
24: Andrew Dung Lac, martyr. Memorial.
28: FIRST SUNDAY OF ADVENT.
CONGRATULATIONS AND BLESSINGS:
Laynie (Rita) Pullen who made her oblation on May 22 nd, the Feast of St. Rita.
Sr. Gertrud George, who made her Solemn Monastic Profession on June 11, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Fr. Brian (Gregory) Mascord, who made his Oblation on June 14 th.
Melanie (Syncletica) Phillips, who made her Oblation on July 18.
Fr. Cameron (Boniface) Freese, who made his oblation on July 20 th.
Leslie (Aidan) Whittet, who made his Oblation on August 29 th.
Blessings on your Feast Day:
SEPTEMBER:
01: Varcha (Giles) Sidwell, and Jill (Anna) Grienke
03: Lenka (Gregoria) Hill, and Donn (Gregory) Corcoran, Fr. Brian (Gregory) Mascord.
06: Wendy (Begu) Fisher-Hudson
14: John (of the Cross) Delaforce, and Sr. Veronica Chandler
17: Pam (Hildegard) Russell, Linda (Hildegard) Childs-van-Wijk, Patrick (Hildegard) O’Connor, Diane (Hildegard) Young, Beth (Hildegard) Muntz, Robyn (Hildegard) Wein, Mary (Hildegard) McCall, Elaine (Hildegard) Housen, Louise (Hildegard) McMahon, Sr. Hildegard Ryan.
28: Rosie (Lioba) Jenkins, Norma (Lioba) long, Gerardine (Lioba) Healy, Beppi (Lioba) O’Connor, Kathy (Lioba) Mason, Elizabeth (Lioba) Anderson.
29: Sidney (Michael) Rice.
OCTOBER:
01: Fiona (Therese) Harris, Libby (Therese) Denny, Sr. Therese Gilmour.
03: Sr. Naomie ruth Varnakulasingham, Susan (Columba) Lambert.
04: Maxine (Francis) Pickering, and Christine ( Frances) Angus.
10: Sr. Mellitus Troy.
12: Elaine (Mechtild) Alinta, Carmel (Mechtild) Leighton, Sr. Mechtild Crawford.
15: Carmen (Teresa) Lorente, Robyn (Teresa) Wynen, Elizabeth (Teresa) Montgomery, Maria (Teresa) Elisabetta Gambino, Beate (Teresa) Steller, Ewa Maria (Teresa) Komorovska.
16: Ruth (Hedwig) Huebner, Vincenzo (Gerrado) Cappetta.
25: Wilf (Ambrose) Moon, Ken (Ambrose) Halliday.
NOVEMBER:
16: Mother Mary Gertrud Barnes (Abbess), Ann (Gertrud) Anderson, Mary (Gertrud) Connors, Joan (Gertrud) Dray, Irene (Gertrud) Bajda, Rita (Gertrud) Schembri, Joan (Gertrud) Eldaher, Christine (Gertrud) Phillips, Nereda (Gertrud) Blake, Debi (Gertrud) Russell, Toni (Gertrud) Jenkins, Laura (Gertrud) Moya, Maria Elena (Gertrude) Zaragoza, Christine (Gertrud) Simons, St. Gertrud George.
21: Patricia (Mary) Atkins, Kathryn (Mary) Proctor.
22: Valerie (Mary Cecilia) Proverbs, Enid (Cecilia) Fleming.
ANNIVERSARIES OF OBLATION:
SEPTEMBER
03: Jean Edmond Peter Antoine, Maree Basel McGuckin.
08: Lyn Hilda Yates.
09: Helen Therese (no surname on the charter of commitment).
14: Fr. Andrew Aidan Doohan.
15: Maria Elena Gertrude Zaragoza, Antonia bede Zaragoza, Doreen Rita Mary Soballa, Monica Augustina Rodrigues, Geraldine Mary Benedicta Doyle.
16: Dean Bernard Godric Piryak.
22: Elaine Hildegard Housen, and Harry Gregory Housen.
26: John of the Cross Delaforce.
29: Chantal mary Benedicte Jacquier.
30: Lindsay Samuel Alban Roe, and Vivien Teresa Hilda Arnold.
OCTOBER:
14: Louise Hildegard McMahon.
17: Rev. Dixon Serafim Kenney, Wendy Mary Kenney. Philip Benedict Ryan, Gudrun Majella Muling, Paul Bernard Muling, Lilette Monica Louise, Helen Therese Subramanian
22: Janet Therese (of Lisieux) Clark
23: Beate Teresa Hildegard Steller.
NOVEMBER:
07: Vivienne Martha Chiswell.
09: Diane Hildegard Young
15: Alan Bede Hickey, Amanda Mary Hickey, Pamela Hildegard Russell, John Antony Dunne, Irene Sute]herland, Helena Frances O’Neill, Norma Lioba Long, Joan Gertrude Dray, Heavther Bede Gorman, Mary of the Annunciation Wyatt, Bill Benedict Price, Claire Cathering Devlyn, Gerardine Lioba Healy, Ann Gertrud Anderson, Pamel Henry Herrick, Ira Peter Wilson, Elke Scholastic O”Donnell, Tim Benedict O’Donnell, Elizabeth Frances Fahey, Rita Romanus Gertrude Schembri, Linda Hildegard Childs-Van-Wijk, Jeff Boniface Smart, Margaret Hilda Watts, Denise Frances hill, Ken Benedict Press Rosie Lioba Jenkins, Brian Robert Brennan, Patrick Benedict Sleight.
17: Colleen Julian Hines and Victoria Rose Sultana
21: Christine Gertrud Simons, Enid Cecilia Fleming, Patricia Benedict Thomas.
22: Catherine Anne Cecilia Milgate
23: Majorie Teresa Carroll.
24: Fiona Therese Harris
26: Therese Julian Proctor, Arnold Boniface Struzina.
SOLEMNITY OF CHRIST THE KING: Mary Elizabeth Locke.
SOLEMN PROFESSION ANNIVERSARIES:
SEPTEMBER:
14: Sr. Benedetta Cerato
OCTOBER:
11: Sr. Elizabeth Funder
NOVEMBER:
03: Sr. Magdalen Mather
16: Mother Mary Gertud Barnes (Abbess).
NECROLOGY:
SEPTEMBER:
03: Sr. Mary Patricia Kelly.
07: Sr. Mary Chanel Pechy
12: Fr. Maurus O’Connell (Chaplain from 1888 until?
21: Sr. Fidelis Williams
24: Sr. Gertrude Hishon
26: Sr. Marie Therese Malone
27: Oblate Philip Francis Bruno Price
OCTOBER:
08: Mother Mary Scholastica Gregory (one of two founding Mothers).
09: Sr. Mary Aloysius Carroll, Sr. Mary Scholastica O’Loughlin.
10: Sr. Dominic Fitzpatrick, Sr. Mary Magdalen Prown.
11: Mother Walburge Wallis (first elected Prioress- 1864).
13: Sr. Marie Vianney Loughnan
17: Fr. Bede Sumner. Fr. Bede lived at our monastery in the last years of his life. He freed our community from debt in 1864, and was therefore our most generous benefactor of the early decades of our history.
18: Oblate Aubrey Patrick Connors
19: Sr. Mary Joseph Dimond.
19: Sr. Placid Wilson
25: Sr. Mary Lucy Kirsch
26: Sr. Mary Patrick Emblem.
NOVEMBER:
09: Sr. Mary Stanislaus Dwyer.
21: Sr. Mary Francis Machlin.
23: Sr. Mary Veronica Hennessy
24: Sr. Mary Gabriel Enge
25: Sr. Mary Teresa Dimond.
MAY ETERNAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM, AND MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. AMEN.
SECTION SEVEN
SAINTS
From the wisdom of the Desert Abbas and Ammas: A brother came to visit an abba: “Pardon me, father, for I have caused you to violate your rule.” But the Abba answered: My rule is to refresh you and send you back in peace.” And so, THE GOSPEL IS OUR RULE.
SECTION EIGHT
FOR REFLECTION
“Abbots, Abbesses, Priors, Prioresses, good leaders and teachers, fine parents and mentors, tender husbands and gentle wives, good friends and quality administrators, who listen to us as much as we listen to them, are there to help us bear the heat of life that shapes us, not to escape it.” (Sr. Joan Chittester).
Sr. Joan also says: “The superior of a monastery of Benedictines will be a Christ figure, simple, unassuming, immersed in God, loving of the marginal, doer of the Gospel, beacon to the strong.”
And so we are reminded of the beginning of this edition of Pax – the perfect Benedictine is the one most like the person described in chapters 2 and 64.
The following idea has been presented to me and I fully support it:
It will be a requirement in the future for anyone who makes a commitment as an Oblate to first write your Rule of Life – how you intend to live as an Oblate of our community. This document would need to be completed before your ceremony of commitment and assessed by the Sisters on the Oblate Team. This would give us an understanding of whether you have grasped what it is to live the Benedictine life.
In retrospect, you can do this exercise, whether you have been an Oblate for 20 years or 1 year. On the other hand, you are free NOT to do it.
The document would be a private document. Only the Sisters on the Oblate Team would be have access to the document.
Such a document would include your name, your Oblate Name, the date of your commitment and the year.
Then : your daily routine of prayer. One or more “hours” of the Divine Office. (Part of our Rule)
Time given to Lectio Divina . (Part of our Rule).
Then : your contribution to the pastoral mission of the Church in your Parish, or your commitment to other humanitarian and Christian movements such as Amnesty International, Caritas Australia, and so many others.
If you are elderly, or suffer from chronic illness, this document can still be done. You can be the Light of Christ in your illness, and the wisdom and strength of Christ in your older age. Whoever you are as an Oblate: father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, sister, brother, - whoever you are, you have made a commitment to become an Oblate of this community, or you are preparing to make a commitment. Your “Rule of Life”, should you write it, will be a window for you to see into your Benedictine heart.
Lastly, support your rule of life with quotations from the Rule of St. Benedict and the Sacred Scriptures.