Communio – Page 548 – …bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Community of spirit in Saint Benedict, Don Luigi Giussani & Pope Benedict XVI

On this the feast of the great Saint Scholastica, the twin sister of Saint Benedict, I thought it would be appropriate to hear a few words about the significant connection between the Benedictines (Sts Benedict & Scholastica and Pope Benedict) and Father Luigi Giussani.

Signs of spiritual friendship

by Don Giacomo Tantardini (In 30 Days, May 2005)

…The hundredfold is not the outcome of a project, of a program. My real program of government is that of not doing my own will, of not following my own ideas, but of setting myself to listen, with the whole Church, to the word and will of the Lord and let myself be led by Him, so that it is He Himself who leads the Church in this hour of our history, Benedict XVI said again in the sermon of the mass opening his ministry. The hundredfold here below, like the eternal life, has a beginning, a “permanent” source (each word from the first appearance of Benedict XVI in St Peter’s Square, that was packed with Romans hurrying to see the new Pope, remains in the memory: Trusting in his permanent help). The permanent beginning is Jesus Christ, the Lord risen.

The Church is living because Christ is living, because he is truly risen (Easter Sunday 24 April). And on Sunday 1 May, when, addressing the Churches of the East which were celebrating Easter, he repeated with force Christós anesti! Yes, Christ is risen, is truly risen!, the immediate applause that rose from the square packed with faithful up to that window was very fine.

Here the communion of mind and heart among Saint Benedict, Benedict XVI, Don Giussani and the most ordinary believer is luminous and total.

Don Giussani always kept the gaze of his life and heart fixed on Christ (Cardinal Ratzinger, in Milan Cathedral, at Don Guissani’s funeral). We need men who keep their eyes looking at God, learning from there true humanity (in Subiaco). And, again in Subiaco, Cardinal Ratzinger concluded his lecture by quoting the more beautiful phrase that Saint Benedict repeats twice in the Rule: Put absolutely nothing before Christ who can lead us all to eternal life. Here, chapter 72: Christo omnino nihil praeponant. In chapter 4: Nihil amori Christi praeponere/ put nothing before the love of Christ.

Saint Scholastica, twin sister of Saint Benedict

Set me as a seal upon Your heart, as a seal upon Your arm; for love is strong as death, jealousy is cruel as the grave. Its flashes are flashes of fire, a most vehement flame. Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. If a man offered for love all the wealth of his house, it would be utterly scorned. (Song of Solomon 8:6-7)

Lord, as we recall the memory of Saint Scholastica, we ask that by her example we may serve you with love and obtain perfect joy.

A miracle wrought by Saint Scholastica

Saint Scholastica: Finding Meaning in Her Story

The Monastic Taster Weekend

Are you ready for this? Try out the religious (monastic) life just for a weekend. If you like the experience, come back and stay. The best the English religious orders have to offer! I suppose when you have problems getting people to enter the religious life you have to create “fun” things to attract newbies. The BBC article reports: “In 1982, there were 217 novices in the Catholic Church in England and Wales but by 2007 that figure had dropped to 29.”

Anglo-Catholics flooding the Church of Rome?

Some days ago I mentioned here the possibility of a personal prelature for the Traditional Anglican Communion (TAC). I also mentioned that there could be a possibility of a personal prelature for the SSPX crowd and that this might come to pass before the TAC gets their issues worked out. It still may happen but who really knows. Last week an official at the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity was decrying the idea as one put forth by bloggers and overstepping journalists. Well, this could be the case. But I doubt it. It seems that a higher authority is thinking about a reasonable theological/ecclesiological solution. So, what does one do with the news reported by The Catholic Herald (of Britain) on February 6th stating that the pope himself is the person behind personal prelature notion for the TAC?

It is doubtful that you’ll see scores upon scores upon scores of Anglo-Catholics becoming Roman Catholic through a set up like a prelature devoted to matters Anglican. You’ll see some, but how many? Your guess. Say a prayer to the Virgin of Walsingham and ask for Cardinal Newman’s intercession.

Saint Maron

A song of ascents. I raise my eyes toward the mountains. From where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth. (Ps. 121:1-2)

February 9th the Maronite Church in Lebanon (and in the diaspora) celebrated the liturgical feast of the founder their Church, Saint Maron. It is commonly known that Saint Maron was a 4th/5th century Syriac Christian monk. Maron moved to the mountains of ancient Syria to what is known today as Lebanon. His spirituality, as would be expected of a monk, was penitential and centered on the sacred Liturgy. Studying the liturgical texts you would notice the influence of semitic forms of thinking, praying and discipline. There is a keen appreciation for Old Testament typology in Maronite theology, spirituality and Liturgy. One clear acknowledgement needs to be made: the monks (indeed, all the disciples of Saint Maron) held to the truth taught by the Council of Chalcedon (AD 451). They even suffered for their orthodox Christian faith.

This is already too much information to introduce you to the fact that in Rome there is a Maronite College founded in the 16th century. Here seminarians and priests of the worldwide Maronite Church come to study the sacred sciences at the heart of the Catholic Church.

In the autumn of 2008 the Diocese of Rome and the Holy See established a parish for the Maronites living in Rome centered at the Maronite College. This news video gives a brief introduction to this new work of the Maronite Church.

ALSO, if you are interested in knowing more about Eastern Christianity, the Catholic Information Service at the Knights of Columbus published a brand new booklet on what the Eastern Christian Churches are, and the place they hold in Christianity. Read Jesuit Father Steven Hawkes-Teeples’ work Eastern Christians and Their Churches.

In the USA there are two eparchies (dioceses) of Maronites, The Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brookkyn and Our Lady of Lebanon. Between the two eparches, the Maronite Voice is published.

Arrived at Belmont Abbey, Charlotte

Today, I began a phase of my journey in discernment: life for a few months at a Benedictine abbey. I arrived today from New Haven, Connecticut, leaving 50 degree weather and arriving in 70 degrees. What a nice change from the New England winter; no snow here in Charlotte.

Belmont Abbey is a small group of Benedictine monks who follow the Rule of Saint Benedict. There 17 solemnly professed monks with 5 in some stage of formation. The age range is 24 to 88. The head of the monastery is Abbot Placid and the Prior is Father David.

The Abbey was founded in 1876 by Archabbot Boniface Wimmer, the founder of monasticism in the USA, who sent monks from Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, PA, to Charlotte. While the abbey is typically called “Belmont” after the town in which it’s situated, the religious title of the abbey is “Mary, Help of Christians”, sometimes just called Maryhelp; the feast day we observe is May 24.

The monks run a small liberal arts college called Belmont Abbey College.

A quick note on schedule:

7:00 – Morning Prayer

7:30 – breakfast in silence

8:30 – 11:30 work, study, lectio, prayer (whatever you’re assigned)

11:45 – Midday Prayer

Noon – lunch followed by work

5:00 – The Sacrifice of the Mass

5:45 – Dinner in silence for most of the meal with readings from the holy Rule & a book

7:00 – Vespers

Compline is in private for most of the monks but some of the formation monks pray Compline together at 9:30.

The Abbey Basilica of Mary Help of Christians is central to the life of the monks, friends, visitors and the college community. The architecture is German Gothic-Revival. The church was the largest Catholic church in the state at the time of its construction. The monks of the abbey did much of the construction work themselves (with Brother Gilbert Koberzynski crafting the ceiling in the style of a sailing vessel).The interior of the church was renovated in 1964-1965.

The windows were designed and executed by the Royal Bavarian Establishment of Francis Mayer and Company (Munich). The windows were displayed at the Columbian Exhibition, the World’s Fair of 1892 winning four gold medals. The abbey church was the cathedral from 1910-1977 and it was elevated to the rank of a Minor Basilica on July 27, 1998. The Basilica has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973.

Let us pray for each other.

Evangelization & Prayer

Evangelizing is an act of service done out of love, like parents when they teach their children to pray. They are giving their children the best they have. They are giving them the foundations of their faith. This is the reason that should impel the growth of … the Church: to grow more so as to evangelize more; to grow in holiness so as to be better witnesses of Christ in the world. To grow in holiness, to grow in love, to grow in hope so as to bring others to faith, love, and hope.

What would Saint Paul tell us today if he came to see us? What would he ask of us? What would he pass on to us? Certainly, he would remind us of the words he once wrote to the community in Corinth: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Cor 9:24)Saint Paul insists very much on prayer. He said: “Pray always.” Prayer is conversation with God; it is the nourishment of the apostle, of the evangelizer. Today, in these times when we live in such adverse environments, prayer becomes even more important. Prayer shows us that our commitment to evangelization comes from Christ. To evangelize is to give what we have received; it is to preach the Christ I have met in prayer. Saint Paul began his work of evangelization after three years of solitude and prayer in the deserts of Arabia. Contemplation and apostolate always go hand in hand.

Prayer helps you “to know the love of Christ, which surpasses all knowledge, that you may be filled to measure of all the fullness of God”[viii] and makes it so that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, so that you may be rooted and established in love.” (eph 3:17)

Cardinal Franc Rodé, CM

December 14, 2008

Saint Theodore Stratelates

With the word of God as a spear in your hand, in courage of soul and armed with faith, you vanquished the enemy, Theodore, glory of martyrs, with whom you unceasingly pray to Christ God for us all. (Kontakian)

Of note, Saint Theodore’s skill was than being a general, as much as that is recognized as important, in the fourth century he was known to have suffered and was beheaded for his faith in Jesus Christ. It was his faith in a person who gave him salvation, a vague idea or an ethic. True to what he confessed with his lips the hagiography shows that Saint Theodore brought the icon of the Virgin with Child frequently to people after the devastation wrought by the Tatars. In other words, Saint Theodore was an instrument of Christ’s comfort and healing. May Saint Theodore lead us to Christ.

Here’s a brief biography and another one.

Paul Wattson, convert, priest, founder, ecumenist, Servant of God

(1863-1940)

We draw near to God and He enters into our being. He dwells in us. He takes us into union with Himself. As the tree strikes roots down into the soil and that which yesterday was but a bit of dirt, today is part of the tree, so Christ reaches down through the mystery of the Incarnation and takes into union with Himself those that are willing to be lost and merged in Him. He lives in them and they can cry out with Saint Paul, “It is no longer I that live, but Christ who lives in me.” [Gal.2:20] It is that indwelling presence of Christ that satisfies the soul, which, if it seeks satiety elsewhere will never find it, and He leads the soul step by step, and if the person has his or her trials and sufferings —and we all do— in the midst of this wicked and naughty world we are to make atonement in union with Christ crucified on the Cross, for in His mystical body He is constantly reproducing His own crucifixion. (Fr. Paul’s sermon, December 25, 1925)

Galileo: 400 years since the first use of the telescope

Now that we are more than half finished with the Year of Saint Paul, a year dedicated to celebrating the 2000^th anniversary of the Apostle to the Gentile’s birth by getting to know Saint Paul through intellectual, spiritual and cultural events, let us now turn our gaze onto a rather significant figure of our western intellectual history, Galileo. 2009 has been named the International Year of Astronomy to observe the fact that Galileo made some significant studies of our galaxy. The International Year of Astronomy (IYA) proposes to observe the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s first astronomical use of the telescope.

The goals of the IYA 2009 are to:

Increase scientific awareness;

Promote widespread access to new knowledge and observing experiences;

Support and improve formal and informal science education;

Provide a modern image of science and scientists;

Facilitate new networks and strengthen existing ones;

Facilitate the preservation and protection of the world’s cultural and natural heritage of dark skies in places such as urban oases, national parks and astronomical sites.

Some interesting things

The Vatican Observatory

Astronomy 2009

Galileo 2009 sponsored by Euresis, an Association for the Promotion of Scientific Endeavor

100 Hours of Astonomy 2-5 April 2009

The January 6^th, 2009 homily of Pope Benedict mentioning the IYA 2009

Reflections by Brother Guy Consolmagno, S.J., on the Pope’s salute to those participating in the IYA 2009

A. C. Crombie, Augustine to Galileo: The History of Science A.D. 400-1650 (an online book)