Norbertine – Page 2

Norbertines vested, professed in Paoli, PA

On August 27, 2012, the Abbot of Daylesford Abbey in Paoli, PA, vested two secular priests in a traditional rite as novices of the Norbertine Abbey.

The video digest of vocation story of Father Herb Sperger being vested with the Norbertine habit can be viewed here.

Father David Driesch gives us his vocation story on the occasion of being vested as a novice at the same ceremony as Father Herb.

On August 28, 2012, Brother James Garvey professed first vows as a Norbertine. His narrative can be seen here.

Saint Norbert and all Norbertine saints pray for the novices!

If interested, here are two very brief posts on Saint Norbert here and here.

Religious life 2012: Profession of vows, entrances and ordinations

The promise of the hundredfold of the Lord is evident in the lives we lead; how we live our Baptism ought to be evident and with those who have responded to the Lord’s call to follow Him more closely in the Christian life in which we live more intensely by through the consecrated life.

As Pope Benedict said,

It is no less challenging to follow Christ today, It means learning to keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, growing close to him, listening to his word and encountering him in the sacraments; it means learning to conform our will to his. This requires a genuine school of formation for all those who would prepare themselves for the ministerial priesthood or the consecrated life under the guidance of the competent ecclesial authorities. The Lord does not fail to call people at every stage of life to share in his mission and to serve the church in the ordained ministry and in the consecrated life (48th World Day of Vocations, 2011).

The key words for us ought to be “to follow,” “to keep our gaze,” “listening,” “conforming,” and “encountering.” The crux is, to whom do we belong? Of course, I would hope that we could easily say that we belong to Christ and to His Church. But we know that while we may honestly believe this fact, it is not so every day. We say one thing but we don’t always follow and keep our gaze on the Lord. May this be our prayer and our work today!

This is the third year that I have surveyed, in representative manner, some of the US monastic communities and religious orders who have had members profess simple and/or solemn vows, new members who received the habit or have receive ordination to the Order of Deacon or Priest. While the numbers may be sobering, the point is not about numbers as much as to recognize the many testimonies of grace, the rich living of the offer God has made to our sisters and brothers to love and serve Him in religious life. Corrections welcome.

Monastic life

monks

St Anselm’s Abbey (Washington, DC): 3 novices entered
St Louis Abbey: 1 monk made a profession of solemn vows; 2 monks ordained deacon

St Meinrad Archabbey: 1 profession of simple vows; 2 novices entered
Conception Abbey: 2 ordained deacon and 1 ordained priest
Marmion Abbey: 5 novices entered; 1 monk ordained priest.
Glastonbury Abbey: 1 monk made a profession of simple vows
Monastery of Saint Benedict (Norcia, Italy): 1 monk professed solemn vows

St Vincent’s Archabbey: 4 profess simple vows; 4 profess solemn vows; 2 ordained deacons, 2 ordained priests
St John’s Abbey: 2 monks make a profession of solemn vows; 3 professed simple vows
St Benedict’s Abbey (Atchinson, KS): 1 monk solemn vows, 3 received as postulants, 1 postulant in Brazil
Belmont Abbey (Charlotte, NC): 1 novice entered; 2 monks profess solemn vows
St Martin’s Abbey: 1 entered as a novice

Daylesford Abbey (Norbertines): 1 simple profession, 2 entered the novitiate
Cistercian Abbey of Our Lady of Dallas: 2 monks make solemn professions; 2 monks ordained to the Order of Deacon, and 2 ordained to the Order of Priest
Charterhouse of the Transfiguration (Carthusians in Vermont): 1 novice entered, other juniors in community

nuns

Abbey of Regina Laudis: 2 entered the postulancy, 2 entered the novitiate, 3 nuns profess simple vows and 2 profess solemn vows
St Walburga Abbey (Virginia Dale, CO): 2 nuns profess solemn vows
St Scholastica Priory (Petersham, MA): 2 nuns profess simple vows
Benedictines of Mary, Queen of the Apostles: 4 sisters profess simple vows, 3 novices take the habit, 1 candidate invited.
Mount St Scholastica Monastery (Atchinson, KS): 2 received as postulants
Monastery of the Visitation, Mont Deux Coeurs (Tyringham, MA): 1 nun professed solemn vows, 1 novice with 2 postulants entered.
Valley of Our Lady Monastery (Prairie du Sac, WI): the Cistercian nuns simply professed 1; others entered.

Continue reading Religious life 2012: Profession of vows, entrances and ordinations

St Norbert

Saint Norbert is often overlooked in this country, perhaps because he lived so long ago that he hardly matters today, or because meeting his spiritual sons and daughters is a rarity unless you live in Paoli, PA, DePere, WI or Silverado, CA, New Mexico (or a handful of other places places) where you might encounter the Canon Regular, aka Norbertines. BUT I would submit that Saint Norbert cannot be dismissed because he lived in the 11th nor because you have neither met the Canons nor the Canoness.

Saint Norbert is a saint of the Eucharist. AND that ought to be enough of an enticement to know Norbert.

St Norbert of Xanten

First a Benedictine monk then a founder of an order of canons to live under the Rule of St Augustine, the Order of Premontre, the noble Norbert sought to fight heresy, to promote true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, to dispel spiritual, to defend the papacy, work for peace, to end human indifference and reconciliation among family.

One of the key features to Saint Norbert’s spiritual life and apostolic work was his total reliance on the Lord to direct everything. He realized that his own skill set was insufficient to do much with Christ. That’s why a true Norbertine vocation is lived with one’s face turn toward the Eucharistic Lord and his feet and hands sustaining the Church.

Norbert was also the archbishop of Magdeburg. As archbishop, Norbert collaborated with the likes of Saints Bernard and Hugh in the reformation of the clergy and effecting ecclesial unity. Norbert died on this date in 1134.

Through Saint Norbert’s inspiration and prayer may we be servants of the Church outstanding in prayer, pastoral zeal and love for the people of God.

Life at St Michael’s Abbey

The Norbertine canons of St Michael’s Abbey (Silverado, CA) produced a terrifically inspiring vocation video. As an order, the Order of Prémontré (Norbertines) were founded in 1121 by Saint Norbert who adopted as the order’s motto, prepared for every good work, known essentially the charism of praying the Divine Office and the Sacrifice of the Mass. The ministry of a Norbertine is to make to the world the fruits of his contemplation. St Michael’s Abbey was founded in 1961 and the community has 70 members whose median age is about 43 years.

The Vineyard of Light vocation video of St Michael’s Abbey

Saint Norbert of Xanten

“I myself shall lead my sheep,

Guarding them from danger;

They shall hear and follow me,

Not go with a stranger.

Into pastures rich and green–

God the Lord has spoken–

I shall bring my Israel,

With my love as token.”

Norbert, father of his flock,

Took to heart this warning,

And in all his works and words

Toiled from night to morning.

Guiding all within his cure,

He took time to nourish

With the love of Christ most fair,

Causing souls to flourish.

Father of the canon’s life,

Bishop of his city,

Prayed before the Eucharist,

Served the poor with pity.

Crowned a sacrificial life

With a death of glory;

Now we join with saints above

To retell his story!

Glory to the Father give,

Source of ev’ry blessing,

Glory to the Son we sing,

Who, our wrongs addressing,

Came to us as one of us!

To the Spirit, praises!

Hear the songs of thankfulness

Each believer raises!