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New Camaldoli Hermitage LENT/EASTER 2021

New Wineskins

And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. – Luke 5:37

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LENT/EASTER 2021 Community as an Ecosystem and Energy In This Issue Prior Consiglio, OSB Cam.

2 Community as an Ecosystem and Energy I attended the Workshop for Prioresses and (and Prior Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam. Priors!) some years back, shortly after I had assumed the mantle of leadership here at New Camaldoli. The work- 4 Contemplative Renewal and New Monasticism shop was entitled “Leadership in a Complicated Rapidly Fr. Bucko Changing World.” It was filled with the best advice I have 6 Charism Wine for New Wineskins gotten about being the prior of this community, and Andrea Seitz, Oblate, OSB Cam. phrases from it continu- ally come to my mind 7 , Bruno, and New Consciousness when I am thinking Dorothea Derickson about “the big picture” here at the Hermitage 9 New Wineskins Retreat and of the future of reli- Helena Chan, Oblate, OSB Cam. gious life in general. 10 Renewal of Heart and Soul Fr. Steve Coffey, OSB Cam. The presenters first offered us two images: 11 What the Monks Are Reading one could see a com- munity either as a 11 Activities and Visitors fortress or as an eco- system. A fortress is an institution, built on a high. dry place, made of brick and mortar, un- changing. An ecosystem, on the other hand, like wetlands, sees the com- munity as an organic organism that is supple, And just like that, it’s Lent again! It’s a season of adaptive, ever-evolving. fasting and simplicity. A time to go a little deeper A wetland could look and to strip away all that might be in the way of like a failed fortress; doing that. We are given a chance to make changes on the other hand, a and to ponder what we need to give up, to make fortress could look like a way for God to be revealed by renewal. It’s a deep, stagnant pond. This was rich season of preparation. And it is a good time to some of the tension at reflect on this theme of New Wineskins. What is the Vatican II: Is the Church church being called to change? How can we, as the an unchanging institu- body of Christ, respond to these changes? tion, or is there room established himself as the new covenant; what are for aggiornamento—an the new promises we are called to, both personally updating—and even and spiritually? Now, more than ever, it feels like outright change? the time is ripe for change and refreshment. As Mahatma Gandhi said, may we be the change we Along with that come wish to see in the world. As we journey through two diverse approaches Lent and enter the Easter season, may your days to problems. Some is- be filled with new life and joy, and may your hearts sues require technical solutions, and experts come in and be renewed and refreshed with hope and love! fix the problem—a plumber, a mason, an IT specialist. But other issues are really adaptive challenges that require in- Peace, novation and new learning on the part of everyone. Adap- Lisa tive challenges also involve loss and grief because some things can’t be fixed and are simply supposed to die and leave room for new growth and new birth.

A last category that was offered, us was the subtle differ-

2 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage contemplation.com ~ 3 ence between vision—knowing where you are going and the early part of the 20th century, leading up to the great laying out a map on how to get there, as in strategic plan- event of Vatican II. Ressourcement is a French word meaning ning—and clarity of purpose, which doesn’t just ask where “going back to the sources.” It was particularly behind the we are going but why we’re going there in the first place. council’s 1965 “Decree on the Up-to-Date Renewal of Reli- gious Life,” called Perfectae Caritatis. That document asked Outside of that workshop, one other framing device has all religious orders and congregations to go back to their also been foundational for me. Similar to the fortress and roots, to make an intelligent, authentic return to the sourc- ecosystem is the idea that our spirituality is both an energy es—a “constant return to the…primitive inspiration of the and a container for that energy. Energy with no container institutes, and their adaptation to the changed conditions leads to dissipation and chaos; but all container and no of our time.” Part of this was a look back at the charism of energy leads to lifeless community. the founder, in our case Romuald: “the spirit and aims of each founder should be faithfully accepted and retained, as indeed should each institute’s sound traditions, for all of these constitute the patrimony of an institute.” But note that this return to the sources is not an archeological dig for a museum piece; it has as its primary reason a pres- ent renewal so as to be relevant to the future. This was meant to bring about a genuine clarity of purpose, not just to ask where we are going but why we’re go- ing there in the first place.

This work is ongoing, and perhaps never should be considered finished. My own experience in religious life leaves me with the in- tuition that something new yet wants to be born within the context of religious life so as to be relevant not just to the future but even to the present. I certainly hope and pray that Camaldolese monks and nuns, and New Camaldoli Hermitage itself, will continue to be present and active in our world. However, once we ascer- tain what is essential to our life—the fortress, and the vessel, it behooves us Obviously every community, as every religious order or to ask what in our life needs to adapt and grow in order to congregation, is some combination of both—a fortress be relevant to the present age and the future. Even more and an ecosystem, the energy and the vessel for that ener- salient for this issue of our newsletter, is there something gy. And every community requires both technical solutions new that wants to be born from out of the ecosystem of and adaptive challenges, some shoring up of the vessel Camaldolese monastic life as we have known it thus far? and some inspiration for the energy. I have found that in And how can we be a part of that, foster its growth, and my own role as prior, some of my most important ongoing lend what we have to offer as well as learn from the new discernment is in figuring out when which is called for. exciting explorations taking place? These are some of the issues we hope to explore in these pages, just one small A great work of ressourcement went on in the Church in piece of a long conversation.

contemplation.com ~ 3 Contemplative Renewal and New a real opportunity here to re-examine our tradition and to discern what is truly valuable in our tradition and what is Monasticism worth offering to support the future. Fr. Adam Bucko Q Adam, you yourself are rooted very firmly in the Fr. Adam Bucko has been a committed voice in the Christian tradition. Do you believe spirituality can flower movement for the renewal of Christian Contemplative just as deeply if one is not practicing within a tradition? Spirituality and the growing New Monastic movement. He has taught engaged contemplative spirituality in A Well, first of all, we have to acknowledge that when Europe and the US and coauthored two books: Occupy people hear about spiritual and not religious people, they Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation and The often immediately think that these are people who are just New Monasticism: An Interspiritual Manifesto for Contem- shopping around and not really that committed, that they plative Living. He was one of the featured speakers at want to use many different tools to dig different holes and, the annual retreat this past summer. At the retreat, he as a result, they can’t go deep. But when we look at some selected a few questions to answer in hopes of framing of the people who come from that group, we realize that where contemplative life is going, as well as the role of actually many of them spend more time practicing than Monasticism and New Monasticism in the future land- regular churchgoers. As one Hindu monastic once said to scape of spirituality in America. a Christian friend of mine, “It is possible to use differ- ent tools to dig one hole. For most things we need to ac- complish in our lives, we actually use more than one tool.” Q We hear a lot today about the younger generation So, maybe it is actually possible to use different practices not being interested in God or religion. Some denomina- to go deeper in your spiritual life too. tional church statistics tell us that by 2050 there will be hardly any people left in the church. What do you think about that?

A I hear that “young people are not interested in reli- gion or God” a lot, especially from clergy. It is true that the number of churchgoers is shrinking, and young people in particular are leaving. It is also true that we have all kinds of stories to explain this mass exodus. We even come up with catchy phrases like “moralistic therapeutic deism” to explain why the numbers are getting smaller and smaller. Most of our stories and explanations tend to point to the deficiencies of the people who leave and to an increas- ingly hostile climate towards religion in our contemporary world. But let’s remember that every time we point a finger In my experience, spiritual mentorship at someone, at least three fingers are pointing back at us. means holding up a mirror in which a One thing that is clear to anyone who’s listening is that seeking soul is enabled to perceive the young people are leaving our churches not because they light of its own divinity. are no longer interested in lives of meaning, purpose, and significance, not because they are no longer interested – Pir Zia Inayat Khan in God, but because, from where they are standing, it is increasingly difficult to meet God in the church. They tell us that, even if we do have a corner on the truth, the church resembles—in too many ways—every other broken system that organizes itself around power, wealth, and privilege, rather than offering itself as a radical alternative to the I think we have to be cautious about criticizing this. It status quo. This generation is telling us that Christ has left would be arrogant to assume all those people are just the building and the tabernacle is empty, that it is easier to simply wrong. What if that whole movement is the Holy meet Him elsewhere. This dramatic change is reflected in Spirit doing some kind of work? What if a whole new new studies on the religious landscape of America, which generation is being called to a new way of pursuing God? tell us that while Millennials and Generation Y show the That being said, we should also be cautious in accepting lowest level of religious affiliation, compared to previous this as a given and acknowledge that we need proper generations, they show the highest level of desire for discernment on this. spiritual connection. In popular culture, we call this the “spiritual but not religious” or “the nones” phenomenon. When we look at our traditions, it’s very clear that in order And yet…the church as a whole seems to be having a very to go deep, we need some very specific things. We need difficult time accepting that there may be some truth in theological frameworks that can help us see what spiritual what both young people and these studies tell us. There is maturity looks like and how it is lived in the context of 4 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage contemplation.com ~ 5 hearing “the cry of the poor” and “the cry of the earth.” We need practices that allow us to “gather the marginalized Q You speak of Monasticism and New Monasticism parts of our hearts” and turn them into prayers. We need as helpful tools for young people. Can you say more mentors and spiritual guides who can help us listen to the about that? presence of the Divine in us and in our world. We need communities where we can help each other to build A I believe that monasteries have a special role to play courage to say yes to what is emerging in our hearts and in what is emerging in our spiritual landscape. We need begin to live in service of God’s dream of compassion countercultural communities of practice that can give and justice in the world. And, in this new space of being spiritual seekers a real felt sense of what it means to say spiritual but not religious, at least in my view, those yes to God. We also need people who have experienced frameworks and practices have not yet been developed. God and who can teach and mentor from that place. That can naturally be felt in communities like New Camaldoli This leads to my conviction that, in this time, our religious Hermitage. Not only can people go there and experience and spiritual traditions have two roles. In the past, they “the fragrance of God” and get much-needed mentoring had one role, which was to basically make disciples and to from the monks, but they can also learn how to take the initiate people into the experience of God in the way that spiritual practices developed by the monks into the world, the tradition offers. Perhaps, in this day and age, there’s through the oblate program. Our Community of the another role our traditions are called to be—to be present Incarnation in New York was directly inspired by the to this spiritual but not religious movement, to be helpful spiritual legacy of a Camaldolese Benedictine monk, to the ”nones” and to be in a deep relationship with them. Fr. , who believed that the call to contempla- Perhaps it’s not our role to convince people to become tion is universal. As such, we are trying to create a model Christians, but to be present to them in a prayerful way by for contemplative life in the world, where our prayer lives offering them the gifts of our tradition and helping can be embodied in the context of hearing and responding them to discern their way forward, with an under- to the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, and where standing that God might be doing something new the longings of contemporary seekers, who so often don’t in this new generation. find their home in the church, can be welcomed and held in Christ’s transforming care. Q Speaking of the spiritual but not religious, how do you personally engage with this group Fr. Adam currently serves as a director of The Center for Spiri- in your own work? tual Imagination at the Episcopal Cathedral of the Incarnation in Garden City, New York. He is a member of The Community of the A Fr. Thomas Keating, a Trappist monk who Incarnation, a “new monastic” community dedicated to teaching played a very important role in helping Christians contemplative spirituality in the context of hearing and respond- rediscover the contemplative dimension of their ing to the cry of the poor and the cry of the earth. faith, said that, after 90 or so years on this planet, he was convinced that the best way to teach spiri- tuality is through telling each other our stories. Pir Zia Inayat Khan, a Sufi teacher, while commenting on spiritual mentorship, said: “In my experience, Behold, I make all spiritual mentorship means holding up a mirror in which a seeking soul is enabled to perceive the things new. light of its own divinity.” Both of these ring true to – Revelation 21:5 me and reflect how I was guided by my own men- tors, who were less concerned about passing their tradition on to me and more concerned about sharing both how God was present in their lives and how they responded to that presence. They shared their lives and their struggles with me. They shared their joys. They shared moments of losing and finding God. In the process, they helped me notice how God was present in my life. Their stories and ways of being present became that mirror that Pir Zia talked about, in which I had begun to see my true life. The way in which my mentors walked with God and lived their lives became a map for respond- ing to the call that I felt in the depths of my heart. In the end, that is what enabled me to rediscover the Christian tradition that I was born into—to rediscover it not as an abstract system of beliefs, rules and regulations, but rather as a motherly presence with her arms around me loving me into who I was born to be. contemplation.com ~ 5 what might our ancient Camaldolese spirituality have to Camaldolese Charism Wine for New offer this world with its breakneck pace of change, increas- Wineskins ing isolation and disharmony? Is our charism destined to be disregarded as old wine? Or do we still have something Andrea Seitz, Oblate, OSB Cam. relevant to offer? In Matthew 9:14, John’s disciples approach Jesus and ask Our charism is built upon ancient wisdom. Benedict based why his followers don’t fast like they and the Pharisees his rule for spiritual community on the Holy Scriptures. do. After explaining the incongruity of wedding guests Through prayer practices, he urged a living relationship mourning while the bridegroom is present or placing with our Lord Jesus, and a relationship with our brothers unshrunk cloth on an old garment, Jesus answers: “Neither and sisters based upon radical hospitality. Our charism do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the is not a dry, lifeless set of rules with no applicability to skins will burst; the wine will run out and the wineskins will our current world. It is a living, breathing encounter with be ruined. No, they pour God, who is ever creat- new wine into new wine- ing and joyfully inviting his skins, and both are creation to join a sacred preserved.” Can Jesus’ dance. Think of the first words be wisdom for our word of the Rule, Asculta own time? Consider that (“Listen”). The entire for- worship attendance is down, mulation for Camaldolese/ young people are abandon- Benedictine life is based ing traditional churches, upon opening our ears. and the old forms and We are called to listen in paradigms are being ques- the deepest sense, which tioned. Yet, at the same time means not just with our we hear that young people intellects but with our are spiritually interested and hearts. And not just with seeking meaning and deep our hearts but with our connection. entire being. This type of We “live and breathe and have our being” by listening can never be out- A project that attempts sharing in God’s life. Ultimately life is the primal dated because it’s based to meet the challenge of upon listening to the Word church indifference among energy that fuels the universe. That aliveness of God in Jesus, who is young people is the “Nuns flows into us as blessing and wants to flow out vibrating with aliveness and & Nones Project,” in which from us as blessing to others. We can bless truth for all time. There is young people live with others with a good word or a smile, a kind of no stasis in the revelation. practicing nuns to observe action that goes completely unobserved, or It is new yesterday, today, their spirituality, study their simply a good wish in silence. What joy to and tomorrow. way of life, and exchange become aware of blessing, of that special perspectives and life experi- aliveness flowing into us and through us. When we pray the , ences with the sisters in we bring our being into ways that are mutually en- – Steindl-Rast intimate contact with the riching. Others attempting Divine essence that begins to reconceptualize church a transformation in us that or millennials, Gen Z, and Photo by ©Doug Menuez is dynamic, and full of hope and promise. As our love for others who do not relate to the “old ways’’ include the New Jesus grows, so does our love for our brothers and sisters. Monasticism movement and The New Wineskins Initiative. This radiant love goes out into the world with us as we become more and more filled with Christ’s love. In the face of more and more empty pews on Sunday morning, many Christians are asking, “How do we make As we practice Lectio Divina and pray the Liturgy of the church more engaging for today’s young people?” Some Hours, we absorb the Living Word, which transforms our propose that the solution lies in swapping sterile tradition behavior and yields the fruit of the Spirit. This is a pro- for authentic spirituality. Others propose that re-engaging cess that unfolds as the Holy Spirit works in us. As we young people requires enchanting them with a tradi- are filled with peace, our world becomes more peaceful. tion that they never learned. Still others say that the way This “shalom” radiates into the wider world as we become forward is placing social justice at the forefront of spiritual the peacemakers offering hospitality to the stranger, the practice and community life. outcast, the marginalized. That God offers the possibility With the prevailing philosophy of socially constructed of complete transformation is good news that can never truth, individual authority and scientific agnosticism leaving become old or obsolete. little room for a belief in a Triune God of unlimited love, Just as monasteries have been important nurturers of

6 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage reform, our charism can continue to offer hope to the hopeless, family to the family-less, and guidance to the Bede, Bruno, and New lost. As this past year has clearly demonstrated, these are Consciousness the very qualities that are so needed in our world and that Dorothea Derickson our young people are asking for. As oblates and friends, we live in the world and have the unique opportunity to I recently read Cynthia Bourgeault’s new book, Eye of the translate our charism to those who would never set foot in Heart: A Spiritual Journey into the Imaginal Realm (Shambhala a monastery. Just as Jesus said, “the two can exist togeth- Publications, 2020), in which she offers a new map for er”—we can influence the church as well, and the church understanding consciousness and energy inter-exchange, can receive those who seek a larger community, and the based on G. I. Gurdjieff’s Ray of Creation, and Bruno full expression of faith. Barnhart’s chiastic presentation of the of John.1 As practitioners of Camaldolese spirituality, we have the This is not to be a review of the book; however, the living wine that can be poured into new wineskins with- thoughts it generated did start an interesting train of out it losing its life-giving essence. Our wine—which is associations for me. It helped me draw together some of the wine of sacrifice and love—nourishes in a way that the many threads that make up the tapestry of my own brings eternal life. We have much to offer. Our hospitality faith journey. and grace are what our thirsty world craves. We’ve been trained to listen and can offer that ability to brothers and As I read, I started to suspect that in the Ray of Creation sisters who feel unheard and abandoned. We have the schematic there might be correspondences to that of the amazing opportunity to offer a kind of love to our world Kabbalah, a subject I studied many years ago from the that doesn’t demand conformity and tribalism but instead Western esoteric looks for Christ in all people. With the polarization that has approach. I pulled developed in the past few years, we need the courage of out my copy of The the early Camaldolese martyrs to go out and to share the Mystical Qabalah by wine of Christ. Our forebearers knew that they had a life- Dion Fortune. Inter- giving message and were willing to give their lives to share estingly, the design on it. We can offer a quiet invitation to experience our unique the cover of this book hospitality and blessing that encourages others to share looks suspiciously their lives with us. similar to some of the diagrams in Cynthia’s Brother David Steindl-Rast says, book, and not just a little bit chiastic. In the We “live and breathe and have our being” by sharing back of this book, I in God’s life. Ultimately life is the primal energy that had noted a reference fuels the universe. That aliveness flows into us as bless- to Faith which read, “In ing and wants to flow out from us as blessing to others. the light of [mystical] We can bless others with a good word or a smile, a kind consciousness we of action that goes completely unobserved, or simply may define faith as a good wish in silence. What joy to become aware of the conscious result of blessing, of that special aliveness flowing into us and superconscious experience which has not been translated through us.1 into terms of brain consciousness, and of which, there- fore, the normal personality is not directly aware, though it C.S. Lewis says in The Four Loves, “To love at all is to be nevertheless feels, possibly with great intensity, the effects, vulnerable.”2 This can be terrifying, but this is what we and its emotional reactions are fundamentally and perma- are ultimately called to do. As Camaldolese oblates and nently modified thereby.”2 I was a bit surprised that this friends, it is our time to exercise our Third Good without spoke to me as long ago as the early 1980s, as I was then fear, knowing that we do indeed have the new wine. Our a neophyte in esoteric Christianity. It was not until recently wine can fill new wineskins as it is made fresh every day that I was introduced to the idea that “all has been present with the new life of Christ. from the beginning.” (I will refer to this idea further on.) I did not think of myself as a mystic, but in the absence of 1. David Steindl-Rast and Sharon Lebell, Music of Silence A Sacred Journey Through the Hours of the Day. conscious mystical experience I found the quote somehow 2. C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves. validating and reassuring. Reading it today, it confirms the progression of my faith journey with the understanding Andrea Seitz is a practicing psychotherapist and spiritual direc- that there is much more to consciousness, as well as faith, tor in Aptos, . She is an Oblate Mentor, having been than meets the eye. an oblate since 2005. Andrea lived at Incarnation Monastery for one year and counts it as one of the most significant years of her In young adulthood, after discovering that my spiritual spiritual life. She has a loving family and enjoys spending as much beliefs no longer fit into the theological paradigms and time with them as possible. practice of mainstream Christianity, I felt disillusioned by the institution that had so comfortingly nurtured me contemplation.com ~ 7 OBLATE COMMUNITY AND PEER MENTORING through an unstable childhood and teenage period. During understand the expanding and evolving universe, so too those years, as with so many people of my generation who are we humans expanding and evolving in consciousness. came of age in the late 1960s and early 1970s, eastern Paraphrasing evolutionary cosmologist Brian Swimme, thought began to penetrate my nascent ideologies. My first all that is, and all that continues to unfold in the universe exposure came through the Theosophical Society, and the and in consciousness was present in the fireball that we church founded by some of the society’s early members, call the Big Bang. The universe now is coming into being the Liberal . Later it was a deep encounter in consciousness, and we are the species in which the with Buddhist practice that led me to a deeper, more satis- universe becomes aware of itself. 4 This is the eternally new fying, contemplative approach to the Divine. Periodically, I wine that has always been there, that for which we are attempted to return to the church of my childhood, always called to create and be the new wineskins, and embody hoping to find the missing links that I was now discovering the new wine, now that we begin to have the organs to do elsewhere, usually to no avail. (However, I always enjoyed so. This is good news for me because it opens the eyes of the music!) my heart to a path of return to the center. In the words of T. S. Eliot: Perhaps it was when my cousin handed me a copy of Cynthia Bourgeault’s The Wisdom Jesus (Shambhala, 2008) With the drawing of this Love and the voice of this Calling about ten years ago that I began to see that indeed I might We shall not cease from exploration be discovering for myself a new understanding of the And the end of all our exploring Christian way. This new personal vision would incorporate Will be to arrive where we started those missing links of mysticism and contemplation that And know the place for the first time.5 I could not find in the mainstream; this came along with a parallel plunge into a new interest in the evolution of consciousness. Cynthia led me to others, including Bede Griffiths and Bruno Barnhart, and through them of course, 1. Bruno Barnhart, The Good Wine: Reading John from the Center to New Camaldoli. (New York, Paulist Press, 1993). 2. Dion Fortune, The Mystical Qabalah (Ibis Books, 1979) When I was studying theosophy, I had a very limited sense 3. Bruno Barnhart, ed., The One Light: Bede Griffiths’ Principal of the meaning and significance of consciousness, as it is Writings (Springfield, Templegate Publishers, 2001). being discussed and explored on the quantum level today. 4. Brian Swimme, Canticle to the Cosmos (italicized) (Center for Today I would say that my primary spiritual pull or calling is the Story of the Universe, 1990), DVD series. coming from the field of evolutionary consciousness, where 5. T. S. Eliot, “Little Gidding,” Four Quartets, lines 238–24. I suspect also lies the matter of Christ consciousness. Bede Griffiths wrote, “Life and consciousness are already present Dorothea Derickson is an interspiritual denizen of the Oregon in matter from the beginning, but there were no organs 3 coast, where she shares her hermitage with two cat companions. through which they could act.” It is the unfolding of Cosmic She is an Oblate Postulant of New Camaldoli Hermitage, having time that has produced these organs, and continues to been drawn to this path through the writings of Bede Griffiths evolve them. As we have come to discover and begin to and Bruno Barnhart.

With the drawing of this Love and the voice of this Calling

We shall not cease from exploration And the end of all our exploring Will be to arrive where we started And know the place for the first time. T. S. Eliot, “Little Gidding”

8 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage OBLATE COMMUNITY AND PEER MENTORING New Wineskins Retreat thirst for life greater than oneself, and a movement to serve the marginalized and the earth, integrating contemplation Helena Chan, Oblate, OSB Cam. and action in the context of daily life. In his ecumenical work, thriving new monastic communities in England have The Asilomar retreat in 2013 celebrated the 1000th been catalyzed by mentoring relationships between monas- anniversary of our Camaldolese family. It inspired us as tics and new experimenters, as well as institutional support volunteers to organize a yearly Camaldolese formation from the Anglican Community. How might we connect the retreat for friends and oblates to grow for the next 1000 dots from the roots of the Camaldolese charism to these years. The retreat is an intentional place to develop rela- hungers? And how might we foster dialogue and experi- tionships, engage challenging new ideas, dialogue, and co- mental relationships? create this beloved community together. Our 8th annual retreat called together 115 attendees from multiple conti- In Fr. Adam’s community, there is a fundamental belief that nents, all three monastic communities (Fr. Andrew, Fr. Ste- intimacy with God is available to all, and that members phen, and Fr. Cyprian), Fr. Adam Bucko, and Sr. Margaret are partners in transfiguring the world. The Rule of Life Diener, OP, to talk about our theme of New Wineskins— integrates elements of Benedictine, Carmelite, and Francis- new monastic movements and how we as Camaldolese can traditions in the ways of: organizing prayers and time might respond to the spiritual landscape of America. Due around the daily office, silence and friendship with God, and to the pandemic, we offered the retreat online, which actively responding to poverty and ecological sustainability. included livestreamed Mass with an oblation, Sr. Margaret Diener surveyed a musical presentation the spiritual landscape as “Hidden Manna” by Fr. The wedding guests cannot fast while the bride- ripe with seekers who need Cyprian and groom is with them, can they? As long as they supportive relationships to Hebert streamed on You- have the bridgegroom with them, they cannot fast. meet their human needs Tube, and IT support (to in their jobs and daily lives. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken witness to hospitality!). These seekers are finding The synoptic away from them, and then they will fast on that these needs met in Eastern each have the story of day. . . . And no one puts new wine into old wine- traditions that offer depth of the calling of Levi fol- skins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and spiritual practice and com- lowed by the question of munity, as well as evangelical the wine is lost, and so are the skins; but one puts fasting, which contains Christian communities that the title of the retreat new wine into fresh wineskins. focus on taking care of their theme—New Wineskins. – Mark 2:18-20, 22 people. This contrasts with In Mark, the question of mainline Christian institutions fasting brings together that are failing to address a disciples of John, Jesus, weak social fabric in America: the Pharisees, and the transformative adult Christian people (perhaps a metaphor for seekers today) who ask formation, and the cultivation of a spirit of community. How the question, “Why do John’s disciples and the disciples of do we share our stories in community and act collectively the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” with holy purpose?

Jesus replies with a question and more, “The wedding Sr. Margaret painted a metaphor from wine making—break- guests cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them, can ing open fruit from old and new vines. Old vines are less they? As long as they have the bridgegroom with them, productive, but add a depth of character. The Dominican they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom 800-year tradition brings breaking open the Word of God, is taken away from them, and then they will fast on that seeking truth, and having courage to dialogue with differ- day. . . . And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; ence to the table. What does the old vine of the Camaldo- otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lese way bring to the table? How do we invite others into lost, and so are the skins; but one puts new wine into fresh the journey of total love and inclusion of Jesus? wineskins.” (Mark 2:18–20, 2:22) Welcome to the conversation, beloved community. The Gospels pose a question that we must ask over and Send your thoughts, prayers, and reflections to over again: What are we called to in the current time, in [email protected] to keep the dialog alive relation to the ancient tradition? Just as the Gospel has and build this community. multiple communities in it for the question, we too, are not exclusive stewards of this tradition. There are other faithful followers and new seekers who are just hearing about the Helena Chan has been an oblate of New Camaldoli Hermitage for way of love for the first time. ten years. She holds a Ph.D. in electrical engineering, and is past recipient of an Asian American Engineer of the Year award at Na- Fr. Adam Bucko observed the hunger he encounters in his tional Engineers Week. Her passion is to cultivate workplace and ministry and relationships with emerging seekers: a search spiritual communities inspired by the Camaldolese charism. for identity, a desire for serious commitment to prayer, a

contemplation.com ~ 9 OBLATE COMMUNITY AND PEER MENTORING of the second millennium. The Camaldolese congregation Renewal of Heart and Soul of the Order of St. Benedict, established a century later, is Fr. Steve Coffey, OSB Cam. the fruit. Lino Vigilucci in his seminal work Camaldoli states that “[d]uring the priorship of Guido I, the sixth successor The bridegroom is here and the wedding is about to take to St. Romuald, the Hermitage of Camaldoli already found place. God’s new thing, his blessing and salvation, begins itself the head of more than twenty monasteries and her- with the bridegroom’s mission. If it is possible to fast in mitages with a fair number of hermits, cenobites, nuns and anticipation of the Day of God, why should we not take part oblates.” Such an arrangement was indeed a fresh wineskin in the wedding feast when the bridegroom is here? But we of the monastic 12th century. should not be satisfied with half-measures. Does anyone mend an old garment with a piece of unprepared cloth that The papal bull of Paschal II Nostris Quidem Tempori- will shrink when it becomes wet? Of course not, because bus, issued on November 4, 1113, officially recognized the that would lead to another tear alongside the first. Also no Camaldolese congregation of the Order of St. Benedict. one would go to a wedding feast in old patched clothes— The pope noted: “In our day, the religious importance of we would put on the wedding garment that God offers us. the Hermitage and Monastery of Camaldoli has spread Who would put new wine in and grown so much that, with old skins? Fermenting wine God’s grace, many monasteries would burst them! For a new have united into one congre- proclamation we need a new gation and many houses have heart! Such is the context of adopted the same discipline, “new wineskins” in the Gospel lifestyle, and government, of Mark that we hear from as though they were of one during this liturgical year. heart and soul.” He concludes the decree with this stunning Some Scripture scholars sug- blessing: “But may the peace of gest that the Gospel of Mark our Lord Jesus Christ be with was written to help prepare those who would be involved catechumens for baptism, the with these monasteries in a leaving behind of the old self, just manner, and so harvest and the putting on of the here on earth the fruit of their new wedding garment where good works and receive the the wine will be drunk from reward of eternal life from the fresh skins. The prologue of highest justice. Amen. Amen. the Rule of St. Benedict was Amen.” A fresh skin holding the originally a baptismal homily. new wine of the Camaldolese Verse 21 stands at its center: charism in the century follow- “Clothed then with faith and ing the foundation of Camal- the performance of good doli. The papal bull references works, let us set out on this a union of “heart and soul.” It is way, with the Gospel for our that union, symbolized by the guide, that we may deserve to Camaldolese logo that will be see him who has called us at the heart of the project for to his kingdom.” Of course, the new wineskins for our Rule of St. Benedict was that millennium. which St. Romuald professed, when he became a monk This calls for the renewal of of Sant’Apollinare in Classe, each one’s heart and soul. and which he bequeathed to So as we begin the season of his disciples, even before he Lent with the “gospel for our founded Camaldoli in 1012 guide,” we are reminded that (?). [The actual date remains God has made a covenant with uncertain.] us in Christ. He is the bride- groom, but the wedding songs Our recent Camaldolese re- Vision of St Romuald, after Andrea Sacchi; the saint sitting under a are often difficult to hear. The treat focused on this theme of tree in the right foreground and addressing five disciples; in the bridegroom has been taken background, monks seen climbing up steps. c.1803/09 “New Wineskins.” Adam Bucko, © The Trustees of the British Museum from us, but our hearts are one of the keynote speakers, ready and we are awake and referenced the New Monasticism movement in which he is waiting. We know that he is still alive. Then desiring God involved. Certainly both oblates and monks are in a discern- and loving one another, we will know that feast is still being ing search for the 21st century skins to hold the precious celebrated, and the wine is being poured from fresh skins wine of the Camaldolese charism. Certainly this search par- into our hearts and souls today. The dawn of the resurrec- allels that of St. Romuald and his first disciples at the dawn tion is already here.

10 ~ New Camaldoli Hermitage OBLATE COMMUNITY AND PEER MENTORING Activities and Visitors

Due to the pandemic restrictions, there was still very little movement on and off the property this winter.

DECEMBER We had a muted and simple but beautiful celebration of Advent, Christmas and the New Year; Fr. Cyprian spent time with the brothers at Monastery of the Risen Christ.

JANUARY Cyprian had a visit with Fr. Fish in Santa Cruz and the brothers at Incarnation Monastery, then spent some time with his family in Arizona; late in January we had to close the retreat house in anticipation of an atmospheric river that dumped up to 15 inches of rain on the Big Sur coast, which in turn caused a 150-foot section of Highway 1 to collapse into the ocean (we were not able to re-open until February 19 when the highway to the south finally re-opened to traffic.); and the prior’s Advisory Board held a virtual meeting.

FEBRUARY Easter eggs have been on my mind lately. Fr. Zacchaeus underwent a double That’s no big surprise at this season, you bypass at the VA Hospital in Palo Alto might say. But what I’ve been thinking about and spent several weeks recovering as a is that our Easter eggs are rather inadequate guest of our good friends, the sisters at symbols for what we are celebrating at this Villa Maria del Mar in Santa Cruz. season: new life. You’ll have to wait for a long time if you expect MARCH a chick to emerge from a hard-boiled egg. And 10 out of 13 of us received our Coronavirus vaccinations, then there are the elaborately decorated ones moving us toward “herd immunity”; we were able to wel- (usually hollow at that) which no chick with come, Will Hunter, our first Ora et Labora candidate in a any aesthetic sensibility will dare to shatter. long while; Br. James Makil re-entered the community as Yet, what intrigues me is the fact that new life a monk just before Holy Week; and Zacchaeus returned to demands shattering of the old. us from his recovery time––and we were so glad to see him again, and looking so healthy! – Brother David Steindl-Rast The triannual newsletter is published by the Camaldolese Hermits of America for our friends, oblates, and sponsors. Director: Prior Cyprian Consiglio, OSB Cam. What the Monks Are Reading Editor: Lisa Benner, Oblate, OSB Cam. Editing Team: Caitlin Lorenc, Lorienne Schwenk, Fr. Cyprian: Christophany by Raimon Panikkar; The Phil McManus and Br. Martin Herbek Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman Design: Debi Lorenc Fr. : Brave New World by Aldous Huxley; Letter to a Development: Jill Gisselere Suffering Church by Robert Barron Photo Credits Br. Hugh, OSCO: Vatican I and Vatican II: Councils in the Cover, pages 3, 4, 5, 8: Debi Lorenc Living Tradition by Kristin Colberg; Happiness in God by Page 6: Doug Menuez Dom Marie Gerard Dubois Page 11: Mary Pat George Br. Martin: Crises of the Republic by Hannah Arendt; If you have questions or comments, please email Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Prophet for Our Timeby Fr. Bonnell [email protected]. Spencer, O.H.C. New Camaldoli Hermitage 62475 Highway 1 Staff Big Sur, CA 93920 Lisa Washio-Collette: The Showings of Julian of Norwich by Mirabai Starr Visit us at www.contemplation.com and “New Camaldoli Hermitage” on Facebook. Rich Veum: A Promised Land by Barack Obama contemplation.com ~ 11 Dear friends,

In the early afternoon of January 6th, I had just finished presiding and preaching at Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany, and I was driving across the mountains and desert on my way to Arizona to attend to some family business. I casually switched the radio to a news channel to find out how the confirmation of the electoral votes had gone in Congress. Thus I inadvertently heard the horrific events unfold in Washington D.C. that day in real time. Like most people across the country and around the world, I was stunned and horrified, and could hardly believe what I was hearing. The whole situation came even closer to home a few days later when I found out that one of the main protagonists of the riot was the son of an old friend of mine.

Along with the Holy Father and the United States Conference of Catholic , I—and I am sure I speak for the brothers on this as well—deplore the use of violence for political or civil means, especially this despicable assault on our nation’s capital while the lawmakers were carrying out one of their most sacred duties— the peaceful transfer of power. Roll those words around in your mind and on your lips a bit: “the peaceful transfer of power.” This is what some other countries dream of, and what we Americans have been known for the world over for well over two hundred years now.

I noticed that Mr. Biden began Inauguration Day by participating in 8:45 morning Mass at St. Matthew’s Church in Washington D.C., as is common for him. He was accompanied notably by his old friend Mitch McConnell. We pray, and we invite you to do so as well, that our new president, along with the several Catholic mem- bers of his cabinet, will not only let himself and his administration be guided by the best of Catholic social teaching and a consistent ethic of life from the womb to natural death, but that he will also have the strength of character to return civility to our political discourse and bring healing to our fractured nation, which has until now been a beacon of hope for so long for so many in the world.

But let’s do more than pray, because we all have and have had a part to play in this, too. Words matter! Let’s pledge from today forward to be mindful of what we say, what we write, what we post, how we alienate, weaponize or objectify each other. May we ourselves, as the Eucharistic Prayer says, be a sign of unity and an instrument of peace in all we say and do.

Yours in the love of God poured into our hearts by the Spirit living in us,

Prior Cyprian, OSB Cam.