December 2017 Magazine
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A Message from the Office of the President Dear Friends, Blessings and Peace to you! As we prepare to celebrate the Solemnities of Christmas (yes, Christmas is almost here!) we are reminded that the liturgical season of Advent is MARMION traditionally a time of preparation to celebrate the birth The News Magazine of of Jesus Christ, our Savior. The Roman Missal states that: Marmion Abbey “Advent is a time of devout and expectant delight.” There and Academy is no better way to prepare ourselves than to renew our life of prayer and of listening to the voice of God in our lives. Pope Francis has stated that because our December 2017 | Vol. 68, No. 1 interior life frequently is … “caught up in its own interests and concerns, there is no longer room for others… God’s voice is no longer heard.” (The Joy of the Gospel, # 2) MARMION is published three times a year (December, April, August) by Marmion, 1000 One of the great spiritual disciplines and treasures that we Benedictine monks value is that of Butterfield Road, Aurora IL, listening to the gentle voice of God in our lives. Saint Benedict begins his Rule for Monks saying: 60502. “Listen carefully, my son....” In the abbey, our daily round of praying the Divine Office, pondering God’s Word, the daily celebration of the Eucharist, and the time that we set aside each day for Publisher: Lectio Divina, help us to stay attentive to “God’s voice.” This daily attentiveness to the voice and Rt. Rev. John Brahill OSB ‘67 the presence of God in a spirit of silence is at the heart of our Benedictine tradition, deeply rooted in our Catholic faith. Acknowledging God’s presence in prayer also enables us to welcome God in Editor: Madelyn Weed one another. This is at the very heart of all that we do here at Marmion Abbey, Marmion Academy, Abbey Farms and our Guatemala Mission. Associate Editor: Terri Rios It is this great tradition of prayerful attentiveness to God’s daily presence and Word of God that is Contributing Writers: Maria Asher also at the heart of the season of Advent. What better way to prepare for the Solemnities of Christmas Rt. Rev. John Brahill OSB ’67 than to renew our encounter with Christ by renewing our life of daily prayer and attentiveness to Bill Fox ’74 Christ present in one another. I encourage you to take some extra time out of your busy schedules Fr. Charles Reichenbacher OSB ’59 to attend daily Mass, to ponder the Psalms, to pray the Rosary, to take some time in silence to adore Terri Rios the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament, and to take some time at home to relax with your Anthony Tinerella ’84 family to appreciate how our Lord is present with you in your home. Madelyn Weed During our recent October meeting of Marmion’s Board of Trustees, we were reminded of the Photographers: wonderful story of the prophet Elijah in the Old Testament. Elijah had been instructed by God to Brian Cole ’81, Terri Rios go to the desert, to Mt. Horeb. There God would have instructions for him. “The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by. Then Cover Photo by Brian Cole ’81 a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but Send address changes to: the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the MARMION Magazine Editor earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire Marmion Academy came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and 1000 Butterfield Road stood at the entrance of the cave. A voice said to him, ‘Elijah, why are you here?’”(1 Kings 19) Aurora, IL 60502 During this Advent and Christmas season I encourage you to spend some time listening to Phone: (630) 897-6936 the “gentle whisper” of God’s voice speaking to you in your own heart. As we become more FAX: (630) 723-3072 accustomed to hearing God speak to us we will become more and more aware of God’s presence E-mail: [email protected] in our lives and in the lives of our families and of those around us. We will then be prepared to Web Site: marmion.org welcome the coming of Christ not only at Christmas but throughout the year and to make room for Christ in our lives; especially as Christ presents himself to us in the poor, in our loved ones, and in those whom we meet daily. Jesus was born in a stable because there was no room for him in the inn. Hopefully Jesus will find an open heart and room in each one of us this Christmas season. Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! Rt. Rev John Brahill, OSB ’67 Abbot 2 - President’s Letter Remembrances of Blessed Stanley Francisco Rother, Padre Apla’s by Fr. Cristóbal Coché Quic, OSB, Prior of Guatemala Mission, Priorato San José Editor’s Note: Blessed Stanley Francis Rother was a diocesan priest of Oklahoma City. He served as pastor at the parish of Santiago Atitlan, a mission parish of the Diocese of Oklahoma City, in Guatemala from 1968 – 1981. He was brutally murdered on July 28, 1981, inside of the parish rectory. On December 1, 2016 he was declared by Pope Francis a martyr for the faith and on September 23, 2017 was beatified in Oklahoma City. He is the first recognized martyr in the United States, and the first U.S.-born priest to be beatified in the history of the American Catholic Church. The personal remembrances of him that follow were written by Fr. Prior Cristóbal Coché Quic, OSB, a member of Marmion’s Guatemala mission of Priorato San José. Fr. Cristóbal is a native of Santiago Atitlán and personally knew Blessed Stanley Francis as a child and young man. I remember the and other needy people he years of the 1970’s was accused of being on and 80’s, when I had the side of the subversive the opportunity to groups. But in reality know Fr. Francisco Father only supported (Padre Apla’s, as he and cared for the needy, was affectionately visited prisoners and the known in Santiago sick, welcomed the poor, Atitlán in the giving them breakfast, lunch or dinner at the parish (more Tzutihil language). My father worked with him, both in the than once he invited me to have breakfast with him after field, planting wheat, tomatoes, vegetables and corn, and Mass). in the church, helping him as a catechist and minister of communion. Soon Fr. Francisco was threatened with death and he had to leave Santiago for a time. When he returned, the last time Fr. Francisco was dedicated to many things, helping the (Saturday before Easter Sunday, April 1981), while we were people in many different ways. He was a man who knew traveling together by boat on Lake Atitlán, I asked him if all the people of Santiago and their great needs. He was a he would return to the United States. He responded that serious man, always faithful to the Eucharistic celebration. the people in Santiago wanted him to stay with them and After Holy Mass, he used to go out to the church door to so he would stay with them. He asked me not to visit the greet the people. He was very kind and often joked a little parish for my own safety, so that I would not be accused as with the people, greeting everyone after all the celebrations, a guerrilla, and so I did as he told me. something that distinguished him as a parish priest. Everything changed when he was assassinated on July 28, Surely he noticed me when I participated in the evening 1981. It was a very hard blow for all the people, for my Masses, which is why when I was finishing elementary family and for me. We had lost our pastor, we cried and we school at the end of 1977, he personally invited me to go missed him. This is why we celebrate his death every year to the minor seminary to continue my studies. It should on July 28 and now he is our intercessor in heaven. be mentioned that the Benedictine minor seminary was in Sololá, now Seminary San José, in Quetzaltenango. Fr. Those who wanted to eliminate and silence Father Apla’s Francisco was always watching out for me. Although I had by killing him were mistaken. Blessed Fr. Stanley Francisco difficulty studying because I only spoke Tzutuhil, he always lives today and forever. We ask for his intercession for helped me to be self-confident and to make progress. Marmion Abbey and for our San José Priory. During his lifetime, he was a good friend of the priory monks. In 1979 the violence began in Guatemala. Clandestine groups, guerrillas, began to appear in different places; the A note from Father Cristóbal: Five years after the death of Fr. time of kidnappings and murders was beginning. I was Francisco, I entered monastic life as a Benedictine monk at San José Priory. just starting out at the minor seminary and many young 11 years after his death, I was ordained a priest. During my 25th year as a priest, Fr.