Assumption ABBEY NEWSLETTER Volume 48, Number 4 Richardton, ND 58652 October, 2020 Your Own Story Every family has stories; some of them draw members together, some push members apart. My version of how the cake toppled at Paul and Sandra’s wedding will be different from Paul’s version of the very same story. We all know how an incident is remembered differently by various individuals, somewhat like the blind men and the elephant: they encounter the same animal, but when asked Brother Symeon Rubbelke in the Abbey cemetery. what the elephant is like, the answer depends entirely upon universe is too vast. But because we are, changing our personal who responds, on what part of stories are how we make sense stories can change our lives. the animal each man touched. of the world, then exactly how This can happen on an “The elephant is like a fat we tell our stories is how we individual as well as a collective snake” says the one who felt the come to see things. According level: a people “own” stories. trunk. “Oh no,” says another. to Lori Gottlieb, an American The Old Testament is a “The elephant is like a fan” writer and psychotherapist, the collection of stories owned, told because he had touched the ear. way we remember and narrate and retold by the Hebrew “Not at all,” says the third. “The our stories is ultimately the way people. The New Testament is elephant is like a tree trunk” we become; it’s what we are owned by Christians. because he had reached for one telling ourselves about our- A poignant example of a of the animal’s legs. “The selves. If we nourish grievances, story recalled by different elephant is like a wall,” says the for instance, we become people can be seen in a pair of fourth because he had placed resentful. If we look back with films directed and co-produced his hand on the animal’s side. pleasure and thankfulness we by Clint Eastwood. His “Flags “You are all wrong,” said the are likely to be grateful by habit. of Our Fathers” and “Letters fifth. “The elephant is like a “Only you can write your from Iwo Jima” are both about rope,” because he had grabbed stories,” Gottleib says. “The the battle of Iwo Jima, but one the animal’s tail. None of the story I tell is absolutely true . . . is told from the American point blind men were wrong; it’s just from my point of view. What we of view and the other is from that each of them was right tell is a story about ourselves, the Japanese perspective. In the according to his limited and there’s always another American version—“Flags of experience. version of that story.” (See Lori Our Fathers”—the Marines, Gottlieb on YouTube.) Being a after immense sacrifice and And everyone’s experience therapist, she looks to broaden heroic action, take the island is limited. No single individual and deepen a client’s stories, and raise the American flag on can encounter all of life. The because if we don’t like the way Mount Suribachi, as shown in the iconic photograph captured But too often, we allow by Joe Rosenthal of the others to tell the story for us. At Associated Press. In the times, when life is over- Japanese version of the battle— whelming, it can be easier to let “Letters from Iwo Jima”—the someone else explain what has island is overrun due to happened; we allow ourselves Japanese soldiers suffering to believe in the sensational from poor nutrition, unsanitary because difficult aspects of life conditions and having to follow seem to require big, overblown despotic orders in the line of reasons. The result can be duty. The two films serve as villages in time of war. Prince dangerous: for instance, ac- bookends for discussion about Maximilian simply assumed cepting a conspiracy theory that Iwo Jima. Neither story is that the people he reported lines up good guys against bad complete without the other. about were like every society he guys even while disseminating With some seventy-five years had known: the father or the libel, fanning hatred, all of it behind us, we have, perhaps, chief was head of the family based upon lies. We are fearful gained perspective and and descent was traced through and angry because we believe sympathy so that we can him, that women were only a stories that are unsubstantiated, understand World War II as a complement to men, and and, in many cases, baseless. far more complex story than subservient. (About this phenomenon see the one about good guys against lead article by Adrienne bad guys. It may not be enough to LaFrance in the June 2020 issue remind ourselves that of The Atlantic magazine.) If I’m Sometimes the story does Maximilian’s viewpoint was not careful about the stories I not seem complete because the incomplete. As human beings, listen to and begin to own, I individual telling it does not we all have to listen and learn. stand a good chance of have eyes for what is right in We look upon our existence in becoming an angry, vengeful front of him. When Maximilian the world as one big story to individual. zu Wied-Neuwied, a German tell, and it is: it’s a huge story to tell, much bigger than any one There are stories we should prince, traveled through what listen to and stories we should is now North Dakota in 1832, he story can contain, bigger than any origin story is able to not; stories based upon facts encountered the Mandan and that can be checked and cross- Hidatsa Native Americans. He convey, bigger than any scientific theory can formulate. checked, and stories based upon responded to them quite like rumor and lies. If I am not other white explorers before We have made stories: the creation account in Genesis, the careful, I can accept a story him, assuming that males ran based entirely upon nothing the show, that Mandan and “Big Bang” theory, Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of more than smoke, and in this Hidatsa societies were patri- age of political polarization, archal as European societies Species, to name a few. To suggest that any of these stand smoke is a bad way to go, were, and that women had very especially when each political little say, that women should alone as the only truth would be a failure to listen and to learn. side thinks that the other side is have very little say. However, misled. the Mandan and the Hidatsa— They are stories—extremely as we know now from valuable as such—and each anthropological studies—had a tells an aspect of the whole. The following is a true story. matriarchal society: a form of Back in 1918, during the anti- social organization in which Going back to Iwo Jima, if German hysteria of World War descent and relationships are any of us had been there during I, a man was reported to the reckoned through the female those days of battle, we’d come authorities for anti-American line and not the male line, away asking, “What hap- activity. His neighbors knew which made enormous sense, pened?” The need to tell a story him as the “Hun” because he given that so many Native men is a need to make sense of what spoke German, and therefore died while hunting dangerous would otherwise remain must be an alien from Germany. bison or while defending their senseless chaos. They reported that he had burned an American flag: a happened to Brother Frederick leaders deliberately deploy huge disgrace. They announced Schuchard who became a lay competing truths, or part of the that he also belonged to a secret brother at Assumption Abbey truth, to create an impression of pro-German party, along with after his wife died in 1947.) reality that they know is not several local German-speaking true. farmers who were also aliens. No doubt Frederick’s neigh- bors thought that they were They met in the secret of the Americans are free. We can night, to plot against the being responsible by reporting un-American activities. The say whatever we like. And so American government. The we can either tell the truth— Hun’s neighbors said that if the Marshal probably thought he was serving the law by insofar as we know it—to authorities did not go after him, engage people and inspire good they would be forced to take discrimination based upon language. Americans were action, or we can deploy our matters into their own hands. version of the truth so that The Hun’s name was Frederick. frightened of Germans in 1918. Germans were frightened of people are deliberately misled. He was summoned by the “Truth comes in many forms, United States Marshal to appear Americans. But sometimes we tell stories to bring people and experienced commu- in court and explain himself. nicators can exploit its vari- The summons stated that he down. None of us is perfect; we say and do nasty things to each ability to shape our impression was suspected of being “not of reality,” says Macdonald. In entirely in sympathy with the other, and we spread rumors because it feels good to do so. our country, politicians seem to United States in its present war do well based upon how situation.” When I pass along scandal about someone else, it makes effectively they can spin the me feel better about myself truth, such that it creates a false because the focus is upon impression: it’s not a lie, Frederick did appear before someone else’s wrongdoing. exactly, but it’s not the truth. the Marshal, and explained that The reason gossip is so harmful What is left out allows for gross he was an American, born in is because it is usually based misinterpretation. The poli- Gilman, IL, where his father had upon lies, or facts that have tician can’t be called a liar, but also been born. True, he did been scrambled, and if gossip is he allows people to be misled speak German. His wife had the way in which I make sense by a partial truth, or a truth been born in Germany. It was of the world, then my world is taken out of context. There is she who burned a flag, not him. based upon lies—a house built even a word for this activity; it’s But it was not the American flag upon sand—and furthermore, called paltering. We see it all the she burned; it was a Princeton how I see things is tainted with time on news channels when a University banner that their son ill will. The way we remember politician does not actually was using as a blanket on his and narrate our stories is answer the question. Instead, he bed. Frederick’s wife had found ultimately the way we become. responds with a fact: a state- evidence of bed bugs and I become a liar telling lies, and ment that often deliberately burned all the bedding, a fool who believes in lies. misleads the listener. As for including the banner. instance in 1998, when Jim Lehrer asked President Bill According to Hector Clinton on the “PBS News Frederick’s story was not Macdonald in his book Truth: Hour” if there was an improper enough. He had to swear How the Many Sides to Every relationship between himself allegiance to the American flag. Story Shape Our Reality, there and Monica Lewinsky. The Still, the Marshal was not are three different types of com- President answered, “there is impressed because Frederick municators: advocates select not a sexual relationship” and his wife spoke German. competing truths that create a which was technically true Therefore he was not entirely reasonably accurate impression because he used the present exonerated. As a result, of reality in order to achieve a tense in his answer. But his Frederick lost his job as a constructive goal; misinformers statement was entirely mis- teacher and was forced to move innocently propagate com- leading. Jim Lehrer and most his family to another state and peting truths that uninten- viewers inferred from the start all over again. (This tionally distort reality; mis - President’s response that he had never had a sexual conscious mental life. How true Jesus Prayer over and over frees relationship with Monica are the stories that a client tells us from any sort of negative Lewinsky. The truth, as they himself? inner dialogue and replaces too were later to find out, was that much mental activity and yes he had an improper sexual Cognitive therapy is based anxiety with reassurance and relationship with Lewinsky, but on the concept that the way we calm. Soon, we are more that relationship was over by think about things affects how attentive to the formula January 21, 1998, when Bill we feel. A therapist will want to prayer—to God—than we are to Clinton was interviewed. stop the negative story the ourselves and this is how, client has created for himself outside of therapy, we can Paltering is so common and help him to come up with reprogram the brain. We today that there are websites a new way of thinking. “Is become aware that we cannot devoted to fact-checking: everyone around you really full hide anything from God and we Politifact, FactCheck, Snopes, of anger?” or “Are you really would not want to. Our and perhaps a half dozen more. the worst person in the world?” complete selves are exposed to The risks of paltering are, of A good therapist aims for a God’s healing action. course, that no one believes you more truthful story. True anymore when the deception is humility is somewhere between This is the calm that takes discovered. They see you as a ego enlargement and ego place during Benedictine lectio cheat and they don’t want to do disparagement: who are you divina when a short passage of business with you and they really and truly? Urging the Scripture is read slowly, or over don’t trust you anymore. client to reframe his story might and over again, until it becomes Politicians, however, are be a challenge because thinking a fulcrum for prayerful immune—even rewarded—if oneself the worst person in the attention. And, under the they say what constituents world means, of course, that influence of the age-old want to hear, whether it’s true things are hopeless, and Scriptures, a personal story can or not. therefore the client doesn’t have begin to parallel the story of to change or interact with Israel, not that the parallel Such things are important people. He can stay miserable. would, in any way, take away because stories are how we (A narcissistic personality is the unique and singular make sense of the world. How less likely to seek therapy since, personal story: we tell stories is how we come in an ego-enlarged mind, to see things. The way we everyone else needs the All humankind is of one author, and is remember and narrate our one volume; when one man dies, one therapy, not him. But if his chapter is not torn out of the book, but stories is ultimately the way we personal stories are all about translated into a better language; and become. If our stories are partial how bad they are, and how every chapter must be so translated; God truths that amount to lies, innocent he is, he certainly employs several translators: some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, information designed to de- needs to reframe those stories.) some by war, some by justice; but God’s ceive, we can quickly come to hand is in every translation; and his hand believe that all of life is a game Therapy is important shall bind up all our scattered leaves of deception. because how we tell our story again, for that library where every book shall lie open to one another. can also be how we pray. We Envy, greed, anger, or carry inner dialogue with us to – John Donne, Meditation xvii: No Man resentment: these are a sort of prayer, our autopilot that can Is an Island. lie, too, that can quickly engulf be a hindrance to growth. “Why a person: the story he tells about me? Poor me!” Or perhaps it’s others poisons his own life. “I can’t pray. God doesn’t listen With the help of God’s grace, to me.” through exposure to prayer and The job of a therapist is lectio divina, we can be often to listen to a client’s story Prayer should be a refuge transformed by what we tell and—given an integrated body against the pest that the inner ourselves every day. Our stories of observations and theories on voice can be. Formula prayers will be absolutely true and filled personality development, moti- can save us, acting as a barrier with the genuine humility that vation and behavior—assess against too much of ourselves. saints have, stories that reflect the total conscious and un- To say the “Hail Mary” or the trust. �

4 Brother Stephen Professes Vows From the Archives: Br. Elias ThienpontBr. Elias Assumption Abbey archives Abbey Assumption Brother Stephen Johnson with the Holy Bishop Vincent Wehrle at Elbowoods in 1915 in a touring car. One of the first things Rule in his hands. His parents are in the he did as Bishop of Bismarck was to give Fort Berthold over to the missionary care his background on either side of him. Benedictine monks in 1910. The Abbey has maintained a presence on Fort Berthold, up to this day, with Father Basil Atwell serving the mission of Sacred Heart in White On Saturday, July 11, 2020, Shield. on the feast of St. Benedict, Patriarch of Western Monas- in Botany and minors in Aldevron in Fargo. “I expected ticism, Stephen Johnson of German, Chemistry and that monastic life would Fargo, ND, pronounced simple Statistics. involve extensive periods of vows for three years in the being alone, in silence” Br. presence of Abbot Daniel The third child in a family Stephen says, “like in a retreat Maloney and the Abbey com- of six children, Br. Stephen’s setting. But in actuality, monks munity. In an unusual move, two older sisters are twins, and spend a lot of time with one Abbot Daniel allowed Stephen both are in surgical residencies. another socially.” He entered to keep his baptismal name, His immediate younger sister is the community on January 10, rather than bestowing a new doing an internship in civil 2019, and has spent six months religious name upon him, as is engineering and attending as a candidate, and one year customary. However, his patron NDSU. His younger brother and a day as a novice. was changed from St. Stephen and youngest sister are in of Hungary to St. Stephen the middle and elementary school Br. Stephen considered protomartyr. Brother Stephen’s in Fargo. His father, Mark, visiting a Trappist abbey at one parents, Mark and Loriann, and teaches history and political time, but realized, after coming his two youngest siblings, were science at Minnesota State to Assumption Abbey, that he present for the ceremony. Community and Technical wanted to join the community. College and his mother Loriann One of the things that im- Br. Stephen was born in is a physical therapist with pressed him was the natural Baton Rouge, LA, in 1996, but Mobility Plus. environment of the prairies. grew up in Fargo where he “The beautiful landscape of our attended Bennett Elementary, Br. Stephen was prepared abbey allows me to witness Discovery Middle School, for monastic life because he was creation in the happening, and Davies High School, and NDSU. praying the divine office on his working in the garden is, in a He graduated from NDSU own, before entering. At that certain sense, to be a co-creator summa cum laude with a major time, he was working for with God.”

5 Anyone who knows Br. Stephen has experienced his kindness and consideration, virtues he considers central to Christian life. And he looks Br. Michael Taffe, O.S.B. forward to giving of himself generously as a Benedictine without leaving pools of water monk. “The first great com- A tremendous “Thank You” mandment is to love God with to splash through. Everyone is to generous donors who made happy: the delivery trucks that all your heart, soul and mind. the resurfacing project possible All types of people are expected roll in almost every day to drop on the north, northeast and east off groceries and supplies for to do this, with all types of side of the Abbey, which vocations,” Br. Stephen says. “I the kitchen and elsewhere, the included the main entryway, cooks who park their vehicles see religious life in a Bene- the east parking lot, the area dictine monastery as the context there while working, the par- around the Pottery building ishioners who prefer to enter the in which I’ve been called to live and the north parking lot. This that commandment. Nothing church from the north door, the can be a more worthwhile thing monks who walk there, and the to do then to live out the many visitors who drive in to commandments of God. His see the Visitors’ Center and the callings, and particularly the gift shop. We are deeply callings to sacrifice and grateful for your kindness and responsibility, are the path to a pray that God blesses you! � joyful and fulfilled life.” �

Photo by Br. John Pat Arnett was an expensive undertaking, but so necessary. And now that it’s finished, the new pavement is like driving on silk! No more ruts, cracks or potholes in the asphalt. The rain drains away Photo by Br. John Pat Arnett �

Please include the names of my loved ones in your 2020 November month of Masses for the faithful departed:

Please return your names using the enclosed envelope and we will write them into our Book of the Living.

Your loved ones will be remembered in our prayers throughout the month of November.

Thank you for your petition and prayers.

Questions should be directed to Br. Michael Taffe, OSB, by calling

(701) 974-3315 or [email protected]

6 August 14: On the vigil of Spain. In 2012 Magda was CHRONICLE the Assumption, our biggest diagnosed with a tumor on one feast day, lightning strikes the of her lungs. Besides the June 24: After 2nᵈ Vespers of west bell tower at about 1:00 in medical tests and treatments the Nativity of John the Baptist, the morning, knocking out that she had to undergo, she the presider, cantors and server elevator service, the church also wanted to explore her return to a sacristy filled with sound system, and setting off spirituality and religious side, smoke. A live coal was in- the fire alarm. Almost no one especially through prayer. advertently chucked into the gets out of bed. (We are Though a practicing Catholic, waste basket. Thank goodness supposed to leave the building she wanted to deepen her faith. for small favors: if Vespers had at once and assemble in the She had known Fr. Ignasi been any longer there may have cafeteria until we count heads slightly before this and asked been flames! � and discover the source of the him to accompany her and lead fire.) Brothers Jacob, Alban and her on this journey. The book July 10: Brs. Placid and John go to the church. They consists of their emails, social Jacob are out spraying weeds in smell smoke, and so they climb media posts to each other, and the pastures. They argue about the towers but they discover no other notes. The one down-side who should drive the pickup; fire. We have been “touched” by of this book is that we do not whomever it was, a tire is the heavens on our feast day! � know what they talked about punctured and Jacob must walk when they were actually with to the Abbey in the rain, August 18: Sometimes each other; but that is okay! Fr. returning with another vehicle things seem to conspire against Ignasi gave her some places to to fetch Placid. Age before one’s better efforts. Our sound start, but it turned out that beauty! � system in the church has been much of her desire was out since the lightning strike, addressed by the psalms. For July 12: We are eating and workers have arrived to example, early in the book garden produce: rhubarb, peas, repair the roof of the east nave Madga was on a trip with her beans, carrots, corn. A bashtan aisle. Their intense banging, and husband to a beautiful spot and (German-Russian) or a bustan our un-amplified efforts, make Fr. Ignasi suggested she pray (Arabic) is a garden away from for a very difficult time Psalm 19 as a prayer of home where crops are planted understanding what is being thanksgiving for God’s that can survive without too read at Morning Prayer. At least creation. So, this book is a much care, such as melons, it is not being read in another wonderful reminder of how the potatoes, pumpkins and corn. language! � psalms can be foundational for Sometimes our garden–a whole us in all of the experiences of block away from the Abbey–can our lives. seem like such a place, especially when hauling boxes From the In the prologue of the book, of big zucchini to the kitchen. � Gabriel Magalhães writes that Library the book gives us three August 4: The Benedictine important conclusions. First, Sisters, who have moved from By Br. Michael Taffe that in our life of faith, there is Richardton into Dickinson, have a point in which we have to say donated their bell back to the “yes” even though we may not Abbey. This cast-iron bell was A fairly short book that I have all of the facts. Second, as the first used by our community would recommend is: Even we approach death, we want to and donated to the Sisters Though I Walk: One Woman’s keep all of our humanity intact sometime between 1916 and Journey of Prayer in the in spite of what the world may 1920 when the Sisters were in Shadow of Death (Liturgical throw at us. Third, as we enter Elbowoods. They brought it Press 2019) by Madga Heras a process of dying, we should with them to Garrison, then to and Ignasi Fossas, OSB. Magda embrace all of the love we can. Minot, then to Richardton. was a renowned cardiologist in Magda Heras truly exhibited all Brother Jacob took the skid steer Spain and Fr. Ignasi was the three steps through her over to the monastery to bring prior of the Benedictine experience with cancer. A truly it home again. � monastery of Montserrat in lovely book. �

7 Blessed John Eynon was a Benedictine monk who was acting as the pastor of the parish of St. Giles in Reading, England, Volume 48, Number 4 October, 2020 during the time of the dissolution of monasteries under the rule of Henry VIII. Published Quarterly in January, April, July and October Non-Profit Org. When John Eynon refused to for friends of Assumption Abbey. U.S. Postage surrender the parish to the PAID king’s authorities, he was Assumption Abbey Newsletter Richardton, ND accused of high treason and was P.O. Box A Permit No. 20 Richardton, ND 58652-0901 executed soon thereafter, on November 15, 1539, at the gates www.assumptionabbey.com of Reading Abbey, along with Hugh Faringdon, the abbot, and Return Service Requested another Reading Benedictine priest named John Rugg. They were hanged, drawn and quartered. On May 13, 1895, they were beatified by Pope Leo XIII. St. Giles’ Church is now a Church of England parish, but John Eynon is commemorated there by a carved wooden plaque. He is pictured in a stained glass window in St. James’ Roman Catholic Church next door that occupies part of the ruins of Reading Abbey. � Benedictine Saints October 15 is the feast day evangelize the pagan peoples of of Bruno of Querfurt, a Eastern Europe which placed Benedictine, bishop and him in a controversy between martyr, the “Apostle to the the pope and the patriarchate of Prussians” as St. Boniface was Constantinople. After diplo- the “Apostle to the Germans.” matic controversy in Prague, he He was born in 974 of the was sent to Kiev to make noble family of Querfurt, now Christian converts among the Saxony-Anhalt, and was a Pechenegs, a Turkish people relative of Otto III, the Holy living in modern-day Romania Roman Emperor, who made and Ukraine. In 1008, Bruno Bruno his court chaplain and eighteen companions set when he was only twenty- out to found a mission among one. While in Rome for Otto’s the Prussians. For his efforts coronation, Bruno decided to they beheaded him and hanged enter a Benedictine monastery most of his companions. Duke near Ravenna where he was Boleslaus the Brave bought the trained by St. Romuald, the bodies of these martyrs and founder of the Camaldolese brought them to Poland where Benedictines. In 1003, Pope they were buried in Przemyśl. Sylvester II appointed Bruno Bruno is venerated in both the An illumination from the Litlyngton an archbishop and sent him to Eastern and Western Church. Missal, 1383-84.