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PAX REGIS Vol. 77 No. 2 June 2018 The cover: Stained glass in the dome of the Abbey Church. Spirituality Year Overview Human and Spiritual Formation spirituality, and the liturgy. Presentations on In the fall of 2018, the Seminary of Christ selected formational topics also occur regularly. the King will begin its Spirituality Year Program It is expected that the candidates will read (sometimes referred to as a propaedeutic period) the whole Catechism and a major portion of the for all candidates who enter the seminary. The Bible during their year, be instructed briefly in purpose of the Spirituality Year is to help seminar- the spirituality of all the major liturgical feasts ians “form a priestly heart” in the atmosphere of and read selected Magisterial and Conciliar a Christian community. This involves acquiring a documents as well as a few important Catholic solid foundation for their faith, a habit of prayer, spiritual classics. and a deep personal love for the Word of God. Apostolic Work This time of formation (September to May) also Participants will engage in daily manual work prepares candidates to embrace their Christian/ and weekly apostolic outreach. They will come priestly vocation with greater freedom of heart. to experience the providence of God in a deeply As she states in her most recent guidelines for the personal way through a mini-pilgrimage in which training of future priests (2016), the Church now they will have to make due with a minimum considers programs like the Spirituality Year to amount of money and live close to the poor. be a regular part of seminary formation. While this year of formation takes place in The spiritual dimension is the mainstay a community that is distinct from the seminary of the program: daily Mass, the Liturgy of the community proper, there are regular opportuni- Hours, meditative lectio, Eucharistic adoration ties of prayer and recreation with the seminary and examination of conscience, as well as days community at various points during the week. of retreat. Also included as supporting elements Interaction with the Archdiocese of Vancouver of the spiritual life are regular spiritual direction is fostered by means of apostolic outreach. A and Confession, and regular input from other particular characteristic of the Spirituality Year is formators. Cultural days and basic life skills a media fast (limited use of TV, radio, cell phone supplement the human formation at this stage. and internet). Meditative Study The approach of the program is non-academic To Prefer Nothing to Christ and experiential, that is to say, courses are not for Each year may have different emphases within credit. It is hoped that, without the pressure of ac- the program to accommodate students’ needs ademic performance, seminarians can more easily and to nurture in them that love for Jesus Christ integrate the readings and discussions into a lived and the Blessed Virgin which alone transforms way of discipleship. Classes include: Scripture, everything we do and say and are. Such is our the Catechism of the Catholic Church, priestly hope for each Spirituality Year. PAX REGIS – Biannual publication of Westminster Abbey and the Seminary of Christ the King, Box 3310 Mission, B.C., Canada V2V 4J5. www.westminsterabbey.ca; [email protected] Publications Mail Agreement Number 40012235 Subscription: $5.00 a year. ISSN 0031-3335 2 Pax Regis Father Lawrence Bilesky 1930-2018 Fr. Lawrence (Leonard Anthony) Bilesky was the monastery. He was typically meticulous, born in Regina, SK, on March 24, 1930, and with an orderly yet artistic sense for tasks and died in the abbey infirmary on Easter Monday, spaces. He also helped maintain the heating sys- April 2, 2018. tem and installed the first gasoline tank on the His parents were Anthony and Theophi- property. On the abbey grounds, he did much of la (Mireau) Bilesky. Predeceased by his sister, the grading of the lawns and playing fields. His Lorraine Schmidt, and brothers Cyril & Ger- longest-held job, though, was the maintenance ald Bilesky, Fr. of the telephone Lawrence is now system, which he survived by many carried on until a cousins and neph- few months before ews and nieces. he died. In 1934 his fam- Upon gradua- ily moved to Van- tion from the sem- couver, BC, where inary, he started they eventually teaching Latin, settled on Lulu Is- English and So- land and found a cial Studies in the home in St. Paul’s high school semi- Parish, Richmond. nary. In 1959 he While growing was appointed its up, Leonard re- Hiking (L to R): Fathers Michael Fulton, Paul Hagel, vice-rector, until ceived schooling Lawrence Bilesky & Damasus Payne sent to St. Louis under the tutelage University to obtain of many religious, most notably the Irish Chris- a master’s degree in Classics in 1964. tian Brothers at Vancouver College (1943-1948). When he returned home, it wasn’t too long On the advice of a local priest, Fr. Patrick McE- before Fr. Lawrence was back in the full swing of voy, he entered the Seminary of Christ the King monastic life. He designed the layout for our “Pax on October 15, 1949. Regis” magazine, whose publication he looked af- After completing two years of Arts, Leonard ter for many years. Although he was colour blind, entered the monastic community as a postulant he was a good photographer and left thousands on August 14, 1951. The next year, at simple pro- of slides and black-and-white photos in the mo- fession, he took the name Lawrence and three nastic archives. For many decades he was registrar years later made his solemn vows on Sept 12, of both the major and minor seminaries; as in 1955. Finally, he was ordained priest on April many other monastic spaces, so here he employed 6, 1957. his carpentry skills to design a fitting room in the Already after solemn vows, Frater Lawrence minor seminary as a registrar’s office. was put in charge of all the motor vehicles in In his early years he was much involved with Spring 2018 3 the construction and finishing of the abbey and guesthouse buildings. He also learned to run a large bulldozer given to the abbey by Emil An- derson Construction. With this, he moved a lot of earth from around the construction site of the Abbey Church and helped expand Mary Lake. With frequent pastoral assignments and a longstanding interest in guests, he made many friends from outside the monastery. One person at his funeral recalled how Fr. Lawrence had an eye for doing the extra little task for guests, such as the times he would be clearing a path with the bulldozer for them if they needed to drive up or down the driveway in the midst of a snow inside. storm. Being multi-talented and a perfectionist, After spending two weeks in March in Mis- Fr. Lawrence gave generously of himself and of sion Memorial Hospital being treated for pneu- his time to the community for many years. As monia, and then being diagnosed with lung can- his health declined he found it difficult not to cer, he returned to the abbey infirmary for the last week of his life. At home with his monastic community, Fr. Lawrence accepted the faithful presence of his confreres who walked with him to the end. The night before he died, Easter Sunday, he was anointed by Father Abbot John. Gathered around his bed in the infirmary were also ten of the younger members of the monas- tic community who care for the elderly. In the grace of that moment, Fr. Lawrence thanked those who cared for him and initiated an ex- change of forgiveness with those present. Just as the risen Lord brought his forgiveness to the Fr. Lawrence excavating disciples on that first Easter Sunday, so may he bring Fr. Lawrence to the eternal Easter Peace. be as active within the community. Throughout his 65 years of monastic profes- sion and 60 years of priesthood, Fr. Lawrence toiled “in the school of the Lord’s service”. As he advanced in years, he had to endure various physical ailments (he suffered from late onset di- abetes, had two knee replacements, and kidney failure), but he also struggled spiritually. None- theless, he held on perseveringly to his monastic vows. As the presence and sincere care of the community, especially that of the younger mem- bers, touched him more and more, he gradually allowed himself to be carried by others and to let go of worldly attachments which had kept him looking more outside the community than Visiting the abbey of St. Walburga in Colorado 4 Pax Regis Bishop Greg Bittman Pope Francis’ appointment of Most Reverend Richard Smith on September 3, 2012. He served Gregory Bittman as the seventh bishop of the Dio- as Auxiliary Bishop to Archbishop Smith in Ed- cese of Nelson was announced monton until his appointment on February 13. He succeeds to Nelson this spring. Bishop John Corriveau, OFM Bishop Bittman was in- Cap, who had shepherded the stalled as Bishop of Nelson in diocese for ten years. Bishop Kelowna on April 25, the Feast Bittman is the second SCK of the Evangelist St. Mark. Hav- alumnus to lead the Diocese of ing relocated to British Colum- Nelson, Bishop Peter Mallon bia, he is now the neighbour having presided there from of an SCK classmate, Bishop 1990 to 1995. Joseph Phuong Nguyen, who Bishop Bittman studied was appointed to Kamloops in at SCK from 1986 to 1990, 2016. We wish Bishop Bittman completing his theological joy and peace as he enters into a studies at St.