Camaldolese Hermits of America Camaldolese Tidings New Camaldoli Hermitage • Big Sur, California • Volume 17 • Issue 4 • Winter 2011 New Camaldoli Madonna New Camaldoli Hermit- age was founded in 1958 under the protection of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. This Madonna was created for the Hermitage by noted artist and good friend of the community, Leo Neufeld. His image highlights Mary and her Im- maculate Heart, and places her in the context of the Hermitage and the Big Sur coast where we live. Paint- ed in a modern iconesque style, it portrays Mary con- templatively inviting us into her heart and thus into the heart of God. Prints and cards are avail- able from our gift shop and also online at: www.hermitagebigsur.com. 2 ~ Camaldolese Tidings Prior Knowledge – Father Raniero Annual Appeal – 2011 Throughout the 53 years of our being experience treasured by many. Along with a Camaldolese presence in America, we our daily operational costs, we hope this have always depended upon the encour- year to replace the third of our five her- agement, the prayer and the financial mitages for retreatants, and to finish the support of our friends and donors. We repaving of our entrance road, the road to value the opportunity that is ours to be a our retreat house and hermitage, and the source of contemplative spirituality in our various parking areas. We would also like church, our society and our culture – es- to continue the upgrading of our website pecially now, in these difficult and chal- www.contemplation.com; our electronic Atherton, our Development Officer; and lenging times. newsletter: E-CONTEMPLATION, and the various financial advisors and auditors I invite you to read and consider the ar- our e-commerce site, www.bigsurhermit- who assist us. ticle, included in this newsletter, which age.com. Without you, none of the above could gives an overview of our recent General I am so very grateful to Brother Bede, happen, nor could we exist. Perhaps never Chapter. The Chapter addressed the im- our community treasurer, who coura- is there a “GOOD TIME” or a “RIGHT portance of the Camaldolese presence, geously and attentively facilitates and TIME” to ask for a donation. Nonethe- today and tomorrow. weighs the various dimensions, needs and less, I am asking. We, monks, are asking. Every year, at this particular time of requests that comprise the economic func- Please consider our Annual Appeal. May year, we have our Annual Appeal ask- tioning of the hermitage. Also, I so appre- God bless us in our asking! May God bless ing you to consider a donation to help us ciate the help of Joie Milton, our book- you in your giving! And always be assured meet the expenses of our ongoing opera- keeper; Bob Allen and Mary Kay Swen- of our prayer and our gratitude. tions and maintenance. This includes our son, our Development consultants; Alicia hospitality/retreat ministry, which is an Peace, The monastic com- munity received Martin Tully as a postulant on the eve of All Saints. Raniero Martin is from Eng- land, and is a social Camaldolese Tidings is published by the worker. He has visited Camaldolese Hermits of America for our us a number of times over the years, and friends, oblates, and sponsors. after a long wait for his visa to be approved, Publisher he came back to the Father Raniero Hoffman, OSB Cam. hermitage on Septem- Editor ber 30th. A smiling Brother Bede Healey, OSB Cam. presence here at the Development Directors Hermitage, he is adjusting to life Robert J. Allen “across the pond” as the British say, including learning to drive Mary Kay Swenson on the other side of the road! We Public Relations & Design celebrate his arrival and God’s Susan Garrison goodness to us. Please keep him in your prayers. If you have questions or comments about this publication, please address them to: Left: Vocation Director Fr. Daniel, New Camaldoli Hermitage Postulant Martin, and Novice 62475 Coast Highway 1 Charbel. Big Sur, CA 93920 (831) 667-2456 • Fax: (831) 667-0209 E-mail: [email protected] or visit us on the web at: www.contemplation.com Camaldolese Tidings ~ 3 Camaldolese Communications Dear Friends, issue by Raniero. These have been exciting times for us. This was an important gathering. The Martin Tully, our vocational candidate agenda included the election of a new from England, was finally able to receive Prior General (equivalent to an Abbot his visa; he is now with us as Postulant President with the other Benedictine con- and already fitting in splendidly. And gregations), as well as his General Coun- Charbel, our Novice, is also doing well cil. Fr. Bernardino, our former won- and contributing much: they make a “dy- derful Prior General, had decided not to namic duo” for our community be available for another term, and formation group. We were so we elected as our new Prior Raniero presented his ‘state of the Her- graced with a wonderful com- General Fr. Alessandro Bar- mitage’ address to the General Chapter, I munity retreat offered by Pro- ban, a younger man who has noted how wonderfully he has ministered fessor Douglas Burton-Chris- been a very dynamic Prior (= to us as a Prior of communion, of frater- tie, of Loyola-Marymount Abbot) of our ancient Hermit- nity, helping us at New Camaldoli to work University; this included rich age of Fonte Avellana. Before ever more to real monastic fellowship. He conferences on the early desert that he studied at the interna- has deepened the communion between fathers and mothers and how tional Benedictine College of our hermitage and the Incarnation Mon- their amazing spirituality can Sant’Anselmo, earned a doc- astery community in Berkeley. He has nourish us today. torate, and taught also enriched the mutual understanding Then the Gen- theology there. He between us and our other communities eral Chapter of the was also on Fr. Ber- in Italy and India and beyond through his whole Congrega- nardino’s General participation in our international chapters tion, celebrated ev- Council for years, and formation team gatherings. In addi- ery 6th year, was visiting virtually tion to these important contributions, he held at the mas- all of our houses, has witnessed continually, in his homi- sive Monastery of so he comes with lies and conferences, and especially in Camaldoli from extensive experi- his lived example, to the heart of our September 20th to ence and learning, life –prayer, and has given the Indwelling October 9th. We and much energy. of the Holy Trinity in our hearts and the of New Camaldoli Fr. Joseph Wong, hearts of all: prayer at Eucharist, at the Di- sent our delegation whom many of you General Chapter Photos: vine Office, in the silence of our monastic of Raniero, as Pri- know, was elected Top: Fr. Andreas from Tanzania; cells, and throughout the day whenever, or, and three rep- first member of Above: Fr. Alessandro, the new Prior Gen- wherever. As a man of real communion resentatives, Bede, eral; Fr. Benardino, the former Prior General; the new General and prayer, Raniero has constantly re- Daniel and me (the and Br. Ivan, former 1st Councillor. Council, along with minded us of our ‘Primacy of Love’ – of number of dele- Giuseppe Cichi, a God and neighbor. gates depends on the size of the communi- medical doctor and Master of Forma- Next year is the 1,000th anniversary of ty). Andrew also went as prior of Incarna- tion at Camaldoli, as second member, our mother house, the Sacred Hermitage tion, so we had an American delegation of and Mario Zanotti, a younger monk who in Tuscany. This is an amazing and histor- 5 monks. Some of our Oblates, including has been very helpful to the foundation in ic anniversary. We are planning a pilgrim- Kay Gilles, participated in the first ‘open’ Tanzania, as third member. Fr. Mario will age to our houses of San Gregorio, Rome, portion of the Chapter, together with be the contact monk between the General the monastery of Camaldoli and espe- Camaldolese nuns from various commu- Council and New Camaldoli and Incarna- cially the Sacred Hermitage. We will be nities. Then the ‘canonical chapter’ began, tion Monastery, so many of you might at the Sacro Eremo for the solemnity of St with the official delegations participating well come to meet him during his vis- Romuald, June 19th. Please pray for this from each of our monastic communities, its. He has visited us before, and is very pilgrimage and for the Camaldoli brethren including four of our Italian houses, our warm, as well as very intelligent, hav- as they celebrate their 1000 years. two American houses, and our houses in ing earned his doctorate in philosophy/ Brazil, India and Africa. An amazingly in- psychology. ternational group of monks from five dif- Speaking of changes, Raniero has chosen Please use the ferent continental areas representing the not to continue his mandate as Prior of enclosed envelope extended presence of our little congrega- New Camaldoli after January 20, so there for your prayer requests. tion. See the accompanying article in this will be an election for a new Prior. After 4 ~ Camaldolese Tidings The Camaldolese General Assembly and General Chapter Emphasize Interiority and Authenticity The Camaldolese General Assembly and General Chapter, The second conference was given by Sister Antoinette Potente, 2011, which had as its theme, Camaldolese Monks and Nuns O.P. – theologian, professor and Dominican nun – on the theme – Today and Tomorrow, was a call to Interiority – a time to The Invitation to the Journey – a return home for the religious re-discover our inner depth, our inner centeredness, our inner life.