Y L R E T R A U Q Steven Smith is invested as a Benedictine oblate novice of Saint Meinrad Archabbey by Archabbot Kurt Stasiak, OSB, on September 28, 2019. We depend on God’s promises Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you… ” Genesis 12:1 Thus begins the formation of the people of receive the Holy Spirit, and we are marked God. God calls Abram, promising to make with the indelible seal of Christ. Now the him a father of many people, a holder of challenges and intrigue, and even some land, and a blessing to the families of the testing, begin to unfold as we grow into the earth. fullness of the faithfulness of God. What God’s promising ultimately means is As Benedictine oblates, we take promising revealed as the rest of the story unfolds. seriously. Through our baptismal and Often there is much intrigue and challenge, oblation promises, we respond to God’s even some testing of worthiness, yet faithfulness as we choose to daily live in the throughout we see that if God is promising, light of Christ and by the Rule of St. we can trust those promises to be true. Benedict . Kathleen Polansky, oblate Life for us means depending upon God’s New Salisbury, IN promises. In baptism we begin to live in the promise that we are now full members of the Church and the family of God. We receive the promise that our sins are forgiven, we QUARTERLY FOR BENEDICTINE OBLATES OF SAINT MEINRAD Winter 2020, Volume 26:1 A POINT TO PONDER FROM Are we faithful to our promises? Promise? the day when the promise is made), but Yes, I promise. such is human nature, affected with an The Rule Really? (unhealthy) dose of original sin. “Great care and Yes, honey, really. Cross your heart and Have we been faithful to what we have concern are to be hope to die? promised? An even bolder question would shown in receiving be: do we ever thank God for the promises Well, that last He has made to us? Although we forget it poor people and question certainly so many times, our relationship to God is Archabbot Kurt pilgrims, because in Stasiak, OSB raised the stakes a a two-way street. bit! them more particularly God promised Abraham he would be the Christ is received.” In that never-to-be-experienced ideal father of a great nation. He kept that Rule of St. Benedict, 53:15 world, we wouldn’t need written, multi- promise. He promised through the page contracts to back up our prophets that He would send the world a “Hospitality is one form of agreements. Our word, perhaps solemnly savior. He kept that promise as well. And, worship,” the rabbis wrote. sealed with the gesture of a handshake, like Father like Son! Jesus promised his Benedictine spirituality takes this would suffice. disciples that He would be with them tendency seriously. (Joan always, and that He would send them the Chittister, OSB) Our world, however, seems to thrive on Holy Spirit. “revised words” (to put it charitably). We are to be generous and warm- We so often revise or refine our We are not always faithful, and for that we hearted to the needy – poor both promises. We say, “I didn’t mean that ,” repent. But God always makes good on his in body and spirit. Be concerned or perhaps, “You’re reading too much promises. It is no wonder that, during the with the needs of others. into what I said.” ceremony of solemn vows, the newly professed monk and the community Jesus offered great kindness to the And we know that even the most solemn solemnly chant these most reassuring poor. Our faith helps us to promises – those of husband and wife to words: Uphold me, O Lord, according to penetrate the mask of poverty and each other, of newly ordained priests to your promise, and I shall live. And do not brokenness of another, behind their bishops, and religious men and confound me in my expectations . which Christ hides. women professing solemn vows to God To follow the Benedictine way and their communities – are far too Archabbot Kurt Stasiak, OSB means to receive and support the often “taken back.” Sad, tragic, Saint Meinrad Archabbey poor. In so doing, Christ Himself unfortunate (and certainly unforeseen on is received. Ben edictine Oblate Quarterly is published The new Quarterly: Focused on formation four times a year by Saint Meinrad Archabbey. Editor: Mary Jeanne Schumacher I have been reading Our oblates live all over the United States Designer: Tammy Schuetter the oblate newsletter and beyond. Many of them have very few Oblate Director: Janis Dopp for close to 30 opportunities in their lives to visit Saint Oblate Chaplain: Fr. Joseph Cox, OSB years, and it has Meinrad. Some of them feel isolated and Editorial Staff: Kathleen Polansky, Brenda Black, Angie McDonald been a source of find it difficult to cultivate their continued support relationship with the monastery. While we Send changes of address and comments to on my journey as a have 18 chapters, hundreds of oblates are The Editor, Development Office, Benedictine oblate. not living close to any of them or to any Saint Meinrad Archabbey, A couple of years other oblates. Janis Dopp 200 Hill Dr., St. Meinrad, IN 47577, ago, we realized the (812) 357-6817, fax (812) 357-6325 oblate newsletter is the best tool for We decided to create a format for this or email [email protected] www.saintmeinrad.org ongoing formation, since it is mailed to publication that would focus on ongoing ©2020, Saint Meinrad Archabbey all our oblates four times a year. formation. Each issue has a theme that is 2 developed in most of the articles from a in context for a deeper understanding of OBLATES variety of perspectives – from the abbot what St. Benedict taught and how the In their own words to our novices. This change has been practices have been lived out over the well received. We even heard from oblate centuries. directors in other monasteries about the exceptional content of our publication. It We are the living part of an incredible is, in fact, much more than a newsletter. heritage and tradition. We want to treasure our role in the line of holy men With this issue, we are renaming this and women who understood the value of publication Benedictine Oblate Quarterly . the way of life they had chosen. Our emphasis will continue to be on producing a valuable tool for your Let’s continue to study together, share our spiritual growth, and our goal is to insights with one another, and contribute enhance the quality of our articles. to the Benedictine legacy we have embraced as our own as oblates of Saint The practices that we use daily as Meinrad Archabbey. Benedictine oblates help us to keep the Janis Dopp promises we made at our oblation. But, Oblate Director Oblate John Lehner it’s also important to put those practices South Bend, IN “The greatest sense of Musings from the Chaplain blessing of the The word, Scripture is filled with promises. The Lord community is my “promising” may has promised to supply every need we relationship with other be used as an have, and that God’s grace is sufficient for adjective or a verb. us. God has promised that all things work oblates and the monks. An example as an together for good for those who love and I can talk to anyone, adjective may be, serve Him faithfully. God has promised us “The sun is shining victory over death and eternal life. almost anytime. this morning and the day looks The Lord’s promises to us are many and Everybody has an Fr. Joseph Cox, OSB promising.” Here it they fill us with hope. Since God is pure open ear. I learn from refers to being encouraging, bright and truth, then what God says, goes. It doesn’t hopeful. An example as a verb may be, “I get any more promising than this. them and hopefully am promising to be loyal to you.” Here others get a few it concerns giving assurance or giving Fr. Joseph Cox, OSB one’s word to do something. Oblate Chaplain insights from me.” We are all accustomed to promises. We are also accustomed to seeing them made and broken. Anyone who has lived for a number of years certainly never would claim to have kept every promise made. Hopefully over the years, we become wiser and so we think seriously about the possible consequences of keeping or breaking promises before we make them. Through the baptismal promises that we has been set for made, or our godparents made for us, we promised to renounce sin, reject evil, and affirm our faith in the Holy Trinity and March 9, 2020. the Catholic Church. alumni.saintmeinrad.edu/DOS Notes for Novices The oblation of our promises Benedict is quite promise to remain stable to life-long Obedience to the will of God reminds clear that conversion in obedience to God. us that God will give each of us what newcomers to we need to do his will by following the monastic life Monks and oblates fulfill these the way that Jesus has shown us. Our are to be told promises differently, though the promises to God comfort us when we about the overall essence is the same: being true fail and remind us to begin anew in hardships and to oneself in all humility to God and the present moment.