Left to right, Oblate Novices Daniel Pierce Sr. and Georgiana Sullivan, who were invested, and Oblate Carol Devine, who renewed her 50th anniversary oblation, receive the sign of peace from Oblate Jane Mossimino during the New York Oblate Retreat, August 30-September 1, 2013. The Eucharist, Confession and the Rule The Rule of St. Benedict beyond monasteries, and in both contexts mentions the Eucharist the stability achieved is not static. (as “Holy Communion”) in only two places. In Within an abbey, particularly, stability is the Chapter 38, the context product of a living communion in which is providing food for the the monks provide “consolation” for each reader of the week to other (Chapter 1). They are to serve as sustain his strength after mutually supportive companions on their the Eucharistic fast. And spiritual journeys through life. William Hemrick in Chapter 63, it is mentioned only in This picture discloses a cluster of cognate passing with respect to order in the meanings of a life lived in common: community. community, communion and communication. They are closely related in Also, the Rule does not specifically mention the notion of companionship. The word the sacrament of Penance. Nevertheless, in the “companion” comes from the Latin cum way that the Rule provides a blueprint for a panis, “with bread,” and the most important comprehensive way of life, it furnishes a rich bread in the community is Holy context for appreciating both sacraments. Communion received at Mass each morning. Participation in that Communion Consider first the Eucharist. The monastic both anchors and supports community life. way of life is, anchorites apart, a life in common – one of stable community. Stability As a personal impression, I would say it is and community are twins, both within and exactly during that participation in Mass at Continued on p. 2 NEWSLETTER FOR BENEDICTINE OBLATES OF SAINT MEINRAD Winter 2014, Volume 20:1 A POINT TO continued from p. 1 Further, in Chapter 7 we read, “The fifth PONDER FROM degree of humility is not to conceal from Saint Meinrad that the unity and one’s Abbot the evil thoughts that beset cohesiveness of the community seem TheRule one’s heart, nor the sins committed in most visible, particularly the Eucharistic secret, but to manifest them in humble part of the celebration when the monks confession.” And for that confession St. are gathered around the altar. There they “First of all, every time Benedict quotes Psalm 105:1, “Confess to seem much more One than when they the Lord, for He is good, and His mercy you begin a good work are half-hidden in the choir during the endures forever.” And 31:5, “I said, ‘I will Divine Office. It would be interesting to you must pray to Him confess against myself my iniquities to the know whether the monks themselves most earnestly to Lord’; and Thou hast forgiven the share this perception. bring it to perfection.” wickedness of my heart.” On a related matter, in ordinary parish Rule of St. Benedict, In addition, the Rule does not stop at life, receiving Communion tends to be Prologue, Verse 4 merely advising confession of one’s sins. an exclusively private affair, with no As an eminently practical document, it special reflection on being part of the provides a guide for examining one’s As oblates, we are asked to parish community. When monks receive conscience. One such passage is the first pray when doing even the Communion, I wonder whether the text from the Prologue cited above. Also, most menial tasks, such as experience also includes the self- Chapter 2 tells us, “Only for one reason consciousness of functioning as part of washing dishes, doing we are distinguished in His sight: namely, the community. laundry, preparing a meal if we are found to be eminent in good or vacuuming the rugs. The sacrament of Penance, although not works and in humility.” And what are Each may be considered a mentioned in the Rule, has far more those “good works”? Chapter 4, “The Instruments of Good Works,” provides a good work, especially in a explicit textual support than the Eucharist. St. Benedict is clear about the need for voluminous list. familial sense. Making the and benefits of confessing one’s sins. sign of the cross and saying If this interpretation of the Rule is correct, then we can be confident that it provides a a blessing before eating can Now, the Saint Meinrad oblate program happily includes many non-Catholic as productive context for understanding the be said to be a good work. well as Catholic oblates. Such sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist, There are myriad membership gives strong evidence of the and therewith spiritual enrichment for opportunities to pray before great need in our society for the Rule’s those who do so. sane balance of prayer and work. undertaking a good work. William Hamrick, oblate We should do this without However, my reason for mentioning St. Louis, MO hesitation, for in doing non-Catholic oblates here is that good works we grow ever everything in the Rule about confession closer to God. is consistent with the theology of at least all major Protestant denominations. That is because St. Benedict relies solely on Ben edictine Oblate is published four Scriptural descriptions of the individual times a year by Saint Meinrad believer’s relationship with God. Archabbey. Editor: Mary Jeanne Schumacher For example, in the Prologue, he Designer: Tammy Schuetter describes the person who finds favor Oblate Directors: Fr. Meinrad Brune, with God as “he who walks without sin, OSB and Fr. Joseph Cox, OSB who acts with justice ….” Then he concludes, “[He who] hath taken hold of Send changes of address and comments his evil thoughts in the very beginning to The Editor, Development Office, and dashed them against the Rock, which Saint Meinrad Archabbey, 200 Hill Dr., St. Meinrad, IN 47577, is Christ.” Likewise in the Prologue, he quotes St. Paul (Rom. 2:4), “Dost thou (812) 357-6817, fax (812) 357-6325 Fr. Meinrad Brune, OSB, oblate director, receives the or email [email protected] not know that the goodness of God is oblation of Rev. Brian Loging. Rev. Msgr. Thomas www.saintmeinrad.org meant to lead thee to repentance?” Smith, center, was also invested as an oblate. ©2014, Saint Meinrad Archabbey 2 OBLATES We have to... In their own words get up and go back into the city The reading from the Acts of the Acts – are, of course, not just a recounting Apostles (Acts 14:19-28) tells us that the of history. This is not just the account of local Jews stoned St. Paul and dragged what happened to them. It is meant to be him out of the city, leaving him for dead. our story, the pattern of our discipleship. Then, it tells us that he got up and went back into the city. Period. Today, this story about St. Paul reminds us that when we feel beaten down by The text doesn’t really seem to make too life’s events or even feel beaten down by much of this event. But, when you think our own people, when we feel shipwrecked about it, it would seem more reasonable by our own failures or sins or mistakes, if the story had said that St. Paul got up, when we feel threatened by temptation got out of there as soon as he could, or anxiety or an unknown future – like went back to tent-making and never St. Paul, in our own way, we just have to Oblate Rev. Mr. John Huether mentioned the name of Jesus again. get up and “go back into the city.” Jasper, IN The man, after all, had just been stoned and We need to go back “into our city” just “To me, being an oblate left for dead! The same Paul who (as he as it is. We just have to get up and get on tells us elsewhere – 2 Cor. 11:25-26) had with what we are supposed to be about. means making a public been three times beaten with rods, three commitment to daily times shipwrecked, once adrift at sea, Because like St. Paul, we, too, have met threatened by his own people, threatened the risen Lord along the way. We, too, prayer, the Divine by Gentiles and threatened by bandits. have received the call to give witness to Him in our living and acting and Office in particular. But each time, as it were, St. Paul just speaking in our own world of today. We try to draw closer gets up, and “goes back into the city.” He And, like him, we are nourished by the to God through his holy just gets back to what he is supposed to Word of God and the sacred Body and be about. Blood of the Lord at the Eucharist. Word, the Scripture, and also we try to find All of these adventures of St. Paul – and Fr. Mark O’Keefe, OSB, monk of all of the first disciples in the Book of Saint Meinrad Archabbey ways to apply the Rule of St. Benedict to our daily lives.” Left to right, Lt. Col. Redmond Raux, General Patrick Mordente who made his oblation and Fr. Aidan Logan, OCSO. The priests received Patrick’s oblation at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, on November 21, 2013. 3 Profile: Br. William Sprauer Q. Can you of it rubbed off on me. I went to Q. Did anything or anyone influence tell us about secular junior high and secondary high you to converting to Catholicism? Did your schools.