The Golden String Vol. 2 No. 2 BULLETIN OF THE BEDE GRIFFITHS TRUST Winter 1995 THIRD ANNUAL MEETING OF MONASTIC INCULTURATION THE BEDE GRIFFITHS TRUST AT SACCIDANANDA ASHRAM Russill Paul Bernardino Cozzarini, OSB Cam It was on a pleasant August morning that we gathered Our monastic experience in India comes t o birth in together in the community chapter room of the Camaldolese the 1950s from two great figures: Fr. Jules Monchanin, a Hermitage in Big Sur, California, for our third Trust priest of the diocese of Lyons (France), who will take the meeting. We began with a simple prayer in silence, Indian name of Swami Parama Aruby Ananda, the Bliss of harmonizing our energies and tuning into the presence of the Supreme Spirit, and the Benedictine monk Fr. Henri Le those members who were unable to attend but who were Saux, known as Swami Abhishiktananda, the Bliss of present with us in spirit. Bro. Martin, Roland, Fr. Kilian and Christ. Fr. Conlan were thousands of miles away, but as we know, Saccidananda Ashram, the Ashram of the T rinity, "the spirit without moving is everywhere", and the presence was founded on March 21, 1950, with the purpose of of Fr. Bernardino, who was able to attend for the first time bringing the monastic values of the Benedictine tradition to since the formation of the Trust, was much welcomed and India and integrating them with the values of the Indian appreciated by everyone. We were to have a wonderful monastic tradition of sannyasa. The essence of sannyasa is meeting in which much would be accomplished at a the desire to reach the experience of God, of the Absolute, remarkably fast pace. of moksha (liberation), following the path of Karma Yoga Sr. Pascaline co-ordinated the meeting w ith gentle (the way of action), of Bhakti Yoga (the way of devotion) ease, and Fr. Robert's clear perspective guided us. The and of Jnana Yoga (the way of sapiential knowledge, or following decisions were made. wisdom). It was resolved to move the Bede Griffit hs archives This is the journey of inculturation beg un by these from the Camaldolese monastery in Berkeley to the central two fathers and continued by Father Bede Griffiths, who library at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley. The will arrive at the ashram in 1968 and who will take the name additional facilities, the strategic location, and the services of Swami Dayananda, the Bliss of Compassion. We believe of an experienced archivist make it the perfect setting. that these three fathers, called by God to the ashram, are its Proposed by Fr. Robert, the idea was unanimously true founders and the initiators of Benedictine monastic approved. inculturation in India. During the period from 1950 until (Continued on page 2) 1993 the presence of these prophetic men of God ensured the charismatic vitality of this experience. Fr. Monchanin had the first intuition an d sowed the Inside This Issue seed in the earth, contemplating the mystery of the Trinity in the light of Hindu spiritual tradition. Swami Abhishiktananda followed the growth and development of Bede Griffiths Trust Meeting 1 the seed and extended the bridge across to the farther shore, Monastic Inculturation at Shantivanam 1 making it possible for the two great spiritual traditions to Millennial Moment Round Table II 4 draw closer to one another and to appreciate that which is Bede Giffiths as Model of Integration 4 common to both of them. The Further Shore is the most The Gift of the Homeless Poor 5 significant of Fr. Le Saux's books. Fr. Bede Griffiths, Development of the Church, Bede Griffiths 6 Swami Dayananda, celebrated The Marriage of East and Pathways to the Supreme (Review) 7 West, opening the ashram to the many and various seekers Prayers for all Peoples (Review) 8 of God and of the Absolute. He showed the Indian Church, The Gift of Prayer (Review) 9 with great profundity, the ashram experience as a new way Doctoral Studies on Bede Griffiths 9 of being "missionary", announcing the Good News of the Announcements: Coming Events 9 Kingdom. Bede’s Theology of Prayer, William Johnston 9 (Continued on page 2) 1 TheThe GoldenGolden StringString Trust Meeting (Continued from page 1) Monastic Inculturation (Continued from page 1) Monastic Values of the Benedictine Tradition The Trust will incorporate itself as a n onprofit First and foremost is the quest for God. St. Benedict, corporation in the U.S. so that it can realize the many goals in his Rule, defines the monk as one who sincerely seeks the set forth by Fr. Bede in his vision statement for the Trust. Lord (RB 58:5). St. Benedict does not suppose that the John Douglas, our attorney as well as our Coordinator and monk, once he has sought God, may sit down because he Treasurer, is working on this. has now reached his goal, but emphasizes that the Lord is to Guidelines were set up for publications which will be sought sincerely in the present, right now. The monk is a make use of Fr. Bede's writings, so that Bede's thought can person who ever seeks the Lord. The monk knows the labor effectively be made available and spread, but without being of this quest, the doubt that accompanies such a journey, the manipulated or exploited. Wayne Teasdale was elected joy of catching a glimpse of him ahead of oneself, and the chairperson of the literary committee of five members who hope of meeting him at the end of one's days. will ensure that these procedures are carried out. The monk seeks the Lord in the Holy Scriptures. St. Fr. Bernardino plans to establish a smal l group to Benedict, addressing the novice, says, "Listen carefully, my encourage students to do research on Fr. Bede's writings. son." The holy Patriarch proposes this listening to the Word He is aware of about five dissertations in progress at of God as the primary thing for one who has set his feet present. He will also attempt to keep archival materials upon the path of monastic life. Further, he adds,"willingly updated and available for this purpose in Italy. receive", that is, welcome the Word with a good spirit, and Asha, spokesperson for the committee fo r the poor, he concludes, "faithfully put it into practice" - that is, live presented some guidelines by which the Trust can find ways the Word day by day so that one may finally arrive in the of responding to the needs of suffering people. A sum will house of the Father (Rule of Benedict, Prologue, 1). be set aside each year, and the Trust will vote on its use. The monk carries through this journey in the This year $500 was allocated: to be used in India to feed monastery, and therefore the Rule says,"We intend to the hungry and to offer scholarships for poor children. establish a school for the Lord's service." (RB Prologue, 45) Russill and Asha will coordinate a team that will St. Benedict sees the monastery as the place where one focus on organizing an international conference entitled learns to serve the Lord and the brothers or sisters, a service "Other Half of the Soul", at the Mercy Center in which is performed in receiving the other person, whoever Burlingame, CA. This will be a weekend event in the that may be: "let the person be welcomed as Christ summer of 1997, with a holistic format bringing together himself." (RB 53) lectures, sacred art and contemplative prayer sessions in a Holy Scripture, the community, attention to the other rich experience aimed at inspiring a network associated with person: these are the values that our founding fathers have the activities and goals of the Trust. brought to India, so that they might flourish in that culture. The following ministers were elected for a two-year term: John Douglas as Coordinator and Treasurer, Fr. Monastic Values of Hinduism Douglas Conlan as Assistant Coordinator, and Russill Paul In India our three Fathers encountered the Hindu as Secretary. culture, with its profoundly monastic characteristics. The Members of the Trust who live in North A merica will sannyasi seeks the Lord, seeks the Absolute. He seeks God form a regional organization that will be called the Society through the Hindu scriptures: Vedas, Upanishads, for the Renewal of Contemplative Life. Abbot James Bhagavad Gita. The monk places himself in the school of a Conner, Milo Coerper, Don Conroy and Judy Walker (who master, a guru, to be introduced by this teacher to the was a close and dear friend of Fr. Bede) will also be among experience of the Sat-Guru, the Lord, who dwells in the the first members of this organization. "cave" of the human heart. The monk's goal is moksha The Bede Griffiths Trust, with its many limbs spread (liberation), to be realized either through meditation of the out around the globe, offers the possibility of a network that scriptures or through pilgrimage. can bring the wisdom and spiritual energy of our dear Fr. Encounter with the Absolute Bede to many who are yet unaware of him and who are through the Hindu Scriptures waiting to be touched by his spirit. It will also promote the A son questions his father: "Father, teach me Brahman". growth and expression of this spirit in ways that are yet to And the father responds: be seen. As Father Bede himself would say, "It is the Holy That from which the creatures are born, through the Spririt that is central to all divinely inspired movements." work of which - once they have been born - they live, For those of us who knew Fr.