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alaskafox
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Palmer, Alaska USA |
| Posts: | 14 |
| First Name: | Debi | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Evangelical for 25 years,Catholic since Easter 2006 |
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Posted: Thu Apr 19th, 2007 07:06 pm |
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I haven't posted in some time--I have been swamped with work and have just returned from a teaching opportunity in Kenya that was really life-shaking, but I do know where to go when I have a question! 
I am wondering whether someone can clarify for me what differentiates a Benedictine from, let's say, a Dominican, a Franciscan, a Jesuit? There seem to be overlapping characteristics that they share and I guess I would like a one word summation of what a Benedictine "represents."
I'm asking because, among other things that happened when I went overseas, I found myself in the vicinity of a Benedictine monastery that offered me enormous spiritual strength during my stay. (I was teaching at a Baptist seminary.) It was powerful to experience the rhythm of their community for even a short period of time and I would like to know more. I've contacted a monastery in Washington state and am going to make a private retreat there next month, but wondered if anyone here has any insight or thoughts to offer? The mother superior did say we could talk about oblation when I show up and I would like to know if there are any Benedictine oblates on the forum who might be open to sharing?
Thanks. It's good to check back in. Thanks for the reminder that you're here, Rick! I got the email and felt like an old friend had come to visit.
In peace,
Debi
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David W. Emery
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2096 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Thu Apr 19th, 2007 10:44 pm |
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Well glory! here’s Debi. It’s been too long, but I can understand why if you’ve been halfway around the world. What an adventure that must have been. Can we persuade you to tell us about it?
What differentiates a Benedictine from, let's say, a Dominican, a Franciscan, a Jesuit?
I’ll probably be mentioning here things you already know, but there are others who know nothing about them, so we begin at the beginning. St. Benedict (5th century, so he is the most ancient of the various founders of religious orders you have listed) is known as the Father of Western Monasticism. I associate the Benedictines with liturgy, music (chant) and retirement, but they are also known as the scribes and doctors who kept learning alive during the Middle Ages. The Benedictines of England are perhaps the most respected order in that country. Those in Kenya are probably related, since Kenya was a British possession for about a century.
St. Dominic (Portuguese) and St. Francis of Assisi (Italian with some French influence through his merchant father) in the 12th century founded the Mendicant Orders which transformed the later Middle Ages. The Dominicans are noted for their erudite study (St. Albert the Great and St. Thomas Aquinas were Dominicans) and lively defense of the faith, while the Franciscans are famous as followers of the poverello — the poor man, St. Francis, who sang his odes to Lady Poverty. St. Ignatius of Loyola, a Basque nobleman, founded the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in the 16th century. The Jesuits are noted for a variety of charisms, such as theology, schools, missions and defense of the faith.
Benedictine Oblates? One famous oblate is philosopher and educator Alice von Hildebrand. I had some brief correspondence with a monastery of Benedictine nuns in Connecticut back in the 80s, from whom I learned a great deal. At that time, they were protagonists of Centering Prayer. I didn’t consider them heretical, just overtaken by the fad. They were just down the road from the Trappist monastery where Centering Prayer was invented and couldn’t help being influenced. Trappists, by the way, are also of the Benedictine tradition, but more austere.
All in all, Debi, I think the Benedictine tradition fits you. It’s definitely worth looking into.
David
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alaskafox
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Palmer, Alaska USA |
| Posts: | 14 |
| First Name: | Debi | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | Evangelical for 25 years,Catholic since Easter 2006 |
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Posted: Fri Apr 20th, 2007 04:22 am |
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Hi David, how good to "hear" you again. I've been very remiss about checking in with you all--my journey has been made so much easier because of the help I've found through the forum. I'm making airline reservations tomorrow to head down to Washington, so thought I'd just ask you all your thoughts before I do so.
I'm interviewing for a new job next week, so don't have as much time to write as I'd like. I will, however, say that I would like to tell the story of what I experienced in Africa soon. I was there for almost a month, but it felt like a lifetime. I saw things I've never seen before and am still trying to digest it all. For now what I can say is that I know that God needs us all to reach out to each other. It's shocking that we can make so much of a difference and so few of us know how to do our part. I'm struggling to discern what I'm supposed to do--I bonded with two of my students in particular. One of them is from the northwestern region of Turkana--one of the poorest places on earth. James is one of the brightest students I've had--he wrote a stunning response to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech. The other, Arnold, is a young man (31) who has been schooled by missionaries (mostly Baptist), but who sees that the if Christians of all kinds don't unite, the evil, corruption, suffering, and needless waste will continue.
There is so much to pray for.
But still, in the middle, there was the quiet peace and the sense of order and sanity that I experienced in that monastery even if it was only brief. The brothers there are affiliated with the missionary Benedictines from St. Ottilien--from Bavaria, I think. The priest was German, but all the brothers were African--probably Kenyan and Tanzanian. I was caught by the chanting--it was so beautiful it took me completely by surprise. I was able to beg someone to take me to the evening prayers and then made it again for mass. They were very good to me--one of the brothers gave me his prayer book and helped direct me to the right pages. They spoke and chanted in English so everything was easy to follow, but they did add drums during one of the psalms. The priest told me that if I go again, I should visit the monastery at Mt. Kenya where someone has built small huts depicting scenes from the Bible to aid the people who learn best through stories.
I'll keep this short, but will be happy to "tell" the story sometime. I will go back again, God willing. James has many ideas and he needs help. What I can do is take people so that there are more who develop relationships with these people and we make them our neighbors.
I was interested to read what you wrote about the different orders--I find myself drawn to works written by Benedictines very often, so I probably do have a natural affinity for the spirituality they embody. I'll keep reading . . . the balance of the Rule of St. Benedict really appeals to me. I've also been trying to say the morning and evening prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours--that's an exercise in patience!
It's good to be back and I'll pop in more consistently--things will slow down soon for me, I think. I hope all is well with you too, David. I think of you every time I hear anything about Texas.
Debi
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mg57
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Connecticut USA |
| Posts: | 183 |
| First Name: | mg57 | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Infant Baptised Catholic |
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Posted: Fri Apr 20th, 2007 11:35 pm |
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Alaska -
As a brief aside, I have been going on retreat for over 20 yrs. to that Trappist monastery that David mentioned. While centering prayer was developed and popularized primarily by Frs. Menninger, Keating and Pennington, the impression that they have a sustained influenence over the monastery in particular and the order in general is a bit innaccurate. One might make the same generalization about the Benedictines and David Stendl-Rast and Bede Griffiths.
The great majority of retreat conferences I've experienced at the Abbey have consisted of a theme from that day's Mass, the Catechism, frequenting the Sacraments of Confession and Communion, regular reading from the Saints and Doctors of the Church, etc. While I would recommend them alongside the Benedictines, you'll find differences between monasteries, and between the monks in each of them - like differences often found from parish to parish, pastor to pastor.
And, if you're interested Debi, -
"Trappist" An excellent introduction to the Trappist Order ( book is a companion to the Trappist (PBS) video)-
http://www.amazon.com/Trappist-Living-Desire-Michael-Downey/dp/0809104911
(One of the few PBS things done about Catholics that was decent).
If you haven't read it already, a fair look at the Benedictines by a Protestant, -"The Cloister Walk" by Kathleen Norris
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?userid=lU2nMcLBPg&isbn=1573225843&itm=1
Hammer & Fire by Fr. Raphael Simon O.C.S.O. -
http://www.ignatius.com/ViewProduct.aspx?SID=1&Product_ID=2885&SKU=HAF-P&Category_ID=186
Spiritual direction / adult catechesis by a monk of St. Joseph's Trappist Abbey, now published by Ignatius Press.
God bless.
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Brownsville, Texas USA |
| Posts: | 2096 |
| First Name: | David | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 01:27 am |
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mg57 wrote:While centering prayer was developed and popularized primarily by Frs. Menninger, Keating and Pennington, the impression that they have a sustained influenence over the monastery in particular and the order in general is a bit innaccurate.
For the record: By no means is it my intention to suggest that the Trappist community as a whole, and this monastery in particular, has not passed beyond the Centering Prayer thing. Keating is the only originator still alive, and the last I heard he was living in Colorado. I hear less about Centering Prayer each year; most of what I do hear is from New Age circles.
David
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mg57
Member
| Joined: | Mon Oct 9th, 2006 |
| Location: | Connecticut USA |
| Posts: | 183 |
| First Name: | mg57 | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Infant Baptised Catholic |
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 09:59 pm |
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David -
I'm sorry, that sounded like a criticism but please know it wasn't meant to be, just wanted to clarify  .
God bless.
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David W. Emery
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| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
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Posted: Sat Apr 21st, 2007 10:34 pm |
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No, mg, I did not take your comment as criticism. It seemed to be a more general remark. I simply wanted to clarify my previous post in light of yours so that readers would not be confused. We are in agreement.
David
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Annie
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| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 731 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed May 2nd, 2007 12:04 pm |
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| I read the book "Cloister Walk" and found it very helpful as it was written by a non-Catholic and she is very honest about her feelings. Too honest for some people, for example she quotes people in their exact language which is a little salty for some. I enjoyed it. I too am looking into the Benedictines. My nearest abbey is St. Meinrad, IN. Does anybody on this forum know about them?
____________________
Annie
Ora et labora
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Annie
Banned
| Joined: | Wed Feb 14th, 2007 |
| Location: | Columbus, Ohio USA |
| Posts: | 731 |
| First Name: | Annie | | Gender: | Female | | Faith History: | nothing, Quaker, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican, Catholic |
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Posted: Wed May 2nd, 2007 12:04 pm |
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I read the book "Cloister Walk" and found it very helpful as it was written by a non-Catholic and she is very honest about her feelings. Too honest for some people, for example she quotes people in their exact language which is a little salty for some. I enjoyed it.
I too am looking into the Benedictines. My nearest abbey is St. Meinrad, IN. Does anybody on this forum know about them?
____________________
Annie
Ora et labora
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