PRAYING FOR THE DEPARTED

       As November of each year approaches, the time for our annual Poor Souls campaign comes around.  In last year's fall newsletter, I wrote about the historical roots of the All Saints solemnity and the All Souls commemoration.  This year I would like to expand on that, to explain why we pray for the souls of the deceased.

        Since the earliest days of the Church, it has been believed that some departed souls need a time of purification before they are ready to enter heaven.   Scripture tells us that nothing profane will enter the presence of God. (Rev. 21:27)  The place or state where these souls undergo their purification is called Purgatory.  The Catechism of the Church describes this as "purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven."   These souls already enjoy the promise of salvation, having died in God's grace, but need a more perfect degree of purification.  And while they may have to undergo some suffering, it is "entirely different from the punishment of the damned" (CCC 1031).

       There has been some misunderstanding about this belief over the years.  After all, scripture says that "it  is  appointed  for  men  to  die  once,  and after that comes judgement" (Heb 9.27).   This scripture passage refers to the individual judgement of each soul at the time of death.  It is different from the general judgement of all that will take place at the end of time, when all sins will be revealed. The suffering of souls in purgatory comes in the duration between these two judgements, and it is during this time that the soul is purified of the remaining effects of sin.

documented in the writings of the early Church, although we don't see the term Purgatory used until later on.  In his classic book on the development of

Christian doctrine, Cardinal Newman explained why this is not unusual in Church history.   Like a plant sprouting from a seed, Church teachings are explained and more clearly defined as the passing centuries bring new discussion and challenges.  But every teaching of the Church was either contained in earlier beliefs, or else is a logically consistent development of them.

        So when the Bible speaks of "the spirits in prison" (1 Pet. 3:19), and Jesus says "I have not yet ascended to the Father" (Jn 20:17),  Christians  rightly   understood   that   not   every

Soul is always in heaven or hell.  St. Paul wrote about  those  who  will  be  saved  "as  one  fleeing through fire" (1 Cor. 3:15), suggesting that even a saved soul may have to undergo some trial.  The Second book of Maccabees shows us that the Jewish faith of Jesus' day had the practice of praying for the dead, and nowhere in the Gospels does Jesus modify this teaching.

        The first Christians continued this custom of praying for the departed souls.  Ancient documents from the second century AD tell of it. Teachers such as St. Cyprian, St. Cyril, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. John Chrysostom and St. Augustine all mention it in the first 400 years of the Church.  By the time St. Odilo popularized the All Souls commemoration in the eleventh century, the general tradition of praying for the dead was already as ancient as All Souls is today.

ABBEY NEWS

     The near-drought weather of this past Spring finally let up in May.  May and June were cool and wet, which gave the Dakota farmers a good start on their planting. Our garden started producing by mid-summer, with tomatoes, sweet corn, onions, beets and other vegetables. (Some examples are shown below.) Warm summer weather arrived for a while in July, followed by a cooler than usual August.
 

       In August, Br. Novice Crispin Rork was approved by the abbey chapter for temporary vows, when his novitiate ends in September.

        The summer months brought the normal flow of guests to the abbey.  The last week of June saw a gathering of Fr. Julius' family to celebrate his 60^th anniversary of ordination. The annual neighborhood picnic had a large turnout in late July, and parishioners from Annunciation in Revillo fixed a special picnic dinner for the monks on August 8^th.

priests of the Sioux Falls Diocese. There were also some day visits by groups, including a Confirmation class from Clark, SD, the Junior Websterian Study Club, groups from Watertown and Browns Valley, MN,  Holy Cross from Ipswitch, SD,  St. Martin's

Lutheran School in Watertown, and the Sisseton Dakota Studies Group. In June the center played host to a prayer group from Fargo and another private group, a Jesu Caritas group,  a group from St. Patrick's in Edina, MN, and the Deacons from the St. Cloud Diocese. The Knights of Columbus from Centerville, SD, and the Red Hatters from Aberdeen made day visits.

July brought another 12 Step Group, Master Catechists, and a Marriage & Family Leaders group. A number of families and smaller tour groups made day visits.   August retreat groups included  a group from Gregory, SD, a watercolor art workshop organized by Fr. Christopher, an AA weekend retreat for women, Blessed Sacrament Sisters, and TEC leaders from the Diocese.  A senior citizens group from Groton, SD, made a day visit.     

       Fr. Carlos Pop, from our priory in Coban, Guatemala, has been spending this year living at the abbey.  While working on learning English, he's also helping with many of the community chores. Fr. Carlos has impressed us with his "muy rapido" work pace.

       The renovation of monastic infirmary rooms has continued.  Br. Paul and our faithful worker Howard LaMee have nearly completed two refurbished rooms and bathrooms.

BR. MICHAEL PETERSON

PROFESSES SOLEMN VOWS

     On September 3, 2004, Br. Michael Peterson made his solemn profession in the Abbey church. Br. Michael was born in 1969 and grew up in Morris, Minnesota. He graduated from the University of Minnesota at Morris in 1993 with a  bachelor's   degree   in   music   performance.  For three years he lived in Minneapolis, involved in church music and singing in the Minnesota Chorale.

     Br. Michael first visited Blue Cloud at the invitation of a friend during his teenage years. His family religious background was Lutheran, but in 1997 he joined the Catholic Church.  Michael's mother, Phyllis Peterson, followed him into the Church soon afterward.  This was also the year his father passed away. That same year he came to the abbey and began his novitiate.  

Below:  Br. Michael Peterson serves as a cantor in the abbey, studied music in college, and sang in the Minnesota Chorale.

Below:  Br. Michael also takes an interest in astronomy.  Our rural location allows for good star-gazing.

FAITHFUL CITIZENSHIP

By Fr. Matthew

        In February of this year, the national Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a document entitled Faithful Citizenship: A Catholic Call to Political Responsibility.  This election year reminds us that we cannot separate our duties as citizens from the demands of our faith.  The recent flurry of news stories about politicians and their respective churches has also reminded us of this.   As important as our political life may be, documents like this bishops' statement tend to not get read by many average people in the pews.   Like many papers generated by committees, they

are often criticized as too wordy, not very entertaining and not inspirational.  I would agree that this letter from the bishops tries to deal with so many issues that it does not make a big impact on any one of them. But Faithful Citizenship contains some thoughts too important to pass unnoticed in this upcoming election.  So I would like to offer a very brief digest here of some of these vital topics.

      Very early in the document, the bishops reminds us that for Catholics, (or all Christians for that matter), politics should not be just about winning an advantage, but about fundamental moral choices.  Almost every law, in any nation, makes some kind of statement about what is right or wrong, what is permitted or not.  Part of this concern with society's moral choices involves "an old idea with new power - the common good".  Concern for the common good means we should keep the overall society in mind when we vote.  We can see some differences between this and the old custom of "voting your pocketbook".  The question "What is best for all?" should replace "What is best for me?".

parents, pursue peace, etc.  The bishops remind us that our political system "is enhanced, not threatened, when religious groups contribute their values to public debates". Protection of unborn children comes near the start of each section where the bishops discuss particular issues.  They remind us of the need to protect all of society's most vulnerable, including the sick, the needy, the elderly.   The bishops state with justifiable pride that the Church is already playing a role in meeting these needs through its many charitable activities.  So when the bishops speak on society's common good, they do not speak as idle spectators.

      Focusing on the Church's unique role in society, Faithful Citizenship reminds us that "a well-formed Christian conscience does not permit one to vote for a political program or an individual law which contradicts the fundamental contents of faith and morals." We are not allowed to bracket off certain areas of our life, and act as if our faith did not extend into those areas.  The remaining  sections  of  the  letter  deal  with some general themes of Catholic social teaching, and moral priorities for public life.  These priorities include:

1)      Protecting Human Life - issues such as abortion, euthanasia, cloning

2)      Promoting Family Life - marriage, children, education

3)      Pursuing Social Justice - worker's rights, child tax credits, faith-based groups, health care

4)      Practicing Global Solidarity - emphasis on the role of the United States as a global leader in the pursuit of prosperity, peace and international cooperation.