Vol.13, No.1 -- Marvin SD 57251-- SPRING 2002 | |||
| ABBEY NEWS
Br. Rene received two first place awards for quilts submitted to an exhibit in Watertown this past fall. The exhibit featured over 200 quilts by various contestants. One of Br. Rene’s winning designs was based on a church rose window. Fr. Abbot Thomas is teaching a graduate-level class in Liturgy and Sacraments for Mt. Marty College this coming semester, making use of the Internet to teach at a distance. We had another white Christmas at Blue Cloud this year, but just barely. Our first snow came in late November and was a heavy one, but a warm spell had melted most of it by early December. Just two days before Christmas, a light snowfall turned everything white again in the nick of time. We had another full house for midnight mass. People don’t envy our white Christmas so much when I remind them that we often have a white Easter also. With Easter coming early this year I wouldn’t be too surprised. During the month of December we had our seasonal letup in use of the retreat center. This was a surprisingly welcome rest after a very busy autumn retreat season. The monks had our own retreat on the second week of January with Fr. Dennis Robinson of St. Meinrad Archabbey. Visiting retreat groups in January included the Community Bible Church of Montevideo, Concordia College, Asbury United Methodist Church, Montevideo Ministry Group, and a confirmation group from Ortonville. | REFLECTION FOR LENT These forty days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving are usually met with some inner moans and groans on the part of Catholics. However, that may be changing. There does seem to be a small but significant group in the Church who want more than just the weekly Sunday Mass to sustain them. Daily Mass attendance in some parishes is growing as is a desire for Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, Holy Hours, and even gathering for Morning or Evening Prayer in the Church. There is a Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, that is experiencing a campus-wide spiritual renewal. Their daily mass attendance has gone from 15-20 to almost 100 in four years, and over 200 students give up their Wednesday supper, donating the money saved to feed the homeless people downtown. The students say that the whole campus atmosphere has changed dramatically for the better. All are encouraged to pray, to discuss their faith, and support one another in their spiritual journey. This is what our Lenten journey is all about. It is all about spiritual growth, inner discipline, prayer, fasting, and becoming more caring and compassionate. All this leads to a inner freedom and peace that can only come from the Lord. In Lent we open ourselves to Jesus so he can free us. And if He frees us, we are truly free. | ||
| LENTEN READING ROUNDUP “During this time of Lent each one is to receive a book from the library, and is to read the whole of it straight through. These books are to be distributed at the beginning of Lent.” The Rule of St. Benedict Ch. 48 “Giving up something” or taking on some small penance for Lent is a well-known practice. The Rule of St. Benedict mentions it in Chapters 48 and 49. But the Holy Rule also teaches another Lenten practice that may not be so widespread: reading a spiritual book. This practice combines a very small penance – giving some time to our faith – with another Judeo-Christian tradition, that of wisdom. Our wisdom tradition means that we should keep trying to learn about our faith and understand it better. So, along with your usual sacrifices this Lent, you might consider reading a spiritual book. The books suggested here are meant to help you in this endeavor. One reason for their selection is simply that I have read them this past year, and found them valuable. They deal with quite different aspects of Christian life. All of them were published recently, all save one in the last two years. Keep this in mind if you hear someone complaining about a lack of new Catholic books. So here, arranged in order from lighter to heavier reading, are some suggestions for this Lent. The Lamb’s Supper, Scott Hahn, Doubleday. This book deals with two important questions in the modern Church: “How can I get more out of the Mass?” and “How should we interpret the Book of Revelation?” The Book of Revelation is a popular subject nowadays in Christian bookstores, but many of these interpretations are speculative and strange. Furthermore, they ignore the many references to Church liturgy contained in this final book of the Bible. Professor Hahn, an adult convert to Catholicism, shows how the Apocalypse should be interpreted with the holy sacrifice of the Mass as its background. Doing this helps avoid bizarre or sensationalistic readings of the symbols found in apocalyptic literature. Dr. Hahn also makes a persuasive argument that the Mass as it exists today is surprisingly close to the liturgies of the earliest Church, even to the days of the apostles themselves! If you have wanted to increase your appreciation for the Mass, or ever wondered about the mysterious images described in Revelation, you will find this book very worthwhile. Dr. Hahn writes in a clear style that does not require any previous study of theology to understand. Prodigal Daughters, edited by Donna Steichen, Ignatius. This book has been my most-recommended reading to friends for the past year. Some of them have bought their own copy and recommended it to others: it’s that good. It consists of seventeen short autobiographies written by women who were born into Catholic families, abandoned their early faith, and then found their way back to the Church as adults. In telling their stories, these women manage to discuss practically every social issue that modern society and the Church struggle with. It’s all here: abortion, drug abuse, feminism, New Age/occult practices, promiscuity etc. Despite the grim topics, this book is never depressing or negative. Instead, the stories are quite inspirational as the women rediscover a faith that has been deepened by experience. All of the authors fall into the “baby boom” age group and can tell a good story, which makes this book quite readable for young or old. Men will find it just as interesting as women, as the stories make clear that what are often labeled “women’s issues” are rather, issues of right and wrong where the Church’s voice can provide guidance. The Holy Longing: the Search for a Christian Spirituality, Richard Rolheiser, Doubleday. In recent years, society seems to be trapped in a bit of a dilemma: young people are increasingly dissatisfied with the comfortable but spiritually empty materialism of a consumer culture, but the mainstream churches have likewise failed to attract large numbers of these disenchanted youth. This book is Fr. Rolheiser’s attempt to make a new connection between the spiritual needs of the times and what our Christian tradition has to offer. He explores the components that make up spirituality: a personal prayer life, commitment to justice in the world, involvement in a local church etc., and then describes ways of putting these parts together. The more involved you are with your local church and community, the more interesting you will find this book. It is not, however, meant to be a detailed guide to personal prayer. Arise from Darkness: What to do When Life Doesn’t Make Sense, Fr. Benedict Groeschel, Ignatius. Sooner or later, all of us face a serious hardship in life. Some of the most heartfelt prayer intentions we receive at Blue Cloud are from those grieving over the loss of a spouse or beloved family member. Whenever we try to console someone who is grieving, our words often seem painfully inadequate. It may seem as if nothing we can say or do will make any difference, facing death or equally serious problems. This book is written by a priest and friar, who has spent years working as a spiritual director. Fr. Groeschel draws on both his theological and psychological backgrounds to deal with his topic. [continued right column] | LENTEN. . . continued. . . He is careful not to offer simplistic answers to life’s difficulties, but reminds us that the Christian tradition itself can sustain us during tough times. In some situations, humble acceptance of God’s will is the best we can do. A rich understanding of how original sin has saturated this world with problems also arises from our tradition. Fr. Groeschel gives interesting real-life examples, including events from the lives of various saints. This book is sensitive enough to give to someone who is actually suffering, and would be worthwhile reading for anyone else as well. The Mystery of Capital: Why Capitalism Triumphs in the West and Fails Everywhere Else, Hernando De Soto, Basic Books. Among this survey of religious books, one dealing with economics might at first seem out of place. But reminding ourselves of Christ’s commands to feed the hungry and clothe the naked, we can see why an economic system should be judged according to how well it cares for the poor. While many people “talk a good game” in their social concerns, the real test of an economic system is the results it generates. The author (named after a historical explorer of the Americas) is a professor of economics in Peru, where this book topped the best-seller charts. De Soto does not require his readers to have any previous understanding of economics, so the book starts out exploring basic concepts such as free markets and capital. He paints a vivid picture of how the poor are faring in our increasingly globalized economy. There is some modest improvement taking place for the lower classes around the world, but most of the benefits coming from the modern economy have yet to reach them. De Soto assigns most of the blame to the complex and chaotic legal systems of third world nations, which force entrepreneurs to work in a quasi-legal “gray market”. This confusing legal situation keeps third world nations from imitating the process of wealth creation that took place in the history of the United States. When the legal barriers to wealth creation are finally removed, the poor of the world will be able to share more fully in expanding global markets. De Soto makes an original, interesting connection between Christian concern for the poor and the latest theories of a capitalist world economy. This book was especially interesting for me, because last summer in Guatemala I could see for myself some of the situations it describes. Slightly heavier reading than average, it should not be too difficult for most The Spirit of the Liturgy, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Ignatius. A generation has passed since the Second Vatican Council, and we are still debating the changes in the Mass since then. Have there been too many changes or not enough? Did the changes come too quickly or too slowly? In the midst of this continuing controversy, Cardinal Ratzinger offers this book as a reminder that the liturgies of the Church ought to be centered on God, not ourselves. The book provides a basic theology of liturgy, starting with more abstract ideas like place and time, and working its way to more specific details like posture, music and voice. He draws on a wide variety of sources in his discussions, from the Bible and early Church fathers to modern theologians. Ratzinger covers many timely topics, but the writing style is heavy with theological terms and might be best suited to a reader who is already familiar with Church documents. His conclusions here have many implications for everyday parish life, but must be applied with understanding. Science and Evidence for Design in the Universe, Michael Behe, William Dembski, Stephen Meyer, Ignatius. This book is considerably heavier reading than the others reviewed here. Only those with a strong interest in science or philosophy would be likely to enjoy it. But the ideas in this book are a good alternative to the “Evolution vs. Creation” debate, which the Church has wisely stayed out of. The public debate over evolution might give the impression that religion and science are somehow opposed to each other. In fact, many scientists possess a strong faith, and their scientific discoveries contribute to their religious view of the world. Readers will be interested in the discussion here of the “anthropic principle”. Science tells us that the universe is governed by certain physical constants: the speed of light, force of gravity etc. The present state of scientific knowledge suggests that if any one of these many constants had a different value, the universe would be unable to sustain life. A reasonable person can conclude from this that our universe shows evidence of design for life. Other interesting topics include the presence of what science calls “information” in life’s genetic codes. This is quite a mystery since nature does not seem able to create information by any random process. With such fascinating topics here, it is a pity that the authors write in such a heavy scientific style that many readers will have trouble getting through it. The authors want their ideas to be taken seriously by other scientists, and therefore keep a rigorous academic tone throughout. If you are ready for some challenging reading this Lent, Science and Evidence for Design in the Universe might be what you seek. | |
| ASSOCIATE PROGRAM Occasionally we ask our readers and friends to help us reach potential new members. Monastic life at Blue Cloud is open to men between the ages of 19 and 50 who are serious about their Catholic faith. Please assist us by spreading the word to relatives, friends or fellow employees. Interested individuals are always welcome to visit Blue Cloud to see more about our way of life. Men who want to learn more about us are invited to consider our Associate program. Associates live in the monastery for a period of two weeks to three months. During this time they join the monks in common prayer, Eucharist, work and recreation. The Associate program is not limited to those thinking about a religious vocation, but someone who is considering monastic life might want to start the process this way. For further information contact: Fr. Wilfrid Lambertz OSB |
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