Abbey News

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Eucharistic Week
Last Sunday we had the joy of celebrating the solemnity of Corpus Christi and on Friday it was the solemnity of the Sacred Heart. Sunday's celebration included a procession through the cloisters after Mass with the Blessed Sacrament followed by Eucharistic adoration until Vespers and Benediction. For the first time in a good many years the procession was rained out from going outside. Or should we say we were rained in? No matter really.

Friday's celebration included Eucharist adoration from after Mass until Vespers and Benediction. Both times the brothers took turns at adoration throughout the afternoon while visitors and retreatants stopped in for a visit.

An added feature to Friday's festivities was the 25th anniversary of Br. Augustine's solemn profession. A quiet celebration marked the occasion with the brethren congratulating and thanking him for persevering these past 25 years. Here we see him in the bakery (not on the solemnity, of course!) giving the bread a last quality control check before being shipped out.

Observer

A week ago Tuesday we were glad to welcome an observer, Joe Bruno, into the community. Joe, 33 years of age, hails from Long Island, NY, a school teacher and campus minister.

As an observer he participates fully in all the community exercises including manual labor which involves, besides baking, landscaping and general upkeep of the grounds. The first Cistercians were known as lovers of the brethren and of the place and as such they exercised their stewardship by taking good care of the grounds often converting swamps into places of beauty.

Return
Our liturgist/organist, Fr. Justin, returned safe and sound from his visit to our brothers in Lantao. Although the choir managed fairly well without the organ (at least some of the time!) it was good to have it resound once again. Last Sunday he gave us an interesting rundown of his visit.

Speaking of liturgy Western Michigan University recently made available a digital version of Liturgy O.C.S.O., a journal founded in 1965 by Fr. Chrysogonus Waddell, O.C.S.O. at Gethsemani Abbey, Trappist, KY. It was founded as a newsletter for the Liturgy Commission of the Order which eventually published the research of many influential scholars of monastic liturgical practice. Liturgy buffs will find it at LITURGY O.C.S.O.

When Jesus announced the Eucharist, many of his disciples drew back and no longer went about with him (Jn 6:66). But Peter, in the name of the Apostles, gave this beautiful testimony of faith: Lord, you have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that you are the holy one of God (Jn 6:68-69).

Faith in the Eucharist is the touchstone of the true followers of Jesus, and the more intense it is, the more it reveals an intimate and profound friendship with Christ. Anyone who, like Peter, firmly believes in him, also believes and accepts all his words and all his mysteries: from the Incarnation to the Eucharist. Faith is above all a gift of God.

In the same discourse in which he promised the Eucharist, Jesus affirmed this principle, declaring to the incredulous Jews that no one could come to him or believe in him, unless the Father draws him (Jn 6:44). To have a deep and living faith in the Eucharist - as in every other mystery - we must have that interior 'attraction' which can come only from God, but toward which everyone can and must dispose himself, by asking for the grace through prayer.

Divine Intimacy
Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD