Monastic Worship Forum Newsletter A Quarterly Publication for Members of the Monastic Worship Forum

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1 Monastic Worship Forum Newsletter A Quarterly Publication for Members of the Monastic Worship Forum Volume 5, Number 2 Winter 2015 The next Monastic Worship Forum Conference will be held at Monastery Immaculate Conception, Ferdinand, Indiana, July 6-10, Liturgy of the Hours and Chant will be the subject. Recently read news update: Norbertine priest writes text of World Meeting of Families official hymn DE PERE, Wis. (CNS) -- Norbertine Father Andrew Ciferni normally tries to avoid large crowds, but he may be willing to endure them next fall in Philadelphia when Pope Francis makes his first visit to the United States. Father Ciferni wrote the text for "Sound the Bell of Holy Freedom," the official hymn for the World Meeting of Families being held Sept in the City of Brotherly Love and featuring the papal visit. "I have jokingly said that, if they promise me 15 minutes alone with the pope, I would go, but that's not going to happen," said Father Ciferni, director of the Center for Norbertine Studies at St. Norbert College. "The more I'm thinking about it, I would go because my own community back there in Daylesford Abbey (in Paoli, Pa.) -- not just the Norbertines, but the laity -- are thrilled about this. I would go for them." "Sound the Bell of Holy Freedom" was selected from 20 hymns submitted by invitation. Father Ciferni collaborated with composer Normand Gouin. "I met Normand 26 years ago when I was teaching at The Catholic University of America (in Washington) and helping out with campus ministry," explained Father Ciferni. "He was a freshman doing church music. My professional career is in liturgy. I realized the first time I worked with him that he really understood how music worked in the liturgy. I have mentored him and we have collaborated for years on church music." Fr. Andrew served on the Monastic Liturgy Forum Steering Committee for a number of years and was a presenter and participant in a number of conferences. He was a facilitator for the 2009 combined conference of the Benedictine Musicians of the Americas and Monastic Liturgy Forum that moved to become the combined Monastic Worship Forum. The Monastic Worship Forum Newsletter is published quarterly. It is edited by Rev. Dunstan Moorse, O.S.B., St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, MN who also oversees production and distribution. Copies are sent electronically to member communities and friends of the Monastic Worship Forum. Information is available from Rev. Dunstan Moorse, O.S.B., Monastic Worship Forum, St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, MN (320) Monastic Worship Forum. 1

2 I recently had the opportunity to read again some notes I wrote while on sabbatical a number of years ago. I am hoping that these reflections may offer a link to this summer s conference. I am struck by Basil Cardinal Hume s using the thirty years of Jesus private life in the home of the Holy Family as a paradigm for the monastic life. I m also intrigued and enjoying reading and being led by the Spirit on uncharted paths. Cadfael falls into the same spirit of opening up new horizons, because the writing of Ellis Peters has a certain resonance with me. For me Jesus life in the home of the Holy Family as a model for the monastic life is eye opening. I could easily see our call to discipleship in the public ministry of Jesus, especially as lived in the community of Acts of the Apostles. But this use of the home life of Jesus first thirty years is opening a whole new horizon to me. A horizon that makes so much good sense that I am amazed I am only hearing and realizing it now. Of course the Holy Family can be a model for the monastic community. Even Ellis Peters has Brother Cadfael refer to the monastery as a family, not the same as family of origin but family nonetheless. Why didn t I see it earlier? The hidden years of Jesus are like our life in the monastery. We perfect ourselves and seek God in the security and school of the Lord s service. We grow in holiness and perfection by our day-to-day care and concern for the brethren, the members of this monastic family, who by their constant care and concern assist us in becoming more and more like Christ. Just as Jesus came to the realization of his ministry and his call to messianic ministry while in the family home at Nazareth, so in the school of the Lord s service, the monastery, we are perfected and become better disciples through and with the assistance of many brethren. As with Jesus in the family setting, we too must remember our proper place and how we can best be of service. The various degrees of humility and the instruments of good works are beginning tools for this service. John the Baptist s words, He must increase, I must decrease, come to mind. Proper relationship, treatment appropriate to our progress, honor and humiliation in proper measure within full and open communication and hope for the future and more, give meaning and substance to this life in community. In hidden ways we grow and develop in the sure knowledge of the support of our Benedictine community. Our local Benedictine and broader Benedictine community gives us the stable and encouraging environment in which we can respond with obedience as we make our way to total union with the God we seek. This is the same kind of environment in which Jesus spent his first thirty years. A family that loved and nurtured, a family that was the fruitful garden in which the seed sprouted grew and developed, an extended family and circle of friends that made the growth secure and possible. As I sit here and look up the canyon there is so little evidence of human activity. The raw beauty of the trees, rocks, winter grasses and of course snow all point to the goodness and power of God. The brass music in the background adds to the majesty. The clear penetrating light of this altitude with the stark blue of the sky along with the warmth of this hermitage makes it easy to slip into prayer. Yet must I have such a spectacular setting in order to so easily slip into prayer? What does that say about myself? What makes me so prone to need to change 2

3 location in order to achieve such peaceful prayer? It is likely one sure element is the solitude. I would have to work to see another human being from this vantage point. I can see the buildings of the monastery but through the trees and grasses. It is easier to see and relish the flight of birds than to see human activity. Of course it is about 10 o and most human activity is indoors and not within the sight of this window [During the sabbatical I spent much time reading, some from the histories of the communities I stayed with along the way, some novels, some technical writings, books I wanted to read, etc.] I find the following from True Daughters by Judith Sutera, O.S.B. (p. 141) to be very valuable to my sabbatical process Movement from the cloistered life also brought Benedictines into greater contact with religious of other traditions. Bishops were not the only ones who did not perceive any differences between one religious community and another. The pastoral needs of the United States as a mission territory thrust Benedictines into a far more apostolic role than that to which they were accustomed. Sensitive to those needs, they found themselves to have many of the same concerns and interests as members of other orders and congregations Not only ministry, but prayer as well, caused role confusion. Some communities spent many years without the full monastic office, a condition which was critical in receiving papal approbation. Some had developed such a commitment to external service that the Benedictine tradition of contemplative prayer began to fade into the background. Some communities adopted customs from other traditions or popular piety 3 I find it valuable because it brings into question and forces me to search through priorities. I must confess that I am not always convinced that we have done any better with this Benedictine focus of our lives and our prayer than these early Benedictine women/men who in many ways were taken advantage of by people and circumstances and not allowed to truly become Benedictine. Of course it is possible to pray anywhere, always and with great fervor, but how possible is it for me to keep the prayer focus with all the demands of day to day life, all the things which pull me away from a more simple prayer focus which other work and settings might make easier? Do I get lost in other peoples schemes or allow myself to be side tracked? And at this time in my life how well can I physically maintain the schedule, keep up with the demands of, and even on a simpler level live the monastic life here at St. John s? Will the diabetes, arthritis, and all the daily aches and pains allow me to have the stamina and strength to continue to participate? I throw myself into what I do with a Moorse passion, but should I maintain that passion or temper it? How can I temper it and still be me? So often I am overwhelmed by what I want to do and the time it takes to do it, yet I keep at it Today (February 2015) it is well below zero here in central Minnesota, we are forecast to see the sun (we went for almost two weeks earlier without so much as a glint of the sun), possibly make it above zero but will continue extremely cold with biting wind chill. Again it is easier to see birds than human beings. It is easier to get lost in the trees, etc. outside the window than to realize the other human beings nearby doing their round of daily work, prayer, etc. We are called as followers of the Rule to give praise to the Lord at all times, in all that we do. So as we prepare and plan for the conference let

4 us always and everywhere keep that balance of prayer and work that is so characteristic of our charism. Dunstan, O.S.B. Watch for news regarding the 6-10 July 2015 MWF Conference which will be hosted by Immaculate Conception Monastery of Ferdinand, Indiana. Please assist the editor with preparation suggestions for this newsletter. 4

5 More information to come with registration materials, etc. Sr. Anita Louise Lowe, OSB Director of Liturgy Sisters of St. Benedict Ferdinand, Indiana Monastic Worship Forum Conference Sr. Anita Louise forwards links to three preparation articles for this year s conference: The next Monastic Worship Forum Conference will be held at Monastery Immaculate Conception, Ferdinand, Indiana, July 6-10, The committee reviewed suggestions given by participants at the last conference and decided to focus on the Liturgy of the Hours and Chant. The Spirit of the Morning and Evening Whatever Happened to Daily Prayer.pdf LOH Principles and Practice.pdf Monastery Immaculate Conception, Ferdinand, Indiana, July 6-10, 2015 Mark your calendars for July 6-10, We hope to see you there Monastic Worship Forum Conference Fr. Godfrey Mullen, O.S.B. PRAYING WITH HEARTS EXPANDED: PARTICIPATION IN THE LITURGY OF THE HOURS. And Sr. Irene Nowell, O.S.B. PSALMODY These are from Worship: Juan Mateos, The Morning and Evening Office Worship 42(1968): William G. Storey, The Liturgy of the Hours: Principles and Practice Worship 46(1972): Paul Bradshaw, Whatever Happened to Daily Prayer? Worship 64 (1990): May your Lent/Easter be filled with blessings. 5