Oblates St. Benedict Monastery, 9535 Linton Hall Rd, Bristow, VA 20136 Spring/ Lent 2013

Phone: 703-361-0106 Email: oblates@osbva.org

Lenten Greetings from Sr. Charlotte and Kathy Frick, Oblate Co-Directors

Throughout the Rule, Benedict guides his followers to live reflective and prayerful lives. Now, during this period of Lent we are called to look even deeper into what it means to be Benedictine and Christian. In her recent presentation during the Oblate retreat, Esther de Waal drew our attention to the fact that creation was a primal act by God. She went on to explain that the word primal means foundational.  Benedict’s Rule then comes from the primal force of the Gospel.       Benedict built on God’s word. Our task as oblates is to build upon the spirit and principals found in the Rule as we strive to live out our lives.

Oblates are rooted to the earth in a way that others may not be. Benedict was a          realist who called his followers to be people of prayer and work. The Gospel readings  during Lent return again and again to the message that we go apart through prayer to be with God but always we return to the community that makes up our lives. We meet others on the common grounds of the mundane and the daily. Our successes are composed not of miracles and mighty deeds but simple acts of kindness and compassion. The Rule points us to where we can find those tasks that are to be ours: care of children and the elderly

(Chapter 37), mutual respect (Chapters 71-72),  forgiveness (Chapter 72), and care of material goods and each other (Chapters 4 and 55).

Soon we will join with the earth in the welcoming of the Spring and the glory of the Resurrection. May your Lent bring you through what the Orthodox Church calls the “bright sorrow” that comes from  acknowledging where we have failed and that we await the promise of forgiveness and new life.

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IN SO FAR AS OUR STATE IN LIFE PERMITS by Diane McGuire, Obl. S.B.

I picked up a prayer card for our late Oblate sister, Val Kowalski and looked on the back to see what was written there. Normally, you find a prayer that was special to the person who had passed or by the family member responsible for making arrangements. It really was no surprise, then, that I found Val’s Oblate promise on the back of her card. As I read it, the last phrase stuck with me, “In so far as my state in life permits.”

Val had been ill for a long time, so her state in life didn’t permit a whole lot, but we learned through her husband John that they kept up with their prayer daily. That was what Val’s state in life allowed for AND SHE DID IT. I’m certain that this made St. Benedict smile!

What do our individual states in life permit?

Each of us will have a different answer to that question. As a single person with a career and 3 dogs and 3 cats (OK 5 cats, but who’s counting) living at home and now occasional visits from children and grandchildren, my state in life may permit me to do things that someone with a career, younger children, pets may not have time to do. On the other hand I may not be able to do the things a retired single person can do. From what I read of the Rule, St. Benedict would have no problem with that. He promises, after all, nothing burdensome. He shows us that he understands that some may need more than others, some may be weaker than others. (RB 39 and 40) This compassion and understanding are some of the many blessings that St. Benedict affords us.

For those of us who work outside the home, Benedictine hospitality has been a valuable asset. I am a librarian, but I feed people at the library. Not just books, DVDs, video games and magazines, but edible Food. Our library used to have a big problem with teens exhibiting unwanted behavior. It made for a tricky situation. On the one hand, I had to be a disciplinarian. On the other hand, I was supposed to provide more teen programs for these surly young people to attend. Answer? Pizza. Cookies. Ice cream. Sodas. We had a Teen Read Week party for the teens and I saw teens I’d never seen in the library before. We have a movie and pizza for teens twice a month. Attendance has tripled and the teens are well behaved and a pleasure to have around. St. Benedict knew what he was doing!

Make small changes. Once you’ve made that change part of your life, you can choose to adopt a different part of the Benedictine lifestyle or “cast your nets deeper,” as Jesus instructed Peter to do. For instance, my next step in hospitality is to make my surroundings, my home and office, more comfortable so that visitors will be at ease when they come by. Lent is a good time to find a part of the Rule that you want to adopt and make part of your life. One year, I chose to abstain from meat on Wednesdays as well as Fridays. It’s something that my state in life does permit and it makes me feel a closer connection to all Benedictines and the sacrifice glorifies God.

Nothing burdensome, St Benedict promises us that. So we don’t need to feel as though we have to adopt the whole Rule in our first month or year of Oblate life. And adopting what parts of the Rule we can keeps our Benedictine spiritual practice new and fresh. There is much to ponder and try in this school of the Lord’s service and it could easily take a lifetime to try and adopt it all.

I remain enthused about being an Oblate of St. Benedict and I have to thank Val Kowalski for being so enthused that her promise, written on her prayer card, was essentially her last words to us. I thank John Kowalski for bringing Val’s prayer cards to the Oblate meeting to share Val’s words. They inspired this article. I’m blessed and grateful for it!

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Kathy and I are happy to announce that Rita Zimmermann, Dean of the Bedford group and Annie McEntee of Richmond, will represent the oblates of Saint Benedict Monastery, in October at the Oblate World Congress, in Rome Italy. Rita and Annie have dedicated themselves to service in our oblate communi-ty. Rita as Dean and council member. She is also Faith formation coordinator at Holy Name of Mary Catholic Church ,in Bedford, Va. Annie is on the oblate council, and adult Faith formation Coordinator at Saint Michael catholic Church, in Glen Allen, Va. Both Rita and Annie are servant leaders and well deserving of this honor. We want to support Rita and Annie with our prayer and financial support as we are able. Congrat-ulations Annie and Rita!

The National association of American Benedictine Oblate Directors Biennial meeting/Conference will be held July, 12 – 17, 2013 . “ Living the Benedictine Charism Faithfully in the World”. The conference is being held at Annunciation Monastery, in Bismark North Dakota. Annie McEntee of Richmond, Va. And Sharon Hennessy Bonas, of Minden Nevada, have been asked to accompany The Oblate Co-Directors to the conference.

Many of our oblates have lost family members and friends in the past few months. Please hold them and our oblates daily in your prayers. Please remember the family of Val Kowalski in your prayer. She and her husband John were and are faithful and dedicated oblates of Saint Benedict Monastery, in the Bedford deanery. Their son Mark is a seminarian in the Richmond Diocese. Val entered into eternal life Sunday, January 6, 2013 at age 60. Many of her fellow oblates , Kathy and I attended the celebration of her life at the Prayer Service and Mass of Resurrection at Our Lady of Nazareth Catholic Church, in Roanoke, Va. She was an inspiration to all of us and will be missed so much..

We also want to thank all of you who sent in your Lenten resolves to Sister Cecilia, and for your generous donations to AIM. May you be blessed abundantly for your generosity.

Our next year’s oblate retreat will be held on the first Saturday in February, 2014. Norvene Vest, Obl.S.B. a nationally recognized writer, speaker, and retreat leader has confirmed she will be able to give the retreat.

Kathy and I traveled to Nevada in September to receive two new oblates, Kim Shrum and Leslie Vary. The ceremony took place at Saint Gall’s Church in Gardnerville. It was a beautiful day with a retreat led by Kathy Frick, obl.S.B. The oblation took place at noon. The hospitality was wonderful and a blessed and good time was had by all.

OBLATE NEWS 

“Even so, it was not enough for God to send his Son to point out the way – he made his Son the way itself, so that we can go on our journey guided by him.” St. Augustine

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BOOK REVIEWS:

A review by Juanita Walker, Obl, S.B. of "Proof of Heaven' by Dr. Eben Alexander.

I had the good fortune of getting this book for Christmas. I have enjoyed reading books on "after death experiences" and are fascinated with the stories of these encounters. The book intrigued me most because it was written by a doctor who often disclaims anything religious. Dr. Alexander's experience was the most unusual I have read and the most explanatory because of his medical background. It is an easy read and one you will not forget. Some of his experiences bring you such hope and joy as he shared them with you in this book. A definite must read for us all.

A review by Patty Tancyus of "The Artist's Rule" by Christine Valters Painter.

It is a wonderful book that I have found very enjoyable and instructive. It can be obtained on Amazon. It is a lovely book whose emphasis is on "nurturing your creative soul with monastic wisdom" The author is a Benedictine oblate with training in the expressive arts. Her book offers support for a graceful journey through creativity and contemplation. She says, "Creativity and contemplative spirituality nurture and support each other in their commitments to the slow way, to a close attention to the inner life and to the sacred being revealed in each moment." The book contains creative exercises that include poetry, collage, jour-naling and drawing. For those of us who think we "can't draw a straight line" or feel we are not very creative, this is an excellent resource that shows we are all creative in our own way and that expressive art can be both enjoyable and enlightening. I hope you will check this book out.

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AN OBLATE STORY:

By Juanta Walker Obl. S.B.

In today's world, many of us have to face situations we never dreamed would happen to us. Job losses, family problems and other hardships can find us in such dire need that we feel lost about the next step in our lives. One of our Oblates in Richmond has traveled down that road and yet I listened to her recently at one of our meetings and wanted to cry with joy for her resilience in her struggles of life. She has been enduring a lot of the struggles listed above...but found herself at a meet-ing recently that asked "just one more thing" of her. She works two jobs, helps raise her granddaughter and is present to many of the students she teaches...so what else does she need on her plate. A new endeavor that calls her to form a new group to help supply shoes for the homeless. Now most other people would look at the person asking and say "are you kidding me...do you understand my life.?" Not Natalie, she took "Just one more thing" and is now work-ing on this project. I sense in Natalie a realization that God did not forget her in her time of need and she can't forget others in their time of need. Is this not the "impossible task" our rule speaks of. God will help Natalie with her task because she took on that "impossible task"...just one more thing in a life already too heavy to carry.

By Cathy Boga Obl.S.B,

Assignment of impossible task to a brother (Chapter 68 ) was our topic for the January oblate gather-ing; which was given by Sr. Karen Lynn. The last line in RB Chapter 68 line 5 struck a chord within me. "Trusting in God's help, he must in love obey". While reflecting on our talk; I remembered that God often does for us what we cannot do for our selves and that He brings all things to completion for His glory. My own experience of past and present impossible tasks has been a catalyst for much inner transformation. I'm learning it is not the big tasks, but the small tasks, that I'm daily given to do that often trip me up. For example; listening to others when I want to talk, serving without being recog-nized, and allowing myself to be vulnerable with my peers and strangers. Those who know me, know that baking/cooking are often impossible tasks for me yet, one day I found myself volunteering to bring goodies for our gathering. I ended up baking breads and muffins from scratch. Now I could have just bought the food however, the joy of being able to do something for the community on a small scale overshadowed any fear of failure that I might have had. Daily I'm learning that through obedience, the heart begins to open, and the impossible tasks; big and small are the keys that opens the door to unforeseen possibilities that were once seen as impossible tasks before.

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Friday this past week, a friend invited me for a visit to her home in Maryland St Mary's County and located only a stones' throw from the Potomac. I arrived just in time to admire the setting sun paint-ing the sky and reflecting waters with celestial hues. While breathing in the beauty of the scene, grateful for the blessing of sight, I noticed another creature in my company. A wild rabbit standing statue still less than a few feet from me. So frozen, it appeared to be a remarkably realistic garden accessory until the ears moved! Delighted by this unexpected "visitation" and captivated by the perfection of this creature and its unlikely proximity, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the presence of this "other." We simply "looked" at each other alert, awake and blessed in a communion of mutual awareness. Tears fell full of affec-tion for this wild creature in all its "bunny-ness". I stumble to find words to capture the meaning gifted me in this brief but graced moment. I am amazed with wonder and awe at the miracle of our companionship with nature and the awareness "being" so vastly "other" at the same time. As I continue to give thanks and unpack this experience, I clearly recall my heartfelt desire to communicate with my wild companion. I wanted this beautiful creature to feel safe with me; that I meant no harm and there was nothing to fear. The intimacy and the profound "otherness" of our meeting still lingers with sweetness in my remembrance.

SURPRISED BY GOD by Sharon Watkins, Obl. S.B.  

In these days of Lent we become aware of the presence of the suffering God, shocking in

weakness, challenging all our ideas about the nature of God.

It is during these Lenten days, that the hard thoughts within us can soften, that the unforgiving walls of

judgment and blame can crumble, that the cold shadows of our fear can be melted by this sacred

warmth of hope.

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OBLATE RETREAT by Mary Ellen Merchant. Obl. S.B.

On Saturday, October 18, Sr. Charlotte, Kathy, Debbie, Ann, Margarite, and I met at the Monastery at 6:30 A.M. for our trip to St. Gertrude’s Monastery in Ridgely, Maryland.

Kathy was our driver and I was the navigator (God was with us). It was a gorgeous trip until we had to traverse that ‘great’, long, long Bay Bridge. Once we reached ground on the other side into Maryland it was lovely. Trees were changing colors and were just breathtaking, the ground was very flat but made for a great, easy drive. We arrived safely at the beautiful grounds of the Monastery at about 9:00.

The drive up Benedictine Lane was beautiful. We had plenty of time to register, freshen up, and head into the dining room where every-thing took place. Our day began with a welcome and History offered by Srs. Mary Lou Rabino and Mary DeMeglio, with opening prayer by Sr. Patricia Kirk.

We then were blessed with our guest speaker, Sr. Vicki Ix, who spoke on “Right and Just”, The Relationship with the Oblates at the Monastery. Many of the Oblates agreed with

Sr. Vicki that it is Right and Just that all members of the Oblate community should be able to share in Eucharist at our meetings when it is offered. Her talks are always powerful, but this one was absolutely awesome. This was followed by discussion and sharing by Sr. Charlotte. Following this we had noon prayer and lunch which was great – nicely packaged and super food.

Our afternoon consisted of a Panel of Oblates directed by Sr. Charlotte. Our Monastery was represented by Ruth Bailey and Debbie Fancher, Joan Bancher represented Emmanuel, Dale Dombrowsky, St. Vincent Archabbey, Pat Lafferty, St. Gertrude’s and Mary Ann Evans represented St. Anslems Abbey. Their comments instigated some interesting discussion, much of

which referred back to Sr. Vicki’s talk. All of this was quite interesting.

It was a very long day but well worth it. We had a long drive home with lots of laughs. We missed a turn, but that was okay because we had a beautiful ride up a winding road. Debbie was our driver – we were blessed to have such great drivers. Six tired, hungry ladies crawled out of the car at the Benedictine Monastery and headed for home. I reached home at 9:15 at

hated to think what time Margarite reached Richmond.

I was most grateful that I was able to take part in the retreat. Tired or no, it was a glorious, spiritual and joy-filled day.

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