The Abbot - Part 1

The long wait is almost over. 

A lot has been going on since the announcement was made that Abbot Cletus would be retiring. Soon, this coming month, the brothers at Saint Bernard Abbey will elect a new Abbot.

This is no small matter in the life of the monastic community. 

Electing an Abbot is a serious matter. The outcome of the election will have long term effects on the life of the community. Abbot Cletus knows this. The brothers know this. Those with an inkling of an understanding of monastic life know this.

The Rule of Saint Benedict, particularly Chapter 2 of the Rule, is at the heart and center of the prayers of the brothers and of all the abbatial election deliberations. The Rule sets the standards. It sets the standards that the brothers, religious sisters, and Oblates live by. It sets the standards and establishes the qualifications for the Abbot, as the Superior of the monastery, upon whose shoulder’s responsibility for the monastery and all who reside therein rests.

The Rule tells us what kind of man the Abbot ought to be. His responsibility is much more than a physical one. Though the physical responsibility is great and not to be discounted, the greater responsibility is for the welfare of the souls entrusted into his care.

What Kind of Man Ought the Abbot to Be?

The Abbot who is worthy to be over a monastery, ought always to be mindful of what he is called, and make his works square with his name of Superior. For he is believed to hold the place of Christ in the monastery, when he is called by his name, according to the saying of the Apostle: “You have received the spirit of adoption of sons, whereby we cry Abba (Father)” (Rom 8:15). [1]

I will never be the Abbot of a monastery. Nor will I ever take part in the election of an Abbot. These are responsibilities particular to living within the cloister. Oblates, living in the world outside the monastery, have no physical part in this important process. We can however, as Oblate or layperson, garner and take away a great deal of practical importance from this chapter in the Rule; especially when we begin seeing monastic communities for what they are … intense microcosms of the Greater Church.

One of the things that stands out in The Rule is the necessity to accept and respect the hierarchy of spiritual authority that God has established. And, where this hierarchy of spiritual authority is concerned, those within the hierarchy had best realize who and what they are called to considering the accounting that they must give before the Supreme Superior. The hierarchical relationship is a delicate one; someone has to place their confidence and trust in another while this significant other acts as a responsible figurehead.

This relationship has worked very well in Benedictine monasteries since the Sixth Century. What some may discover surprising is that this is the same hierarchical spiritual authority principle that Christ established in the Church when he ordained the Twelve Apostles and established Peter as both head of the Apostles and of the Church. Our Catholic understanding of this establishment is furthered and carried out through Apostolic Succession where the elected Supreme Pontiff appoints and presides over the Diocesan Bishops who in turn ordain Priests to serve as Parish Pastors.

Something else that may come as a surprise is that this system of doing things has worked for 2000 years. There have been bad Popes elected to both protect and lead the Church. There have been good Popes elected to the task as well. Despite the bad Popes, and other internal difficulties over the millennia, the Church is still a very real and active presence in the world. The Church, despite its modern trials and conflicts, will continue to live on until Christ returns. If I am understanding the historical teachings of the Church as spelled out in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, this Church will be well sifted, shaken, and purified by the trials and persecutions of the Last Days, trials and persecutions that will cause many to renounce the faith and walk away from the Church. [2] [3]

The great modern dilemma in the Post-Vatican II Church, as I see it, is that people in the pews have bought into the modern revolution that sets itself against any kind of hierarchical authority and have chosen to live lives of spiritual anarchy. There is honestly no other terminology to describe this condition that appears to be worsening in the Catholic Church with the extremes of Modernism pulling in one direction and Traditionalism pulling in the other direction. Both extremes essentially reject and throw off being accountable to the established authority of the Church.[4] Both extremes are wrong.

One of the things that I remind myself of is the fact that the election of the Pope, appointment of Bishops, and sending of Parish Priests, is nowhere listed in my job description as a Catholic Christian in the Catholic Church.

The Church has been through conflicts and storms before and has managed to weather them. I cannot help but to wonder though if the stage is being set for another Great Schism such as The East-West Schism of 1054 or The Western Schism, also called The Papal Schism of 1378? Who knows? I certainly do not.

The Rule of Saint Benedict appeals to a lot of Christian people other than Roman Catholics. In fact, I embraced The Rule and became an Oblate of Saint Benedict before entering into the Catholic Church. Then, back before entering into the Catholic Church, I could not help but to see The Rule of Saint Benedict as a great bridge connecting to an island of hope where all Christians, regardless of their denominational differences, could sit together in a spirit of one accord.

I still see The Rule as this bridge.

To be continued in Part 2.

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[1] Holy Rule 2:1-3

[2] Catechism of the Catholic Church, Paragraphs 675 - 677

[3] Matthew 24:3-31

[4] In an extremely simplified nutshell, extreme Traditionalists insist that Vatican II is invalid, that everything following it is a hoax, and that there has not been a valid Pope since before Vatican II. Extreme Modernists insist that Vatican II did not go far enough in its reforms, want prohibitions against women clergy lifted, and calls for homosexual relationships to be accepted as normal and not sinful.

Line In The Sand

It is pretty basic.

It is in my mind anyway.

This revival of paganism, some call it modernism and humanism, is not of human origin. Nor is it something that came winging in out of the sky without warning.

Pope Pius X [1903-1914] warned extensively about modernism. In fact, in "Sacrorum Antistitum", given by His Holiness St. Pius X on September 1, 1910, all clergy, pastors, confessors, preachers, religious superiors, and professors in philosophical-theological seminaries were sworn to uphold, defend, and promulgate the historic Catholic faith in the face of this growing modernism.

A rose by any other name is still a rose. Paganism by any other name is still paganism. The roots of this revival in paganism are found in antiquity. Its roots are in the Garden where the First Couple fell from grace as a result of Satan’s beguiling influence.

He has been running with that victory ever since.

Satan tried to kill the Infant Son of God. [Matthew 2:13-18] He attempted to distract the Adult Son of God from his salvific mission of mercy. [Matthew 4:1-11] Satan thought he had won when he entered into Judas and used him to betray Jesus. [Luke 22:3-5]

Who are we to think that we are above his antics? We are not.

Jesus warns us of a day when false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. [Matthew 24:24]

I don’t know so much about “signs and wonders” at this point in time but it is obvious that many have traded the historic faith for modern interpretations of it that are far removed from the historic example lived by the Saints over the ages. The great tragedy is the number of Catholic people … from leaders down to laity … that have bought into the schemes of modern humanism and seek to promulgate these schemes in the environment of the Church.

Man’s efforts to “normalize” sin is part of what Pope Pius X was trying to prepare the Church to avoid.

I say to our Church leaders … “Tell me what sin is! Talk about the consequences of sin! Don’t sugar coat that which has the potential of taking me to hell for eternity! Call me to repentance, confession, and absolution in the hospital room of the Confessional! Lead me, by your example, into a life of prayerful penance where I can, as much as humanly possible, make reparation this side of the flames of Purgatory!”

Is this asking too much? I dare to think that it is not.

All of us would do well to revisit the Apocalypse and refamiliarize ourselves with the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. [Revelation Chapters 2 and 3] The Glorified Christ had some harsh warnings for most of the seven. One of the primary faults that he found with them was their willingness to allow the world and the ways of the world to infiltrate their ranks and supplant the deposit of faith entrusted to them.

The words conservative, traditional, and old-school … applied to faith and morals as defined by Sacred Scripture, Apostolic Tradition, and the Magisterium of the Catholic Church … more and more describe where I stand. I can consciously do no other. For this position I can make no apology.

The Old Deluder will not cease his tempting and deceiving until the day he is finally consigned to the eternal fire. Until then, we are behooved to keep in mind that

“We are not contending against flesh and blood, but against the principalities,

against the powers, against the world rulers of this present darkness,

against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

[Ephesians 6:12]

We cannot afford to run willy-nilly. We have to face the battle head on and do what we are told to do.

What are we told to do?

“Therefore take the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the equipment of the gospel of peace; besides all these, taking the shield of faith, with which you can quench all the flaming darts of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” [Ephesians 6:13-18]

We cannot afford to give mere eye or lip service to the directives contained in these verses.

We must own and implement what is contained herein, knowing full well that “the weapons of our warfare are not worldly but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.” [2 Corinthians 10:4-5]

Failure to own and implement these directives is nothing more than an act of submission to the one that seeks to enslave and destroy us. Failure to own and implement these directives is to commit spiritual suicide.

We dress in the armor we have been given.

We use the spiritual weapons that have been given to us.

We also invoke the assistance of the heavenly host.

St. Michael the Archangel,

defend us in battle.

Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,

and do thou,

O Prince of the heavenly hosts,

by the power of God,

thrust into hell Satan,

and all the evil spirits,

who prowl about the world

seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Sitting In Sackcloth And Ashes

Act of Reparation

Most sweet Jesus, whose overflowing charity for men is requited by so much forgetfulness, negligence, and contempt, behold us prostrate before you, eager to repair by a special act of homage the cruel indifference and injuries to which your loving Heart is everywhere subjected.

Mindful, alas! that we ourselves have had a share in such great indignities, which we now deplore from the depths of our hearts, we humbly ask your pardon and declare our readiness to atone by voluntary expiation, not only for our own personal offenses, but also for the sins of those who, straying far from the path of salvation, refuse in their obstinate infidelity to follow you, their Shepherd and Leader, or, renouncing the promises of their Baptism, have cast off the sweet yoke of your law.

We are now resolved to expiate each and every deplorable outrage committed against you; we are determined to make amends for the manifold offenses against Christian modesty in indecent dress and behavior, for all the foul seductions laid to ensnare the feet of the innocent, for the frequent violations of Sundays and holydays, and for the shocking blasphemies uttered against you and your Saints.

We wish also to make amends for the insults to which your Vicar on earth and your priests are subjected, for the profanation, by conscious neglect or terrible acts of sacrilege, of the very Sacrament of your divine love, and lastly for the public crimes of nations who resist the rights and teaching authority of the Church which you have founded.

Would that we were able to wash away such abominations with our blood.

We now offer, in reparation for these violations of your divine honor, the satisfaction you once made to your Eternal Father on the cross and which you continue to renew daily on our altars; we offer it in union with the acts of atonement of your Virgin Mother and all the saints and of the pious faithful on earth; and we sincerely promise to make recompense, as far as we can with the help of your grace, for all neglect of your great love and for the sins we and others have committed in the past.

Henceforth, we will live a life of unswerving faith, of purity of conduct, of perfect observance of the precepts of the Gospel and especially that of charity.

We promise to the best of our power to prevent others from offending you and to bring as many as possible to follow you.

O loving Jesus, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mother, our model in reparation, deign to receive the voluntary offering we make of this act of expiation; and by the crowning gift of perseverance keep us faithful unto death in our duty and the allegiance we owe to you, that we may all one day come to that happy home, where with the Father and the Holy Spirit you live and reign, for ever and ever. Amen.

A partial indulgence is granted to the faithful, who piously recite the above act of reparation. A plenary indulgence is granted if it is publicly recited on the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Sanctifying Time - June - The Month of the Sacred Heart

One of the many things that I deeply appreciate about the Catholic Church is how she takes something as ordinary and mundane as time and sanctifies it by turning it into a liturgy to complement the liturgy of life itself.

The Church does this, in her wisdom, to help her children remain focused on realities that are of utmost importance in our day to day lives. We are, after all, called to be wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. [Ephesians 5:16]

The Catholic Church dedicates the Month of June to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on the Friday following the second Sunday after Pentecost. In addition to the liturgical celebration, many devotional exercises are connected with the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Of all devotions, devotion to the Sacred Heart was, and remains, one of the most widespread and popular in the Church.

On this First Day of June, in the Year 2019, I consecrate myself afresh to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

O LOVING Heart of our Lord Jesus Christ,

You move hearts that are harder than rock. You melt spirits that are colder than ice. You reach souls that are more impenetrable than diamonds. Touch my heart with Your sacred Wounds, permeate my soul with Your precious Blood, so that wherever I turn I will see only my divine Crucified Lord, and everything I see will appear colored with your Blood.

Lord Jesus,

Let my heart never rest until it finds You, who are its center, its love, and its happiness. By the wound in Your heart, pardon the sins that I have committed whether out of malice or out of evil desires. Place my weak heart in Your divine Heart, continually under Your protection and guidance, so that I may persevere in doing good and in fleeing evil until my last breath.

Heart of Jesus, save me.

Heart of my Creator, perfect me.

Heart of my Savior, deliver me.

Heart of my Judge, forgive me.

Heart of my Father, govern me.

Heart of my Spouse, love me.

Heart of my Master, teach me.

Learn more about the Month of the Sacred Heart at …..

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/overviews/months/06_1.cfm