Kansas Monks Fall 2019

k ansas

monks

HAIL MARY In this issue:

Six tips to grow closer to Mary Analyzing the Magnificat Remembering Fr. Denis Meade The Ordination of Fr. Luke Turner and much more!

kansasmonks.org

1

St. Benedict’s Abbey Horarium

Ple a se join u s for Ma ss or P rayer – e ven if you are pray ing f rom home!

P ray the D iv ine O ff ice anytime , any where w ith iBre v i ar y

Monday-Saturday Vigils/Lauds 5:45 AM Midday Prayer 11:45 AM Conventual Mass 12:10 PM Vespers Mon-Fri 5:00 PM Vespers Saturday 5:45 PM Holy Hour praying for Vocations Saturday - 7:00 PM Sunday Vigils/Lauds 6:30 AM Abbey-Student Mass 10:00 AM Midday Prayer 12:05 PM Vespers 5:00 PM

Contents 4 - From the Abbot

Abbot James Albers dives into the vocational crisis in our Church and offers some thoughts on what we can do to help.

6 - Ordinations

This summer the Abbey was blessed to celebrate the priestly ordination of Fr. Luke Turner and Fr. Thiago Silva.

10 - Fr. Albert Hauser

We remember the life and service of Fr. Albert Hauser.

12 - Candlelight Vigil

Fr. Daniel McCarthy offers some thoughts on Catholic funeral practices and shares the story of incorporating the Benedictine tradition of Vespers for the Dead.

14 - Behold Your Mother

Help us bring Christ to the world.

Stability is central to the life of the monk – this vow keeps us rooted in this place and reminds us that, no matter where we are, our spirituality flows from St. Benedict’s Abbey. Our very lives are sustained by the perpetual prayer of the Abbey.

One of our most important works is sharing the love of Christ with all those that we serve – you can partner with us to bring Christ to the world by becoming a Partner in Stability. Your monthly support is critical to making our prayer and work possible.

For more information, visit our website:

K A N S A S M O N K S . O R G / S TA B I L I T Y

Fr. Meinrad Miller shares six tips to grow our relationship with Mary.

16 - The Magnificat

Each day the Church joins together to pray the Canticle of Mary; Fr. Jay Kythe explains this great prayer piece by piece.

20 - Fr. Denis Meade

We celebrate the life and service of Fr. Denis Meade.

23 - How can I help?

Ways to support the prayer and work of the monks.

24 - Beauty in Photos

Abbot Barnabas is preparing for a third photo exhibit; he spoke to the CRAA about his creative process.

27 - Becoming an Oblate

Ever wonder what an Oblate is?

We take a look at this program and how you can deepen your relationship with Christ through a life of Benedictine Spirituality.

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S t. B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y

the g re at e s t g if t He di e d s o that others mig ht live.

The d ay Fr. D eni s p a ss e d aw ay thi s ph ra s e w a s t r app e d i n my mi nd , e ch o i ng o ve r a n d ov er. Fr. D eni s and I had ne ver di s c u ss e d th e s e wo rd s , a nd I co ul d n’t tel l yo u th e l a s t ti m e I ha d he ard them or re ad them b efo re th at d ay. N e ve r th el e s s , th e re i t w a s , l i ke a sk i ppi n g re cord: he die d s o that oth ers mi g ht l i ve .

We w eren’t all that clo s e, we hadn’t sp e nt much t i me to g e th e r o ut si d e o f wo rk i n g o n proj e c t s for the Abb e y, and ye t , that mo r ni ng , I fel t co ns ume d b y g r i e f – why?

Centr a l to B ene dic t ine spir itu alit y i s h o spi t a l i t y – th at yo u sh o ul d t re at e ver yo n e a s i f the y w ere C hr i st . On thi s me a sure, Fr. D e ni s w a s i n a s t rat a a l l h i s o w n. If e v e r y ou en cou ntere d him you were g re e te d w i th a j o y th at w a s o n p a r w i th a ch i l d o n C h r i stm a s mor ning – an infe c t iou s s mi l e – a nd s o me s o r t o f humo ro u s a nd e c td o te . ( Ev en i n re tirement he w a s quipping th at h e w a s “ b u s i er th a n a o ne - a r me d p ap er ha n ger ” ) . He lef t an indelible mark , no t ju st o n me , b ut o n e ve r yo ne h e me t .

Perh ap s th e mo st remark able thing i s th at , e ve n i n d e ath , a n e ch o o f h i s j o y re m a i n s .

You c a n s e e it in Fr. Simon’s smile; yo u c a n h e ar i t i n Fr. Me i nra d’s humo ro u s rem a rk s ; y ou c a n f e e l it in Abb ot Jame s’ pre a ch i ng . Th e mo nk s k no w h o w to sh ar e G o d , o f te n w i th out utte r ing a word. The y c an p a s s o n th e j o y o f th e G o s p el b e c au s e th e y li v e it .

I ’v e sp ent my whole life b eing told to b el i e ve – b ut e nco unte r i ng th e s e mo nk s m a ke s m e w ant to b elie ve.

Thi n k i n g of Fr. D eni s now st ill make s me smi l e – i t s t i l l b r i ng s j o y – h i s ex a mpl e a n d f r i en d shi p were inde e d life g iv ing. He g a ve h i s l i fe a s mo nk to b r i ng ab o ut th at j o y i n oth er s – i n you and in me.

He di e d s o that others mig ht live.

- J . D. B en n i ng Edi tor, Ka nsa s Monk s , B C ’ 0 8

T H E R E I S N O G R E AT E R LO V E T H A N TO L AY D O W N O N E ’S L I F E F O R O N E ’S F R I E N D S .

-j o h n 15:13 kansasmonks.org

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Fr om t he A bb ot

Hastening to Heaven

Life happens. What is important is how you respond to it. Are the daily ups and downs of monastic life much different from the life of the average family or individual? Of course, the glaring differences are there: we are vowed, celibate men who spend about four hours a day in prayer. (Oh yeah, and I live in a monastery with 40 other men.) However, all in all, life still happens. Members of the family or community have to be places and be doing things that take them out of the “normal” routine of daily life.

Such a departure from normalcy happened recently as our men in formation and their formators spent two days together in recreation and prayer away from the Abbey. This took eleven of our youngest members out of the house for two days. As you can imagine, that changed our daily life dramatically – I shared with the Benedictine College students who joined us for Mass that day, that this, a choir with no young monks, is what the Abbey community would look like if no one had joined the monastery in the past 15 years. Praise be to God that we have had men join in the past 15 years! (More than half of our community is below the age of 55.) However, we have also had two, nine-year periods in our recent history where no one who joined persevered (professed vows).

Now I am not a dooms-day promoter, nor am I exhorting more men to join us to solely boost our numbers – we gratefully accept men whom God is calling to join us. If it is not God’s will, quite honestly, it is best for them and for our community if they don’t join. What I will put forward is that we as a Church, and as a culture, are facing a vocational crisis. Here are some numbers looking at the general vocational decline in the US since 1970:

What

In 1970

In 2019

Decline

Annual Priestly Ordinations

805

518

37%

Religious Sisters

160,931

44,117

73%

Religious Brothers

11,623

3,897

66%

Second Theology Seminarians

6,602

3,553

46%

You might be thinking, “I thought it was a lot worse.” That those numbers aren’t as bad as you thought they would be; down less than 50% for both ordinations and seminarians. This is where the numbers begin to get scary, (if they haven’t scared you already.) This is a case of a trickle-down effect. Some more notable numbers since 1970:

What

In 1970

In 2019

Decline

Annual Marriages in the Church

426,309

143,082

64%

Annual Infant Baptisms

1,089,000

615,119

44%

Annual Adult Baptisms

84,534

39,660

53%

Percentage of Catholics Attending Sunday Mass

71.3%

21.1%

50.2%

When I say a “trickle-down effect” what I read here is that the real drop in the number of seminarians, priestly ordinations, and the number of consecrated men and women is yet to come. If Catholics are not getting married in the Church, if they aren’t having children and having them baptized in the Church, if the tide of adult conversions is drying up, and Mass attendance is dropping drastically, then where are those future priests and consecrated men and women going to be formed; from where will they come? Our young people – our grade-school and high-school-aged youth – our young people will be formed by the culture rather than in their families. What is our responsibility in this?

I want to suggest several opportunities: 4

S t. B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y

WHAT CAN I DO?

responding to the vocations crisis in the church

For those in their 20s-30s Discern your vocation! Develop your relationship with God and seek to understand how he speaks to you. Ask him, “God, what plan do you have for my life?” Then be open to listening, be open to each vocational possibility available to a Catholic, Christian young person; If God is calling you to the priestly or consecrated vocation, talk to someone you trust about what you are hearing from God – hold those thoughts and internal promptings up to the accountability of another person. Take it to God in prayer, and if he confirms it in you, respond.

If God is calling you to the married vocation, be open to life and encourage your children to be open to any vocation God might have for them; let them know that you would be supportive of a priestly or consecrated religious vocation.

For the Baby Boomers: You have become the Church’s prayer warriors, (as we all are called to be). However, in a real way you must be the widow that will not stop pleading until her prayers are answered: for your children, grandchildren, and the whole Church and culture – all of which you can encourage in a loving and, as I suggest to parents, non-aggressive manner.

For all of us: Pray for healthy vocations in the married life and in the priestly and consecrated life. If we think that parents and priests and consecrated religious are able to live healthy vocations without their own prayer lives, and our prayer, let us please check that fantasy at the door.

For Generation X, 35-55 year olds For my generation, we’ve had our chance to change the culture, and quite honestly, we came up short. The good news; however, is that we can still make an impact. Most of that drop in Mass attendance – 71% to 21% – is our age group and the children of our generation. Our generation had fewer children and we don’t always make them go to church, because our generation isn’t going that much either. What influence can we have on the youth and college-aged men and women of our time?

Be active in your parish, and show to our young people the joy of our faith. Encourage your children – in a non-aggressive manner – to be open to any vocation God might have for them; let them know that you would be supportive of a priestly or consecrated religious vocation. A vocation is difficult work!

For us monks: Prayer is our first and most important opportunity. If we don’t start there, and be faithful to our vocation in that work, to live it in beauty and fidelity, then there is no allurement for men to consider a call to our community.

We must be steady in our obedience to one another, holding each other accountable, striving “to be the first to show respect to the other,” (RB 72:4, Rom. 12:10). Being examples to the world of the joy of brotherhood.

Invite! Invite young men to consider our way of life, and be examples to them of happy, well-lived vocations as sons of St. Benedict.

I hear your question: Abbot James, if you are the spiritual father of St. Benedict’s Abbey, then what is your direct responsibility? A very good question, a correct one, and thank you for asking. It is my responsibility to see that the Abbey, Benedictine College, and Maur Hill Mount Academy have healthy environments that are supportive of our lives of faith, and the lives of faith of our youth and young adults, so that we/they may encounter God, growing in deeper love of him. It is my responsibility to see to the solid formation of our young men, those monks who will further form the future of the Church through their ministry. It is my responsibility to create a community here at the St. Benedict’s Abbey that allows my brother monks, my sons, to grow in virtue and faith, and ultimately to grow in brotherhood with Christ and with each other.

Whose responsibility is it to try and right this ship, to buck these trends? A heavy burden falls on our young adults. They have the most potential to influence their peers, their future families, or chose their future priestly or consecrated vocation – to form the youth of today and the future. In a way they have a clean slate to work with, and from which to venture. With that said, it is all our responsibilities, to buck these trends, to prove the world wrong, for remember, Christ has already conquered the world. And if you are thinking, “God, why me?” Haven’t we all asked that same question? I ask God that question every day, and I know that my response has to be the same every day if I am to respond in faith and in stewarding my vocation: Because you asked me God, because you entrusted me with this community and with the lives and souls of these monks, and because you loved the world so much that you gave your only Son in atonement for our sins, and as our very food and drink.

May God grant us the virtues of fortitude and humility, to respond to his promptings and his desires for each of us, the Church, and the world. kansasmonks.org

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the ordination of father luke turner

The Completion of a journey

by J.D. Benning How long are you willing to follow your dreams?

How long does it take for a prayer to be answered?

For Father Luke Turner, his childhood dream of being a priest came true much later than his sixth-grade-self ever would have expected. His mother, Thorene Turner, never stopped praying, and her prayers have finally been answered – on June 29, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, she watched her son be ordained to the priesthood at St. Benedict’s Abbey. “This day has been a long time coming,” Thorene said as she addressed the crowd following the ordination, “a day that I have never stopped praying for. I’m so proud of my son and know that he is going to be a great priest!”

“As a kid, we always had the Catholic Digest, so I started writing to the religious orders that were listed in the back, just to gather information as a kid would do,” Fr. Luke shared on a recent episode of MonkCast, St. Benedict’s Abbey’s podcast. “I had this wild dream to be a missionary in Africa.”

While those dreams may be slightly different than those of your run-of-the-mill twelve-year-old, for a young Jeff Turner, he had made up his mind early. “I enrolled in Savior of the World Seminary with the intention of becoming a priest, but I wasn’t quite sure where I would land. My mom used to put me on a bus to visit [St. Benedict’s] Abbey, and I was always greeted

by Fr. Regis and took part in monastic prayer,” Fr. Luke recalls. “My interest grew and after graduation, I came to Benedictine College as an ‘Abbey student’ taking courses, living in the dorms, and praying with the monks. I entered the novitiate in 1981 but felt like I 6

S t. B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y

Msgr. Michael Mullen (top left) has been a mentor and example to Fr. Luke for most of his life, serving as his high school seminary principal and life-long friend.

needed to experience the world, so I left for what I thought would be a couple of years, but the time was never quite right to return to the Abbey.”

For the next 30 years, Jeff pursued a career in business starting out with Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. He climbed the corporate ladder with a few companies, eventually serving as a Senior Vice President for MasterCard – in his international role he traveled the world working in the payments industry.

Working hard, he didn’t always have much of a prayer life.

“What prayer life?” Fr. Luke joked. “I was always working, and I didn’t always make time for prayer. As soon as you achieve a bit of success in your career your attention turns to the next thing: the next salary, the next title, the next goal.”

When he was stationed in Dallas, Texas, he felt called to give back. Working in Latin America, he had become fluent in Spanish; through his parish, Fr. Luke sought to help immigrants in need in the area. “Our Pastor had a policy that all the volunteers had to do a weekly Holy Hour. I agreed, but it was in those Holy Hours that God was calling me back to the Abbey and ultimately, the priesthood.”

Thorene and Fr. Luke visited the Abbey in 2008 for the first time since he had left, “I saw a spark in him,” Thorene recalls, “there was something in him that felt at home at the Abbey.”

In 2011, Fr. Luke left his wealth and career behind to become a monk. After completing seminary studies at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana, Fr. Luke was ordained to the priesthood by his longtime friend, Bishop Kevin Vann of the Diocese of Orange, Calif. To begin his priestly ministry, Abbot James Albers has assigned Fr. Luke to serve as the Director of College Ministry at Benedictine College. “I am overjoyed at being ordained and am excited to serve the students of Benedictine College!”

Fr. Luke was ordained by his longtime friend Bishop Kevin Vann, Bishop of Orange, California. They first met when Bishop Vann served in Fort Worth, Texas.

“I spent three of the most formative years of my life living with the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey. The day I arrived in Atchison in 2011, I met the new postulant Jeff Turner. I had no idea how good of a friend he would become or how important that friendship would be. Over the last eight years, Father Luke and I have shared countless laughs, innumerable meaningful conversations about life, and more than a few good meals! I’ve been blessed to live in several monasteries in different parts of the world over my decade of monastic life, and I can honestly say that few friendships have enriched and sustained my vocation as a monk and a priest as much as Father Luke’s. Besides his obvious capabilities, Luke is a man whose heart I’ve seen overflow with love and concern for others, and that is perhaps one of the greatest reasons I know he will be an excellent priest and one of the greatest reasons I consider him an example for me to follow.”

- Fr. Bernard Denson, OSB - a monk of St. Bernard’s Abbey - Cullman, Alabama

Prior to his ordination Fr. Luke recorded an episode of MonkCast - check it out now at Kansasmonks.org/Lukecast Be sure to subscribe to MonkCast on iTunes!

kansasmonks.org

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the ordination of father thiago ferreira silva

Carrying On the legacy

Almost 60 years ago St. John XXIII had a vision – to share the riches of North America with the people of South America. He wasn’t talking about gold or silver, but the riches of the priesthood. He recognized an opportunity to carry out Christ’s great commission to go forth and make disciples of all nations. Responding to this call, three monks from St. Benedict’s Abbey journeyed to Brazil to establish St. Joseph Priory. Today, for the first time in its 56 year history, the whole of the monastic community is comprised of Brazilian monks. And on July 6, 2019, the nation of Brazil was made one priest richer with the ordination of our brother, Fr. Thiago Ferreira Silva, to the priesthood.

Fr. Thiago wasn’t always drawn to the religious life.

At 26 he realized that, while his life was good, it was frenetic, “The frantic pace of my academic and professional responsibilities made me seriously reflect on the true meaning of life – what was guiding my life? I realized I was running away from my values and my choices were pulling me away from God. Before I knew it God was guiding me to the monastic life!”

Fr. Thiago entered the novitiate in 2014 and went on to profess vows and begin seminary studies. During his seminary studies he, with co-author Deivid Rodrigo Tavares, SSP, published a Lenten book, 40 Days with Jesus.

(Written and available in Portuguese).

Simple vows were a time of learning and prayer for Fr. Thiago, “the young monk should never tire of seeking God,” Fr. Thiago said. “I could see changes in myself as soon as I entered the monastery. I really wanted to focus on listening, both to my brother monks and to the Lord. The act of listening makes us less intemperate, impatient and anxious.”

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S t. B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y

Witnessing a c u lt u r e

by Br. Leven Harton

Fr. Thiago offers the Eucharist to his father during Holy Communion at his ordination at St. Joseph church in Mineiros.

When Abbot James asked me to accompany him to Brazil, I was excited to finally witness first hand the culmination (and continuation) of 50 years of prayer and work by the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey and St. Joseph Priory. It was wonderful to be in Brazil and be with the people, but especially to be with my brothers.

This was my first trip to Brazil to be with the monastic community – it was a truly illuminating experience to be with them in their home – to see their strengths and gifts and to see how they share those things with the people. And to see how the people reciprocate, they have an evident love for these Benedictine monks and are proud to be led in their faith lives by these men. For someone who doesn’t speak the language it’s even more evident.

We visited Fr. Thiago’s hometown of Nova Veneza, it was incredible to see how the whole town was united in celebrating Fr. Thiago’s ordination, watching the community come together to thank and celebrate Fr. Thiago for pursuing the priesthood.

It was a blessing to enter more deeply into the life of my Brazilian brothers – something that one cannot truly appreciate without visiting them.

Join me in offering prayers of gratitude for Fr. Thiago’s vocation and for the gift of his life to the people of Brazil!

Why does St. Benedict’s Abbey have a priory in Brazil? To celebrate the work of the monks of St. Joseph Priory we produced a video, Kansas Monks in Brazil.

Watch it now at kansasmonks.org/brazil

kansasmonks.org

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Eternal rest grant unto him Fat h e r A lb e r t Ha u se r, O S B

Born • October 26, 1933 Professed • July 11, 1954 Ordained • May 26, 1960 Died • May 19, 2019 Story from The Leaven by Joe Bollig - Theleaven.org The monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey here take three vows: obedience, conversion and stability.

The last one – stability – means a monk is committed to live in one community only, his spiritual home as long as he lives.

As a monk Father Albert Hauser, OSB, took those vows and kept them, but with a caveat. Because he accepted pastoral assignments, he hadn’t lived at the monastery for nearly 50 years, although he remained a monk of the abbey.

“He talked a lot about the vow of stability,” said Kathy Buessing, an organist at St. Michael Parish in Axtell. “He said, ‘I’m the most unstable of stable monks. Stability has not been a part of my life all these years.’”

Father Albert, 85, returned to St. Benedict’s Abbey to spend the remaining days of his life, dying peacefully on May 19. It was his final act of stability.

He was born Robert Anthony Hauser on Oct. 26, 1933, one of the five children of Joseph and Bernice (Krabbe) Hauser of Burlington, Iowa. The family belonged to St. John the Baptist Parish, and the pastors were Benedictine monks from Atchison.

He attended St. John Grade School and graduated from Burlington Catholic High School in May 1951. The Benedictine influence led him to enroll in St. Benedict’s College (now Benedictine College) in Atchison.

After two years of studies, he entered the novitiate of the abbey in 1953, and took the monastic name Albert. He professed his first vows on July 11, 1954, and graduated with a bachelor’s

degree in philosophy in May 1957. Brother Albert professed solemn vows on July 11, 1957.

He was ordained to the priesthood on May 26, 1960, by Archbishop Edward Hunkeler at the Cathedral of St. Peter in Kansas City, Kansas, then continued his studies at Conception Seminary in Conception, Missouri, during the summers of 1960 and 1961.

Father Albert served as vocation director of the abbey from 1960 to 1964. He worked in the admissions office of St. Benedict’s College in 1964, then was registrar from 1964 to 1968. Additionally, he was the college admissions office director from 1965 to 1970.

In 1970, Father Albert accepted his first parish assignment as pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Atchison, and became the selfstyled “most unstable of stable monks.”

For the next 49 years he served as a pastor, offering the sacraments to the faithful of Northeast Kansas.

Father Blaine Schultz, OSB, remembered how he and Father Albert went to college, entered the monastery, studied theology and were ordained together. “He was wonderful, fun-loving,” said Father Blaine. “I never heard a bad thing out of his mouth by way of criticism. He enjoyed sports and was a good athlete, the best athlete on the team.”

Once Father Albert began taking parish assignments, they didn’t see much of each other, but Father Albert would occasionally return to the abbey and spend a couple of days.

Had you asked him in 1969, Fr. Albert would have told you he planned to spend his life working in higher education.

An unexpected need led to him starting a temporary parish assignment – he fell in love with the ministry spending the next 50 years providing the sacramnets to the people of Northeast Kansas, from Overland Park to Axtell.

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S t. B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y

“Whatever parish he went, after being there a while, people just loved him,” said Father Blaine. “He was that kind of guy. He was a wonderful confessor. . . . I think his greatest accomplishment was being a top-notch pastor.”

Father James Shaughnessy, current pastor of St. Michael Parish in Axtell, got to know Father Albert well.

“He was my model of a pastoral priest,” said Father Shaughnessy. “He was really concerned and compassionate for his people. One of the monks said at his funeral that he was the kindest monk of the monastery.”

When Father Shaughnessy was assigned to St. Gregory Church in Marysville, he would sometimes refer his parishioners to Father Albert for spiritual direction. As a younger pastor, he would sometimes tap the older pastor’s wisdom and experience. “It was really a blessing to have him here and to follow in his footsteps,” said Father Shaughnessy. “People respected [succeeding pastors] because of him, the trust they had in him.”

His parishioners remembered how he listened to people.

“I really think that when he listened to you, you were the only person who mattered at that time,” one person said. “He gave 100 percent.”

He was a good confessor, always involved and present at parish activities, and was very patient with children. He was excellent at comforting people at funerals. His work ethic was tremendous, and he “never had a day off.” In 2010, he oversaw the renovation of St. Michael Church.

He also oversaw the closing of the little parish school, and it pained him tremendously.

It was just before Easter in 2017 that Father Albert became seriously ill from diabetes. His left leg was amputated and he moved to Life Care Center of Seneca.

He could no longer be pastor in Axtell, so it seemed his pastoral ministry had come to an end.

But it hadn’t. After he was fitted with a prosthesis and his health improved, he asked Abbot James Albers for permission to stay at Life Care and be chaplain.

“He offered Mass regularly, he heard many confessions and visited with many who wanted to talk, and he administered the sacrament of the anointing of the sick,” said Abbot James. “His last two years at Life Care was a continuation of his ministry.”

Sandy Koch, social service director at Life Care and a member of St. Michael Parish, noted that Father Albert celebrated Mass every Sunday for the residents . . . and even non-Catholics attended. Residents, staff and former parishioners came to him for the sacrament of reconciliation.

There are between 40 to 45 Catholic residents there and they were thrilled to have a priest living among them.

“For everything he was going through, he had a good sense of humor and was always happy,” she said. “He was just content and happy to be here.”

Father Albert returned to the abbey on May 16, just three days before he died, surrounded by his brother monks.

Father Albert was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Bernard and Joseph. He is survived by sisters Mary Lewis, of Chatham, Illinois, and Roberta Amenell, of Burlington, Iowa; 13 nieces and nephews; and his brother monks of the abbey.

Leave your Mark On the Future Start being remembered today!

Do you want to leave a gift that will transform the prayer and work of the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey for years to come?

Do it today - with a legacy gift through your will or life insurance policy.

P Costs you nothing during your lifetime.

P Preserves your savings and cash flow.

P Can be changed or revoked as needed.

P Allows you to be far more generous than P

you ever thought possible.

Easy to arrange.

All it takes is adding a simple paragraph to your will designating a portion to St. Benedict’s Abbey or naming the Abbey as a primary or contingent beneficiary of your life insurance.

Contact us or visit our website for more information.

kansasmonks.org/planned-giving

We’re here to help you every step of the way.

How will you make your mark?

Contact us today: Mark A. Reed, Sr. Director of Advancement Phone: 913-360-7897 Email: mreed@kansasmonks.org St. Benedict’s Abbey 1020 N. 2nd St. Atchison, KS 66002- 1499 kansasmonks.org

11

Mourning

in g e n tl e lig h t

by Fr. Daniel P. McCarthy, OSB

When I suggest to the bereaved that we receive the body of their beloved deceased into church during a candlelight vigil, their gut reaction is: “Yes! We want that.” I knew the beauty of this service could offer consolation to the grieving.

In December 1993 I was appointed pastor of St. Benedict Parish, Bendena, where Abbot James grew up. I was charged by Abbot Owen, to prepare the parish to become part of a grouping of three parishes, before I left to pursue further studies in liturgy at Sant’Anselmo in Rome, where I now teach. Eighteen months later I was appointed pastor also of St. Charles Parish, Troy, and St. Joseph Parish, Wathena, forming the tri-parishes of Doniphan County Kansas.

The difficulty in developing the funeral practices of a parish lie foremost in not pressuring or offending people in their time of grief, but also in gradually developing a vision for renewed funeral practices suited to these people and their community. Eventually a family agreed to celebrate the funeral vigil, which is basically the Liturgy of the Word, but I soon realized that we would have to pick two different sets of readings, one for the vigil and the other for the funeral mass, and, even more daunting a task, I would be expected to give two homilies.

At other times we celebrated evening prayer for the dead first from the official book, and then we borrowed the monastic practice of the Abbey, but the contemplative liturgy of the abbey was not well suited to the more active celebration of a parish.

The key insight came during a course I took on the Liturgy of the Hours at Notre Dame. I learned that the monastic celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours is different from the cathedral or parish tradition. What we needed, I realized, was to revive aspects of the parish celebration. This is what we came up with: At evening twilight, while tolling the bell, we brought the casket to the baptismal font at the entrance of church where the

Easter candle was already lit. After all had gathered, I sang “Christ our Light” and all responded “Thanks be to God.” We passed the flame from the Easter candle around – the candle-light gave a gentle comfort to all present. Then we sang the hymn Now Fades All Earthly Splendor to the tune of The Church’s One Foundation.

I then sprinkled the casket with holy baptismal water directly from the baptismal font itself, perhaps from the very font where the deceased had been baptized. Several women next clothed the casket with the funeral pall. Because the funeral pall corresponds to the baptismal garment, and thus to the alb, it should not be designed to coordinate with the cope or chasuble of the presider.

We carried the casket further into church and set it before the altar. During this procession we sang the Subvenite, rendered as “Receive her/his soul, you angels” arranged by Joan Wingert.

The angels receiving and presenting the deceased before God parallels our carrying and presenting the body of the deceased to God in prayer. We sang the same hymn as we carried the body out of church at the end of the funeral mass. In order to introduce this hymn to the parish communities, we sang it at mass as the conclusion to the prayers of the faithful first after notification of someone’s death and again when the bereaved attend mass following the funeral. I have never seen an assembly sing this beautiful piece so well.

Evening prayer continued with an offering of incense and singing Psalm 140/141, As Incense Let my Prayer Arise, sung to the tune of Amazing Grace, as we burned incense in an earthenware bowl placed on the altar. Next we sang one or two other Psalms in the form of hymns such as On Eagles’ Wings. After each psalm we observed a period of silence, followed by an invitation to pray. All stood for a psalm prayer composed to reflect the inspiration of the

Fr. Daniel McCarthy became a monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey in 1983. He is a lecturer in liturgy at the Pontifical Liturgy Institute, Sant’Anselmo, Rome and the Liturgy Institute, London. He is a guest professor at the Catholic University Leuven (KU Leuven). He writes and lectures on mass prayers, church architecture, and the Latin language.

You can attend Fr. Daniel’s lectures on designing or renovating a church for the celebration of liturgy. The First Liturgy Week Architecture for Liturgy I will be held Monday-Friday, January 20-24, 2020 at the St. John Paul II Center, Denver Colorado. www.architectureforliturgy.org/liturgy-week-1 Read his book on designing church interiors for the celebration of liturgy: Come into the Light, available from the abbey at Kansasmonks.org/shop 12

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psalm for the occasion of a funeral. After saying, “Amen,” the assembly sat down again for the next psalm. The psalmody need not be prolonged because the power of the rite comes especially from active participation in the ritual and the force of the rite itself.

A brief text from scripture was then read by a lector, and a personal reflection could follow. We sang the Canticle of Simeon, “Lord, let your servant go in peace” to the familiar tune of Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.

The intercessions were followed by the Lord’s Prayer and a final prayer. A simple invitation was extended to keep vigil that evening and perhaps throughout the night until the celebration of the funeral mass the next morning. All were then invited to share a sign of peace. There was no formal ending to this liturgy, only a gentle moving into the vigil.

After celebrating this rite once, it became immediately clear that this order of service is parallel to the rites of Christian initiation at the Easter vigil. Both begin with a service of light and a hymn to Christ the Light. Baptism is recalled in sprinkling the casket and clothing it with the white baptismal garment. Both involve a vigil culminating in the celebration of the Eucharist. This celebration provides a ritual fulfillment of baptism and the Easter vigil.

The leader for evening prayer need not be ordained. This occurred after I had left the parish, but before my successor arrived. During this interval the funeral of a parishioner was held and Margaret “Peggy” Stanton, who had helped to develop this liturgy, led its celebration.

Archbishop George Stack of Cardiff in Wales, has commissioned lay ministers to accompany the dying and the bereaved. He invited me to present this liturgy to them at a workshop held at Llantarnam Abbey on 19 September 2018. A booklet was prepared in which Peggy shared these words with the people of Cardiff: “We developed this service by responding to the cry of the heart among our bereaved, and we hope that this service may help other communities likewise respond to the cry of the heart. We learned that people will teach us how to respond to their needs, if we are attentive to them personally in their mourning, and if we are well prepared in pastoral care and liturgy”.

My colleague, the newly elected Abbot Olivier-Marie Sarr of Keur Moussa Abbey in Senegal, asked me to write up our experience in Doniphan County for publication in the journal of our faculty, Ecclesia Orans (from which this article was adapted), which has an international readership, so that he could use the article to teach his course here in Rome on “Liturgy in Cultures”. The experiences of the Tri-parishes of Doniphan County Kansas continues to inspire an ever broader hearing. I’ll conclude with the words of Peggy to the bereavement ministers of Wales: “I’m delighted that the pastoral care we developed in our rural communities contributes to the pastoral ministry you show to people in their time of need. This service comes from the Church’s treasury, but its beauty speaks far beyond and stands as a witness of the faith of the parish community offered to all who come to us in their mourning. Again, it is beautiful that what we have done enhances the beauty of what you do.”

Each year on the solemnity of All Souls the monastic community remembers our deceased brothers in a similar liturgy. Above, Abbot James prays over the grave of a deceased monk.

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Behold your

Mother Tip s f o r g r o w ing in o ur d e votion to t h e Bl e s s e d Vir g in Mar y.

by Father Meinrad Miller What does it mean to be Christian? Obviously the easy answer is following Christ – Mary was the first to know who Jesus was, and not only that, she carried and bore the Son of God! Scripture doesn’t say all that much about Christ in his youth, what must that have been like? Being a parent is hard enough, but to be the Mother of God, that is a separate challenge unto itself.

On the Cross Christ turned to the beloved disciple and said “behold your mother!” It was in this moment that Christ acknowledges Mary, not just as his earthly mother, but indeed as the mother of the whole Church – and of each person who is a part of that Church. When we’re growing up, indeed it is our mother who we depend upon first. In this same way, Christ is telling us to turn to Mary when we are in need.

People are always asking, “why do Catholics worship Mary.” Of course the answer is that we don’t worship her. But we do acknowledge that as the Mother of Jesus, she is also our mother. How do we allow our love for Mary to also increase our love in her Son, Jesus Christ? Here are six tips to grow closer to Mary, your mother.

Hailing from the small Western Kansas town of Leoti, Fr. Meinrad Miller became a monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey in 1986. He currently serves as an instructor of Theology at Benedictine College and also serves the Abbey as Choirmaster.

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Say “yes” to God – every day When Mary said “behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Lk 1:38) That statement was bold. But Monsignor Luigi Giussani used to say that the next line is often overlooked, “and the angel departed from her.” (Lk 1:38) When the messenger of God is in front of us we should seek to boldly say “yes”. Mary said “yes” to God every day, even as she stood beneath the cross and watched her beloved Son die the most ignominious death possible.

Lord give me the grace to say “yes” to you this day.

Ponder all these things in your heart. - Luke 2:51 After finding Jesus in the temple, we are told that “Mary kept all these things in her heart.” (Lk 2:51) Jesus had just told her: “Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Lk 2:49) Mary can help us to stay focused on Jesus, to keep the great fact of His presence in our hearts. It is so easy when the world around us mocks belief, and truth, to simply give up. Look to Mary, who holds on.

Do whatever He tells you At the Wedding of Cana, we hear the last words recorded in Scripture of our Blessed Mother: “do whatever he tells you.”

(Jn 2:5) Saint Teresa of Calcutta said that the Immaculate Heart of Mary is the cause of our joy, because she leads us to Jesus. Likewise, Saint Teresa of Calcutta said we become the cause of her joy when we lead others to Jesus.

Pray the Rosary Pope Francis, is his 2013 Homily for the Assumption said: Prayer with Mary, especially the Rosary, has this “suffering” dimension, that is of struggle, a sustaining prayer in the battle against the evil one and his accomplices. The Rosary also sustains us in the battle. Each day we can allow Mary to be with us in the battles of our life, the battle for holiness, purity and virtue.

Ask Mary to intercede for you to receive the Holy Spirit At the Annunciation, the Angel told Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” (Lk 1:35) Later, as Jesus is preparing his disciples for the Ascension, he tells them: “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Just as Mary was, and is filled with the Holy Spirit, as our mother she wants us to enjoy, and be guided by the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Remember Mary in the Liturgy Every day when the Church prays evening prayer, we pray the Magnificat or Canticle of Mary. (Lk 1:46-55) As St. Bede the Venerable reminds us in a lovely sermon for the Feast of the Visitation, “Therefore it is an excellent and fruitful custom of holy Church that we should sing Mary’s hymn at the time of evening prayer. By meditating upon the incarnation, our devotion is kindled, and by remembering the example of God’s Mother, we are encouraged to lead a life of virtue. Such virtues are best achieved in the evening. We are weary after the day’s work and worn out by our distractions. The time for rest is near, and our minds are ready for contemplation.”

Also at Mass in every Eucharistic Prayer we pray for Mary’s help, as seen from the words of the Roman Canon, or First Eucharistic Prayer: in communion with those whose memory we venerate, especially the glorious ever-Virgin Mary, Mother of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ…we ask through their merits and prayers, in all things we may be defended by your protecting help.

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My Soul Proclaims the Greatness of the Lord What are your family gatherings like?

If you’re like me, you exchange greetings, maybe a hug, and launch right into the harrowing tale of your travel to wherever it is that you’ve gathered together.

Some 2,000 years ago a young pregnant woman went to visit her cousin, also with child. On its face it seems pretty mundane, two expectant mothers getting together isn’t all that unique, but their first conversation yielded two prayers that we say every single day.

John the Baptist started his ministry before he was even born, leaping in Elizabeth’s womb and with the Holy Spirit prompting her to say, “blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.”

As if that weren’t enough, Mary, who speaks little throughout the Gospel, responds with one of the most all-encompassing prayers offered to us in the Gospel: the Magnificat. Each day we, with the whole Church, conclude Vespers (Evening Prayer) with Mary’s words – indeed 2,000 years later, it is impossible to top the Blessed Virgin!

This prayer speaks to us in a variety of ways – but perhaps most especially reminding us of God’s love and mercy. We can all agree that Mary is the sublime model of what it means to be Christian, to give all that you have to the Lord with no expectation of return. In these pages we take this prayer line by line, seeking to learn all that we can from Mary...

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by Fr. Jay Kythe

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, The Lord proclaims the tremendous goodness of my soul, of my being, of my personhood… of me! “And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31).

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

My Savior rejoices in me! “He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in his love; He will exalt over you with loud singing as on a day of festival” (Zephaniah 3:17b-18a).

for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant.

Do I believe this? Who am I that He should look with favor upon me? But He has indeed! If only I would accept it, and my life would change. I am His beloved, made in His image and likeness.

Anything short of this is a lie from the evil one. May I stay lowly enough so the poison of pride doesn’t get in the way!

“I will all the more gladly boast of my weakness, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (1 Corinthians 12:9). I shall lead with my weaknesses, for my strength is not mine to own.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name.

He has done an incredible thing!

He has come to me, pitched his tent in the foul dirt of my soul, and raised me up from that place.

He has saved me, lifted me up in my brokenness, and so all I can do is to whisper His holy name to remind me of what he has done for me: “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!”

continued on next page kansasmonks.org

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He has mercy on those who fear him in every generation.

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy of me, a sinner!”

When I dare to lift up my eyes to meet his eyes, He chooses to lift me up!

And still He shows me greater things, what He has done, not just for me but for all the poor in spirit. Let me recount what He has done:

He has shown the strength of his arm, he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

Look at the might of God in His glory, and look at the faces of the proud in their confusion. Look at the humble who follow in His silence, and look at the arrogant who grope in the noise. Look at the peace of the simple, and look at the hubris of the presumptuous.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly.

Look at the powerful nations that are no more, and look at the ones striving for peace. Look at the crumbling thrones of power, and look at those who change others by their witness. Look at the corruption of power, and look at the silent authority of humble leadership.

He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.

Look at the misery of the rich and the wealthy, and look at the laughter of the poor ones. Look at the preoccupations of the ones with many possessions, and look at the humility of those with less. Look at the childish play acting as adults, and look at the adults finding childlike joy in the simple things of life.

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S t. B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y

“May it be done to me according to your word.”

-l u k e 1 : 3 8

He has come to the help of his servant Israel He has done all this, for me and for the ones who follow Him. And my heart is filled with songs of gratitude. He is truly a Father who fulfills His promises! And He fills me with abundant life!

for he remembered his promise of mercy, the promise he made to our fathers, to Abraham and his children forever.

When the storms of life rage and the ground around you shifts, when earthquakes rock your soul and the shadows of despair deepen, when even the voice of the Almighty sounds silent to you … remember.

Remember His promises to you, of mercy and love, of provident care and concern, of the road He has laid out for you that leads to eternal life. Do not stray from it; let His promises guide you, even through the worst of storms. Then you will sing your Magnificat on this way, and teach others to do so as well!

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Eternal rest grant unto him Fa t h e r D e ni s Me a de , O S B

Born • October 16, 1930 Professed • July 11, 1950 Ordained • June 28, 1955 Died • June 18, 2019 •

Requiescat in Pace

•

What do you want to be when you grow up?

As children, we might respond in all sorts of ways: “I want to be a cowboy!” Or, “I want to be a zookeeper!” Or, “I want to travel the world!”

If you heard someone say, “I want to be a lawyer, a priest, a professor, and travel the world!” you would probably look at them like they were way too ambitious (and a little crazy), but for Fr. Denis Meade, that was his life – he accomplished all of that, and much more.

Born in 1930, James Thomas Meade was raised in rural Madison County, Iowa, near the small town of Cumming. Fr. Denis enjoyed relating a bit of trivia in that the Meade family home would later be used to shoot scenes for the 1995 film The Bridges of Madison County. The youngest of nine children, Fr. Denis was raised in a faith-filled family, “my family always valued the priesthood,” Fr. Denis said, “I was grateful for that and decided that I wanted to be a priest.”

Following God’s call at just 14 years old, he transferred from Dowling Catholic High School in Des Moines, Iowa, to begin priesthood studies at Maur Hill Prep School in Atchison, Kansas. Following his graduation, he moved into the seminary at St. Benedict’s College in 1947, living as a “Hilltopper” and studying to be a diocesan priest. It was then he heard a new call, “I was thinking of being a diocesan priest, but when I discovered the community way of life, the community as a monastic family, that was very attractive to me, so I applied to enter the monastery.”

In 1949, he entered the novitiate at St. Benedict’s Abbey receiving the monastic name Denis, so named for St. Denis of Paris. Completing the novitiate and professing first vows on July 11, 1950, Fr. Denis resumed his studies, earning a degree in history in 1952. “I thought, maybe I could be a teacher while being a priest and monk,” he said.

In 1952, Abbot Cuthbert McDonald gave him the opportunity to study at Sant’Anselmo, the international Benedictine college in Rome. All the course work was in Latin, and he would have to learn Italian to live in Rome “It was a struggle, my Latin was passable and then, Italian! But with self-help books, you learned on your own.”

In the 1950s, transatlantic travel was rare; for the next nine years Fr. Denis prayed and studied in Europe. He spent his summers exploring Bavaria, Austria, France, and Belgium. Though he was professing vows to St. Benedict’s Abbey, his solemn profession occurred at Montecassino on May 26, 1953. He would be ordained to the diaconate at the Abbey of Saint Paul de Wisques in France. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 28, 1955, at the Abbey of San Pietro in Assisi, Italy, by Bishop Placido Nicolini, OSB. The bishop had saved hundreds of Jews from the Nazis as the mastermind of “The Assisi Underground.” Following his ordination Fr. Denis continued his European studies at the Lateran University in Rome, obtaining licensure and doctoral degrees (JCL and JCD) in Canon Law. In 1961, he returned to Atchison, and it was time to put his degree to work, “I was asked to teach basic theology to under-motivated freshman,” Fr. Denis often joked.

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His students were grateful for his teaching style and demeanor.

Tom Kemlage was grateful for the opportunity to learn from him, “The only non-science book that I kept from college was from the philosophy course I took from Fr. Denis. He really made an impact on me as a young college student with his calm peaceful leadership characteristics, traits that I try to emulate.”

For 26 years Fr. Denis served the theology department at Benedictine College (transitioning from St. Benedict’s College in 1971). He also had an eight-year stint serving as a dormitory prefect, living with and supervising one floor of college students.

In 1969 Abbot Thomas Hartman asked Fr. Denis to serve the community in a new way, appointing him Novice Master, charged with the education and formation of the newest members of the Abbey, a job he would perform in addition to his duties at the college.

After just over two and a half decades as a professor, Fr. Denis felt it was time for a new challenge, serving abroad, this time in Brazil. After attending a Portuguese language school in the summer of 1987, he served as a canon lawyer on the marriage tribunal in the diocese of Jataí in Goiás, Brazil. For the next two years, he prayed and worked alongside his brother monks at St. Joseph Priory, the Abbey’s mission house in Brazil.

Returning to Atchison in 1989, Fr. Denis resumed his work as a professor of Theology at Benedictine College. The students were quick to embrace his teaching style, “Fr. Denis is clearly a special person,” said Patrick Carr, a 1994 graduate of Benedictine College.

“He was a really good professor . . . he was such a welcoming spirit and inspirational teacher – I connected with Fr. Denis the first time I met him. So over the years we developed a friendship. My wife Kate also had Fr. Denis as a professor. We appreciated him so much that we asked him to officiate at our wedding after we graduated.”

Fr. Denis would go on to serve as the chair of the theology department at Benedictine College and President Stephen Minnis credits him with creating the foundation for the success of the department and the identity of the college today. “Fr. Denis had an unbelievable impact on the college that is still felt today,” Minnis said. “ [Benedictine College’s] national reputation is built, in part, on our strong Catholic identity. It was Fr. Denis’s vision when he

“I considered Fr. Denis a mentor. I’m grateful that the Lord allowed me to get to know him ... and benefit from his wisdom.”

Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, D.D. Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas Fr. Denis assisted Archbishop Naumann on the Archdiocese’s Marriage Tribunal and served as his spiritual director.

From an early age Fr. Denis set his eyes on the priesthood, beginning his studies at just 14 years Old! He entered the novitiate at St. Benedict’s Abbey in 1949. headed the Theology department to have a strong Catholic identity.

Under his leadership the current Chair of the Theology department, Dr. Richard White, as well as Dr. Ted Sri were hired. In addition, FOCUS [the Fellowship of Catholic University Students] was created and supported during his tenure as the Theology Chair.

Fr. Denis set the stage for where we are today – known for our commitment to the faith and ranked as a top 20 Catholic university by the Cardinal Newman Society.”

Through all of his work and ministry, Fr. Denis was committed to his family back in Iowa. “He’s been there for everything from celebrations to funerals,” Kathy Meade, niece of Fr. Denis, shared.

“Through the ups and downs he has been a guiding force in our lives; he was always there to listen and always seemed to know what to say. It was truly a gift to have a monk and priest in the family to keep us grounded.”

Fr. Denis served at Benedictine College until his retirement in 2001. It was then he returned to Brazil, this time to serve as Novice Master and Director of Formation for St. Joseph Priory; positions he held until returning to Atchison in 2005. Upon his return, Abbot Barnabas Senecal inserted him into the monastic formation process where he served in a variety of roles until 2017. Br. Leven Harton’s own monastic vocation was greatly affected by Fr. Denis, “He was a gentle and wise man; as a formator, he was always very practical and simple.” Br. Leven said. “He was a free man in his holiness, and he was able to pass on that freedom to others. He encouraged me to really explore God’s call for me; I wouldn’t have had the courage to discern well without him – he was a father to me.”

In addition to his role as a formator, Fr. Denis continued his work as a Canon Lawyer, putting his experience as an Continued on next page kansasmonks.org

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adjudicator of marriage cases to work, serving on the marriage tribunal for the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann lauded Fr. Denis for his impact at the Abbey, the College, and in our Archdiocese, “Fr. Denis was a critical leader for the Abbey and for the College at a very pivotal moment,” Naumann said. “He served on our marriage tribunal, lending his expertise to a number of cases. He served as my confessor and spiritual director for nearly six years, so I considered him a mentor. I’m grateful that the Lord allowed me to get to know him in this way and benefit from his wisdom...only in the past few years do I think he came to realize all of the lives he has impacted. That impact continues to be felt at Benedictine College and the impact of his life and work will go on for generations.”

In the past few years Fr. Denis has continued to be a great asset to the monastic community, lending his historical talents as Abbey Archivist, penning a new addition to the 1957 publication Kansas Monks: A History of St. Benedict’s Abbey, serving as secretary to Abbot James Albers, celebrating Masses at Mount St. Scholastica’s Dooley Center, and much more. Abbot James is grateful for all that Fr. Denis has done, “Personally he was a mentor to me, not only in my own monastic discernment but also in guidance in carrying out my roles in the Abbey. The monastic community has been overwhelmed by the response at the time of his death from students and friends. We rejoice in his legacy and the impact he has had on so many people; he will be dearly missed.”

In 2019, Fr. Denis’s health deteriorated, but he never ceased in his commitment to prayer, participating in the Abbey’s liturgies whenever possible. On June 18, 2019, fortified by the sacraments and having received the apostolic pardon he died peacefully at the Abbey. For more about Fr. Denis, or to watch videos from his life, visit kansasmonks.org/denis

Kansas Monks a phot o hi s tory

the

Father Denis Meade Legacy Fund Th e Fa t h e r D e n i s Me a d e L e g a c y Fu n d p r o v i d e s f o r t h e m i n i s t e r i a l and educational efforts of the m o n k s o f S t . B e n e d i c t ’s A b b e y.

Th i s f u n d h a s b e e n e s t a b l i s h e d i n h o n o r o f Fa t h e r D e n i s ’ outstanding years of ser vice as a formator of monks , professor of t h e o l o g y, a n d s e r v i c e a t S t . J o s e p h Prior y in Brazil.

Yo u r s u p p o r t m a k e s t h e p r ay e r and work of the monks of St. B e n e d i c t ’s A b b e y p o s s i b l e ; t h a n k y o u f o r y o u r g e n e r o s i t y.

a book by Fr. Denis Meade

$

25

Less than 75 copies of Kansas Monks: A Photo History of the Monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey remain available! To secure your copy of this spectacular first (and only) edition volume, you need to act fast!

Order now at Kansasmonks.org/shop or call 913.360.7908

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S t. B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y

To make a contribution to the Father Denis Meade Legacy Fund, see the envelope included with this issue of Kansas Monks.

For more information please contact us: info@kansasmonks.org or call 913.360.7908

Partner with us in bringing Christ to the world Unrestricted Gifts

wa ys t o su p p o r t t h e p r a yer a nd wo r k o f t h e mo nks

Monetary Gifts: The most common method of supporting the prayer and work of the monks is through a monetary gift. Your gifts support our ministerial activity, provide for our day-to-day needs, and allow us to care for our home.

Gifts of stock: You can also support our prayer and work through gifts of stock.

Monthly Support: One of the best ways to share in our prayer and work is to partner with us as a monthly donor. We have two programs:

for young adults The Society of St. Benedict for Young Adults is a group of men and women age 35 and under who embrace the mission of St. Benedict’s Abbey.

We have witnessed the impact the monks have made and seek to partner with them through our prayers, special activities, and financial support, aiding the monks as they carry out their misson of prayer and work.

For your generous support of $10 or more per month, you will be invited to various Society events throughout the year such as Brews with Benedictines and receive complimentary tickets to the Abbot’s Table (a $200/ ticket value).

For more information see Kansasmonks.org/society

Of the monastic vows, stability is unique to our Benedictine way of life. Our lives of prayer and work are permanently rooted in the life of St. Benedict’s Abbey – it is here that we seek after Christ.

We ask that you partner with us in this great vow of stability – your perpetual support allows us to continue our more than 160 year legacy of prayer and work. It is because of you that our prayer and work is possible – in this way you are co-ministers with us, you are sharing the love of Christ with those that we serve.

Consider joining us as a Partner in Stability with a monthly donation.

For more information see Kansasmonks.org/partners

Planned Giving Bequests: Leaving the monks in your will is a great way to make a lasting impact, see page 11.

Gifts of appreciated property: Held for more than one year, gifts such as real estate, common stock, mutual funds, bonds, IRAs or retirement plans, offer significant advantages to the donor. Gifts of securities are encouraged when supporters have the desire to make a charitable gift and avoid capital gains tax. Gifts of real estate may be accepted upon approval in accordance with appropriate gift acceptance policies.

Charitable gift annuities: In exchange for your gift of cash, securities, or other property, we will provide you and/or a named beneficiary an annual fixed annuity payment for life. Gift annuities offer immediate tax advantages, including partial avoidance of capital gains tax on the appreciation of donated property. Annuity rates can range from 5-11% depending on your age.

Charitable remainder trusts: You may establish a significant gift in the form of a charitable remainder trust that can provide a substantial income to you during your lifetime and, if you choose, during the life of a named beneficiary. Upon the death of the final beneficiary, the trust is terminated and the remaining principal is given to St. Benedict’s Abbey. A charitable trust can also be flexible to allow you to make future contributions and receive additional income tax deductions.

Life Insurance: Name the Abbey as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy kansasmonks.org

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In the Lens of the Beholder the photography of abbot barnabas senecal

by Tony Silvestri, Associate Director of the Contemporary Religious Artists Association It has been said that a photograph captures not only the subject, but a bit of the spirit of the photographer. If this is true, then we are lucky to have so many glimpses of the heart and spirit of Abbot Barnabas Senecal. The Abbot emeritus recently sat down with the Contemporary Religious Artists Association (CRAA) to reflect about his over fifty years in the priesthood, but more pointedly, his life and experiences as an artist behind the lens. To honor this milestone, his community of St. Benedict’s Abbey has instituted a Legacy Fund in his name. They are also organizing a commemorative exhibition of Abbot Barnabas’ photographs on December 8, 2019 and all of the Sundays during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

Abbot Barnabas served as the superior of the Abbey for eighteen years, from 1994-2012. Before his election, as he prepared for a sabbatical in Rome in 1990, he was gifted a 35mm camera, and thus began his decades-long interest in photography. He is the author of a book of photography, poetry, and reflections, available at the Abbey (see Kansasmonks.org/shop). Beauty in Faces & Places is a jewel of a book, containing images from Abbot Barnabas’ journeys, and capturing many of those fleeting moments and relationships that make photography such a powerful and deeply personal form of art. His work has been exhibited in the United States and in Europe; he is also one of the founding members of the CRAA and its Spiritual Advisor.

I asked him about that trip to Rome, when he first began to explore the world around him through the lens of a camera. What did he notice? What drew his eye? He chuckled. “Motorcycles. In Rome there’s a church for every day of the week, and you have to be careful when you are walking in the street there. But you are living in tradition.

I took a picture of a fellow with a briefcase walking past the Lateran church, and he looks about that big.” Abbot Barnabas quipped while pinching his fingers in front of his eye. “It was one of those unique moments, when I was in step with him. So I got that one framed. It’s more incidental rather than purposeful.”

In contrast to this accidental image is one he shot of the interior of St. Peter’s Basilica. It is seemingly impossible to capture in a photograph the sense of history, the majesty, the breath-taking immensity of that space; and yet, through careful planning, keen composition, and climbing about a thousand steps, Abbot Barnabas was able to shoot down from the dizzying height of the balcony above the high altar inside the dome and capture the scale and the awesome eternity of the place.

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S t. B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y

We spoke at length about that interplay in photography between the accidental and the intentional. For Abbot Barnabas his favorite photographs are ones that capture a fleeting moment, a flash of serendipity he was lucky enough to capture. He captured a wonderful moment (left) while visiting Monte Cassino. In the courtyard there is a statue of St. Benedict and his companions – he was composing the photo as another pilgrim stepped into the frame to take the same photo. A monk, taking a picture of a monk, taking a picture of monks!

With his typical wit, Abbot Barnabas shared the story of another serendipitous image he captured. “I was once invited to a Kansas City Chiefs football game, to be on the sidelines, with a friend who was a professional photographer. During the game I asked to borrow his camera to take some shots. Afterwards he invited me to his studio to come look at the prints we had taken. I said, ‘How are you going to know which ones are mine?’ He said, ‘Oh, we’ll know.’ One was of Christian Okoye running through the line. It was a good picture. I was pretty sure I had shot that picture. He said, ‘Even the blind dog finds a bone once in a while!’”

He shared many wonderful pictures from his journeys, both from his book and from the stacks and albums of prints in his office. Abbot Barnabas brightened visibly when he shared photos and stories from his time in Brazil; he is clearly very proud as abbot of the work that the small community there has been able to accomplish. As a photographer his eye was drawn to the colors of nature there, and to the hearts of the people he met. “With the light of the sun and the warmth of the soil, things grow so easily there.” His Brazil photographs are brilliant with color—vivid yellow trumpet flowers, a deep-green agave that looks like a Georgia O’Keefe painting, soybean fields flourishing under a stunning blue sky.

“Spirituality for a Benedictine is in large part rooted in the Psalms. The natural imagery in the Psalms can be reflected in photography.” In fact, Abbot Barnabas contributed for a long time a monthly column for Celebration in which he reflected on a passage from the Psalms combined with one of his photographs. “I tried to write a reflection of myself, of the psalm; and almost any photograph would go with that.” One photo evocative of his sense of reflection captures a well-used stairway in the Abbey (below). “When the sun is just right it’s really a thing of beauty,” he reflected.

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Stairs well Worn

by Abb ot B ar nb a s S e ne c al

Many monks walk these steps, To upper and lower levels, Thinking, thanking, praying To God above and within.

Bringing together the many, Creating beauty and oneness, Serving one another easily, As do iron and wood and stone.

Stepping slowly but surely, Where others have before, To prayer, to meals, to work, Routine, doing God’s will.

Pentecost gives us Spirit To walk with energy and confidence To tasks at many levels, Steps well worn yet inviting.

Stairs are symbols In home and school and arena, Creating above and below, Providing different points of view, kansasmonks.org

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It is in his portraits that the pastoral side of Abbot Barnabas is most clear. “Also at the heart of any spirituality I am aware of is a relationship with a community,” he told me. Portraits, he said, capture that sense of community.

And it is no wonder his portraits are so powerful.

Abbot Barnabas is the type of person who elicits a genuine reaction from the people he photographs.

These relationships can be fleeting—existing only for a moment between strangers— or they can be deep and decades-long. Even animals respond with a deep sense of wonder to his lens.

When asked if he had any advice for other photographers, he said, “I think one will stay with taking pictures if it establishes relationship.”

Gifted photographers like Abbot Barnabas do establish these relationships, between themselves and their subjects—nature, people, spaces, moments in time, and even later between the viewer and the photographs. They create relationships that one can’t predict or control, and evoke amazing things in the viewer as well. In a way it’s a conversation that keeps on happening long after the shutter is closed and the print has been developed.

We are blessed to have so many visual records of the relationships that Abbot Barnabas has created and nurtured over the years, and so many moments of his own wonder and gratitude to ponder. It was a pleasure to spend an afternoon with him, and we wish him many happy years of community, creativity, and blessing.

BEAU T Y IN FAC ES & PL ACE S Through the Lens of a Monk exhibit iii

Join us December 8, 2019 after 10 a.m. Mass for the premier of the third exhibition of photos

by Abbot Barnabas Senecal, OSB 26

S t. B e n e d i c t ’ s A b b e y

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WHAT IS AN OBLATE? offer y ou r li f e to chri s t as an o b late

The word obl ate me ans ‘of fer ing’ – to b e come an obl ate is to of fer one’s life to C hr ist. In b e coming an obl ate you live according to t he Rule of St. B enedic t.

who c a n b e c o m e an o b l at e ?

Any b apt ize d man or woman is elig ible to b e come an obl ate.

wha t d o o b l a t e s d o ?

O bl ates live t heir b apt isma l vows t hroug h t he w is dom of St. B ene dic t. The y pray t he L iturg y of t he Hours and t a ke t ime d ai ly for si lence and L ec tio D iv ina (Holy R e ading of S cr ipture). O bl ates are encourage d to attend d ai ly Mass if p ossible.

The y a ls o st r ive to ma ke a l l of t heir work and rel at ionships g row f rom t heir s e ek ing af ter G o d, using t he w is dom of St. B ene dic t. This me ans t he y w i l l g row in humi lit y, go o d works, si lence, and ob e dience: listening to t he voice of G o d in t he S cr ipture and t he C hurch, t he Rule of St. B enedic t, and ot hers.

The spir itu a l home of t he obl ate is t he Abb e y to w hich t he y ma ke obl at ion. The y are an extension of t he monast ic communit y ; w hi le not b ound by vows, t he y j oin t he mon ks in lif t ing t he ne e ds of t he world to G o d t hroug h t heir prayer.

how d o i b e c o m e a n o b l at e ?

The f irst step is to cont ac t t he obl ate dire c tor and s e e if t his way of life is for you. S ee the back for Fr. Meinrad’s contac t infor mation. Once it is deter mine d t hat a p ers on is re ady to b e come an obl ate, t here is a ye ar and a d ay of c andid ac y. D ur ing t his t ime t he c andid ate is for me d in t he ke y asp e c ts of B ene dic t ine Spir itu a lit y.

To le ar n more, cont ac t our O bl ate Dire c tor : Fr. Meinrad Miller, OSB Visit Kans asmon ks.org/obl ates E-mai l Obl ates@k ans asmon ks.org or c a l l 913.360.7836

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Fall 2019 | Volume 13 | Number 1

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presenting the lumen vitae medal to p d n la sr. irene nowell, osb r e ov and dr. scott & kimberly hahn kansasmonks.org

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