Eternal Rest

Fr. James Downey passes away

Father James John Downey, O.S.B., 87, professed member of St. Benedict’s Abbey for 65 years, died in his sleep Tuesday evening, Jan. 29, at St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison, Kan.

Upon being notified of his death, monks gathered in Father James’ room around his bed, prayed the prayers for the dead and sang the Ultima.

Earlier in the day Father James initiated a conversation with Abbot Barnabas, wanting to be assured that he was in good standing with the Abbot and the community. Abbot Barnabas assured him that he was. Father James was ready, though he gave no indication of failing health.

Father James was born Sept. 19, 1920, in Plattsburg, Mo., one of eleven children of William and Margaret Kenney Downey. He attended St. Rita Catholic School in Cameron, Mo., and graduated from Plattsburg High School in 1938. He continued his education at St. Benedict’s College, Atchison, earning a degree in economics in 1943, graduating cum laude, and completed studies in the Abbey School of Theology in 1946. He pursued graduate studies in economics at the University of Illinois the summers of 1946 and 1947, and Fordham University the summers of 1948 and 1949.

Father James served at St. Benedict’s College as the Director of Public Relations, 1960-1964. In 1964 he was named the assistant director of the St. Lawrence Student Catholic Center at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Later he served as pastor of St. Patrick’s Parish in rural Atchison County, and served as Administrator of support of numerous bishops, priests, religious and lay people with the goal of aiding religious communities in the renewal of their lives following the Second Vatican Council.

Upon his retirement from the Institute Father James served at St. John Cantius Parish, Chicago, until his return to the Abbey in the spring of 2005.

Father James is survived

Father James was ready, though he gave no indication of failing health.

St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Wathena, Kan.

In 1980 Father James became the Executive Director of the Institute on Religious Life in Chicago, Ill. In 1991 the offices were moved to Ann Arbor, Mich. He retired from that post in 2000 after 20 years of faithful service. The Institute was founded in 1974 under the leadership of His Eminence John Cardinal Carberry of St. Louis, with the by members of the monastic community of St. Benedict’s Abbey; his sisters, Joan Schultz, St. Joseph, Mo., Margaret Ann Koechner, Tipton, Mo., and Sr. Theresa Downey, RSCJ, Grand Coteau, La.; a brother, Patrick Downey, Minneapolis, Minn.; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding Father James in death were his parents, four brothers, Michael Downey, Thomas Downey, James D. Downey, and Abbot Brendan Downey, fifth abbot of St. Benedict’s Abbey, and two sisters, Sr. Rosemary Downey, RSCJ, and Frances Rogers.

Vespers of the Office for the Dead were celebrated Friday, Feb. 1, in St. Benedict’s Abbey Church, with visitation following. The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Saturday, Feb. 2, in the Abbey Church, with Abbot Barnabas Senecal, O.S.B., as the principal celebrant.

It is fitting that Father James’ funeral Mass was celebrated on the Feast of the Presentation, a day which Pope John Paul II made into a World Day for Consecrated Life. As Father James helped many to live the consecrated life, so he received the prayers of the Church, and many of those same religious, on that day.

In my thoughts, in my prayers

Br. John Peto Director of Oblates

One of the major questions which confronts us continually is “How do I really pray?” One of the most important things in our prayer lives must be the condition in which we approach prayer. I recently read the following quote: “What I take to church in my thoughts is what I take into the pew in church.”

This is indeed a challenging statement. I have been experimenting recently with my thoughts as I enter into prayer. If I am thinking about some problem, that seems to be the basic thrust of my prayer at that time. If I am happy then prayer is joyful for me. In neither case can I really enter into pure prayer. By pure prayer I mean praying in such a way that only God is important. So much of our prayer life centers on requests for something or someone. While not necessarily a bad thing this type of prayer really does not help us delve into a real relationship with God.

It is a challenge to empty oneself of all that goes on within our heads. If we attempt to do this for a long period at first it may be too daunting. The way to begin is to be emptied for two or three minutes as we begin to pray in such a manner. I am aware that when we try to become uncluttered we have more thoughts than ever in our mind. It might be a good idea to say a simple prayer such as:

“Jesus I love you, My Jesus Mercy” over and over during the early stages of such a prayer period and be content that we have not entered into any particular thought pattern. It will take much practice to enter into such a prayer but the goal is to fall more and more in love with our Lord and Savior. It is so necessary to have a relationship with Jesus above all.

Maybe such prayer will be the beginning of prayer without ceasing.

It is important to have a proper place to pray. It needs to be comfortable but not too relaxed. It must above all be a place of silence. I will talk about the importance of silence in our lives at another time.

Some recommended reading:

By Benet Tvedten, O.S.B.

A Share in the Kingdom: A Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict for Oblates

This has some excellent ideas about the Rule for oblates, but also includes snippets from Brother Benet’s own community life at Blue Cloud Abbey.

The View from a Monastery: The Vowed Life and Its Cast of Many Characters

Here Brother Benet presents many of the monks with whom he has lived during the past 50 years. He does such a superb job of showing how human monks remain while they strive for holiness of life. A good lesson for oblates as they struggle to live their oblate way of life.

How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job: An Invitation to Oblate Life

Here Brother Benet presents a number of oblates and how they strive to live their oblate life in the midst of a busy lifestyle. It is possible.

The above books are available from the oblate library here at the abbey. Please write and ask for any one of them. They can be mailed to you for a period of several weeks. All of the above books are rapid reads.

I encourage you to attend one of our meetings. Each meeting begins with the reading of the Rule for the day and then a short presentation as to what that reading may mean. Some discussion follows.

I have included discussion from the January meetings.

Saturday meeting:

A discussion about the reading for the day from chapter two of the Rule was very lively and informative. The abbot becomes someone who represents Christ upon his election and the monks look to him in a different way than they do other persons in leadership.

The abbot is not the provincial superior for a term of office but remains an abbot for life even when he resigns or retires. One oblate commented on the need for the abbot to see all of the monks as unique individuals and each needs to be treated as such. She went on to express how this always needs to be remembered in a family that each child is a unique individual even though all are given the same basic values and direction in the home.

Wednesday Meeting:

We spent time on Chapter Three “Summoning the Brothers for Counsel” and how each person with final vows has a voice at such meetings. It was noted how even sometimes the youngest has something to say and needs to be heard.

Maybe some of the same may take place with families having discussions about certain issues but always recalling that someone has to have a final word. Calling for counsel does not mean monastic communities are democracies neither are families.

Pray With Us

Please remember in prayer Josephine Weixelman who died Dec. 28, 2007. Josephine had been an oblate for many years. She told me that she became an oblate here after making a retreat. It was apparently the custom at one time for a retreat master to enroll retreatants as oblates at the end of the retreat. Josephine was privileged to have her son, Father Richard Weixelman, O.M.I., spend several years with her in Manhattan before her death. He has now returned to his work as a missionary in the Philippines.

Congratulations to the following Benedictine College graduates who recently made their final oblations in December 2007: Daniel Misener, and Laura Hendricks.