k ansas
monks
Monk Life 4 - From the Abbot
Abbot James discusses the long journey of vocation.
6 - Novitiate Entry
We look back at the Novitiate entry of Br. Maximilian Mary and Br. Angelus.
8 - Humility & Love
Br. Florian discusses the novitiate and what led him to St. Benedict’s Abbey.
10 - Returning the Gift
Br. Jerome seeks to return the gift of Christ through the monastic life.
12 - Running on the Path
Br. Luke & Br. Thiago take the next step on the road to the priesthood and Br. Thiago reflects on his first visit to St. Benedict’s Abbey.
14 - On a Mission
We look at the service of the monks, both at home and abroad.
16 - Anxiety & St. Benedict Fr. Meinrad offers advice on dealing with anxiety.
17 - Leaving a Legacy
Larry & Tresa Buessing share why they have chosen to leave the Abbey in their estate.
in the next Kansas Monks • 2 0 1 9 A b b o t ’s Ta b l e L u m e n V i t a e m e d a l i s t s : T h e H o l y F a m i l y S c h o o l o f F a i t h & D r. E d w a r d S r i • R e f l e c t i n g o n t h e B e a t i t u d e s • a n d m u c h m o r e . . .
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18 - Answering the Call
We look at the life and service of Fr. Maurice Haefling, longtime nurse & procurator.
22 - Our Father
Fr. Jay breaks down the Our Father, explaining what each line means.
26 - Rembering Br. Tony
We celebrate the life and service of Br. Anthony Vorwerk who passed away in January 2019.
27 - Giving Back
Sean Halpin discusses how one monk’s advice has led him back to his faith.
THE PATH
L i fe i s a j our ne y.
A s w e’re broug ht into thi s world o ur p a re nt s g i ve u s a n a m e, our f irst unique ident it y. Th e y g i ve u s cl o th e s to prote c t u s f rom the element s . Th e y te a ch u s , fo r m u s , i n th e h op e s that one d ay we c an ste p o ut o n o ur o w n to ma ke ou r ow n mark on the world, and c a r r y o n th e t ra d i t i o n th at th e y ’v e s e t out for u s . Si m i l a rl y, the C hurch ha s l aid out mi l e sto ne s fo r o ur l i fe i n th e S a c rament s – a p ath of g ra d u a l s a nc t i f i c at i o n th at , hop ef u l l y, w ill le ad u s to G o d. Th e p ath i s a rd uo u s , s o a g a i n w e’ve re ceive d the g if t of re co nc i l i at i o n, th at no m atter h ow we st ray, we c an b e b ro ug ht b a ck . Mon a sti c life mir rors the j our ne y o f l i fe: a s th e mo nk enter s the mona ster y he re ceive s a ne w na me . He i s g i v en a n e w g ar ment to ident if y h i m a s a me mb e r o f th i s com munit y of men, s e ek ing to w a l k th e p ath o f th e sa c r a m ent s to G o d, a s St . B ene d i c t say s , “ w i th th e G o s p el a s [ h i s] g uide.” I n th e s e p age s we hop e you c an j o ur ne y w i th th e mo nk s o n th ei r p ath, f rom enter ing the nov i t i ate , to f i rst pro fe s si o n of v ow s , to di aconate ordinat ion, to th ei r mi ss i o na r y wo rk s , a n d b e y ond. Not a l l of u s are c alle d to mona s t i c l i fe, b ut we c a n a l l l e a r n f rom th e monk s’ ex ample of praye r a nd wo rk – a s we e a ch s e ek to l ive in g re ater v ir tue, le t u s tur n to th e mo d el th at ha s b e en p a ss e d dow n for 1 6 1 ye a rs , th at i n a l l th i ng s G o d m ay b e g lor if ie d.
Winter/Spring 2019
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F r om the A bb ot
A call to communion
“ The brother s should e ach tr y to be the f ir st to show re spect to the other, suppor ting w ith the g re ate st patience one another ’s we akne sse s of body or behav ior, and e ar ne stly competing in obedience to one another. No one i s to pur sue what he judge s better for himself, but inste ad , what he judge s better for someone el se . To their fellow monk s the y show the pure love of brother s ; to God , lov ing fe ar ; to their abbot , unfeig ned and humble love . Let them prefer nothing whate ver to Chr i st , and may he br ing u s all together to e verl a sting life .” – rule of st. benedict 72:4-11 A question that we monks are asked many times is, “Why did you come to the monastery?” It is a question that St. Benedict asked us in our very first reading of the Rule. I’ve heard much wiser monks than me state that as we continue our journey in the monastery, this is a question we should ask ourselves each day; the answer being clearer on some days than others. However, I’ve heard it said again by a confrere, “The day you stop asking yourself that question – ‘Why did I come to the monastery?’ – is the day your vocation is in danger.” Isn’t this true for each of our vocations? For those who have entered into the married vocation, you could say, “The day I stop asking myself why I love my wife/husband is the day my marriage is in danger.” Chapter 72 from St. Benedict’s Rule challenges the monk to “compete” with his brothers in obedience. For St. Benedict, we are faithful to our vocation through the labor of obedience, through growth in faith and good works, through scaling the ladder of humility, through acceptance of and perseverance in the difficult task; through love of God and our brother. It is the journey, in any vocation, from separation into intimacy, from being far off to becoming near. For the monk in a particular way, and for all the faithful, it is opening oneself up to an intimate relationship with Christ who leads us to the Father. It is a relationship that is fed in personal prayer, fed
When he is to be received he comes before the whole community...and promises stability, fidelity to the monastic life, and obedience. - rule of st. benedict 58:17
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in our partaking of the Word, and fed by opening ourselves to the grace of God in Sacrament. St. Benedict reminds us that the difference between separation or alienation and intimacy, between that of being far off and becoming near, is “a good zeal which separates from evil and leads to God and everlasting life” (RB 72:2). Ultimately it is a call to communion – the monk with his brothers into relationship with God, the husband and wife with each other leading them toward God – a call that is to bring us all to everlasting life. The monk lives the monastic life in communion with his brothers, a communion that is both the goal as well as the way in which we journey there together. The monastery for the monk is meant to become both family and community, our first point of reference, our most important human interaction, the place that is unquestionably home, the gathering of people who are most dear to us. Similar, yet with a different reference point is the life of the husband and wife, with their family. Yet while family life begins from a different point of reference, and the journey will look vastly different, living their lives together brings them to understand how they help each other in their own journey toward eternal life. Communion in our vocation is the path to intimacy with Christ; in the communion we share we assume a deep responsibility for those with whom we share that communion.
“The day you stop asking yourself that question, ‘Why did I come to the monastery?’ – is the day your vocation is in danger.” If there is a sloth that directs us away from God, there is likewise a sloth that hinders us from providing support for each other. We enter into this communion not solely for ourselves, but also for the well-being of the other – my fellow monks, or a married person’s spouse – ultimately for our membership in Christ’s Body. Beautiful in all of this is how the varied vocations feed upon, as well as nourish that communion. It is a collection of attitudes, habits, behaviors, beliefs, fidelities, self-disciplines, all that provide for a promise of health in our individual vocations and the overall health of the Body. If we can detach ourselves from all those things that cut away at this communion, and form in ourselves those attitudes, habits, behaviors, etc., that build up the Body, our communion will be nourished, and we will be built up individually, as well as corporally, with sure hope becoming ever more evident and clear. It is a sacrifice of self at times, but certainly in our fidelity to that communion in Christ, the Body will prosper in the most important way we are called, by gradually becoming the kingdom to which we are advancing (see RB Prol. 21), bringing us all together to that hope of eternal life. “The brothers should each try to be the first to show respect to the other, supporting with the greatest patience one another’s weaknesses of body or behavior, and earnestly competing in obedience to one another.”
ARE YOU GOING? T H E
Abbot ’s Table A p r i l 2 7, 2 0 1 9
for Tickets and Table Sponsorship options see:
kansasmonks.org/abbotstable
Why I support the monks through the
A bb o t ’s Ta bl e P a m K r a m e r, B C ‘ 8 8
“Let all guests who arrive be received as Christ.” - ru l e of st. b e n e d ic t 5 3 : 1 “Let the Abbot’s table always be with the guests and travelers.” - ru l e of st. b e n e d ic t 5 6 : 1 From the bluffs of the Missouri River to the Aventine Hill in Rome, my family and I have been repeatedly welcomed by the Monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey. There is a beautiful simplicity to these welcomes – the gentle embrace “of the household of faith.” When I reflect on these embraces – whether they were literal or spiritual, I am deeply grateful and humbled. As a high school student visiting my older brother, I breathed in the sense of contentment that came with attending Mass at the Abbey – the cornerstone of Benedictine’s campus. And the smile on my father’s face when we would step out into the September sunshine after and he would exclaim, “Now, THAT was a Mass!”– reflecting of the joy with which the mystery was celebrated. And I remember processing into the Abbey Church years later for my own baccalaureate mass and smiling at the now-familiar faces of those monks who had helped to form me in community. They had not only taught me so much about economics and philosophy and scripture; they’d also modeled the intersection of all of those things – the ora et labora – the marriage of prayer and work in our daily lives, and the importance of learning. Always learning. Always reading. Always forward. Their presence persisted later as I married and started a family. They were assigned to our parishes and even confirmed our children. They hosted us and guided us at Sant’Anselmo on our trips to Rome, celebrating Mass with us at the tomb of St. Peter. And always, they evangelized by extending the gentle embrace of the Living God. This steady thread woven through my adult life has stitched together our family framework. Kevin and I try to hold our family as a community, centered on Christ, practicing the dailiness of prayer and work and learning together, while extending a welcoming embrace to others. And so it is not only our privilege, but our joy to support the monks, particularly as we are welcomed again to The Abbot’s Table. We do so in gratitude and in a desire to preserve their embraces of hospitality and God’s love for generations to come.
Winter/Spring 2019
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The Novitiate Entry of Br . Maximilian & Br . Angelus
There
i s a b u z z in the vesting area just behind the Abbey Church – a palpable anticipation permeates the room as the monks line up to process into the Church to pray Vespers. Monks vest in the attire appropriate to their role or status in the community. It is their custom to line up in statio, or community rank, with the newest members at the head of the line. But, at the head of this line are two men in button down shirts: Charles and Marty (at right, L to R). At least, those are their names for the moment. When they push the doors open their lives will be forever changed. Vespers begin as normal and the Abbot intones the prayer: “Let my prayer rise like incense before you, O Lord!” As they pray, the monastic community and all those gathered seek to lift the soon-to-be novices up, that the Lord will strengthen them in their pursuit of holiness and reveal his will to them. The Psalms have a calming effect – as the words of praise are offered to God, His presence can be felt in the Church. Charles and Marty have spent the last four months as postulants, praying and working alongside the monks, and these prayers offer a comfort and familiarity that is all its own. But just as that comfort came, the Psalms come to an end, and the Abbot rises and processes to the Altar, where Charles and Marty will leave their old selves behind. The Abbot is flanked by his brother monks, the server, Br. Jerome, and master of ceremonies, Br. Placidus, on his left; the Novice Master Fr. Jay and Fr. Simon on his right. He calls the candidates forward and asks, “What do you seek?” They respond in unison, “The mercy of God and the fellowship of your community.” Monastic life is encapsulated in this one statement, that they seek God and wish to so with a group of brothers, banded together by a common purpose. As they sit before the Abbot he instructs them as to what they are about to undertake: “You desire to allow the Lord to know you in an intimate way and to witness to this reality as played out also in the lives of your brothers… to trust the reality of truth so as to answer this question: Do you believe that I can do this? “Enter into this time of novitiate with abundant hope, for it is Christ to whom you begin to offer yourself, and it is Christ in whom you must place your trust… No matter what transpires in the coming 366 days, understand as you begin each new day – whether that is day one, or day 257 – Christ will not be outdone in generosity. “Despite what we might perceive in difficult moments, Christ never fails us.” After the homily the critical moment for these men has come, when they receive their habit –
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the garment that will identify them as monks. As novices, they’re free to leave anytime – no vow binds them to the Abbey during this year of study, prayer, and discernment; but, should they persevere, these are the clothes they’ll be buried in, the last thing they’ll ever wear (Lord willing, they’ll wear it for a long time). They also receive their monastic name; consider the gravity of this. Our name is the first thing we receive from our parents, the first marker of our identity. Taking on a new name, these men will be re-born in Christ in the monastery. As Charles kneels before the Abbot, the habit is placed on his shoulders and total silence falls over the Church as if everyone is holding their breath waiting for the Abbot to reveal his name: “Hence forth, you will be known as Br. Angelus.” The Abbot presents him with the Rule of St. Benedict, the guide for Br. Angelus’ new life within the monastery. With a smile he returns to his place as Marty comes forward. Kneeling, just as Br. Angelus and the hundreds of monks who have gone before him, he receives his habit and the total silence again falls over the crowd. A smile comes over his face as the Abbot announces, “You will be known as Br. Maximilian Mary” (at left).
The monks come forth to solemnly welcome the novices into their community, a customary sign of peace to let them know that they have been welcomed as brothers in Christ. And they return to their seats to conclude the evening’s prayer. Again the calm returns, a reassurance from God, that He is always present. As Vespers comes to a close, the community processes out of the Abbey Church – as the doors close the community breaks into applause to joyously welcome the novices. Smiles, excited handshakes, and hugs conclude what is one of the most joyous occasions in the Abbey. Pictured at right, Br. Maximilian Anderson and Br. Angelus Atkinson (L to R).
Winter/Spring 2019
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HUMILITYANDLOVE the first profession of br. florian rumpza
At what point did you know you were called to become a monk? I was outside the Adoration chapel browsing through Facebook on my phone and there was a photo of a monk in my news feed, this older guy in a habit with a great big beard, and I felt something in my heart yearn for that. I thought, “that’s an unusual desire for a 19-year-old guy to have,” but it made me consider religious life. I shared this with my brother, an alum of Benedictine College, and he told me, “You’ve got to check out St. Benedict’s Abbey, because those monks are pretty cool.” After my first retreat back in 2016, I really felt called here.
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What struck you about the monastic community on your first retreat?
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF
The first thing I noticed was the humility of all the monks and the way that they serve each other, that it’s always their first instinct to serve the other. I was watching a couple of monks interact and thinking, “There’s no way these guys should get along.” But they seemed to have a love for one another that was greater than human love, a love that transcends human differences – and I was struck by that. I wanted to be a part of a community that loves in this way – to love the other because they saw Christ in them, and that they loved me because they saw Christ in me.
BR. FLORIAN RUMPZA
What was it like when you first entered the monastery? As we knocked on the door at the postulancy there are nerves, but it was very striking seeing the whole community lined up there, especially knowing that they’re praying for me and for my perseverance. I was struck that they welcomed me so quickly and made me feel like one of the community. At our novitiate entry as we knelt before the Abbot, I was just excited to receive my new name and put on the habit, just one more way of dying to my old self and putting on a new life in Christ – I was filled with joy.
What had the biggest impact on you during the novitiate? In my lectio divina (holy reading) there were a few times when I got stuck, and I felt like that was God telling me he didn’t want me to move on from those words. For four months He wouldn’t let me move past the first 11 verses of John 15, it states, “If you do not abide in me you will bear no fruit...without me you can do nothing.” That dominated my outlook after that, that if I’m not abiding in God, if I’m not in union with him I will bear no fruit. It helped me focus on Christ and His will.
What will you remember from your first profession? As the Abbot preached I couldn’t stop smiling, and later I almost started laughing – it was just a rush of joy, knowing that I’m giving myself to God. Then as my parents and Br. Jerome’s brought up the gifts the Abbot gave them a hug, and I was just struck by the idea that they were giving me to the Abbey, that they’d cared for me, sacrificed for me, and loved me, but now they were giving me up – I have a new family in a sense. Their selfless gift was echoed in my profession, that I was giving myself to God. My parents wrote a song together called Heaven Knows, reminding us that only God knows the future. I don’t know what the future holds or what assignments I’ll have, but I know I’ve pledged to give myself to God – to give my whole life to Him, and I can rest assured knowing that it is His will that I give myself to Him – it’s this certainty that keeps me going.
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Parents: Michael and Anne Rumpza
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Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
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First Vows: December 8, 2018
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College Major: Music (still in progress)
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Favorite Saint: St. Therésè of Lisieux - The simplicity of her “little way” really attracts me, especially the idea that even I can aspire to great sanctity by surrendering myself totally to God in my weakness and letting him draw me to himself.
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Favorite Devotion: Abandonment to Divine Providence
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Favorite Book: I Believe in Love by Jean C.J. d’Elbee, Story of A Soul, by St. Thérèse of Lisieux
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Reading Now: Divine Intimacy by Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen
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Favorite Movie: It’s a Wonderful Life
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Favorite Food: Cheeseburgers, Donuts
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Favorite Childhood Toy: Toy Lightsabers
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Favorite Place: The Abbot’s Chapel
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Favorite Cereal: Cinnamon Toast Crunch
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Best job I ever had: “Choral Scholar” for a Presbyterian Church (basically got paid to sing in their choir)
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You didn’t know: I love Math and Computer Programming
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Qualities I admire in other monks: Patience, Humility, Perseverance, Selflessness
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Best advice I’ve ever received: “Unless you abide in me, you will bear no fruit.”
Winter/Spring 2019
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RETURNINGTHEGIFT the first profession of br. jerome simpson
What was your experience like as you prepared to enter the monastery? The morning before our postulancy we had prayed in the cemetery – and the weight of the community just hit me. There are more than 200 men buried here, men who have gone before me, and I was and am inspired by their dedication. Some saw the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the changes in the church at Vatican II – I began to realize that, through it all, there is a sense of family and patrimony that now has been passed on to me and my brothers today.
What did you think when you heard the Abbot announce your name? Abbot James told me that he hadn’t decided until that morning, and I had no idea what to expect, but I was excited when I heard him announce ‘Br. Jerome.’ It’s my legal middle name, but also my greatgrandfather who was a really strong Catholic presence in my family. He was a single father most of his life and passed the faith onto my grandmother who was a strong influence on my faith. I think it’s the same with St. Jerome, the way he led his community in Jerusalem. It’s a recognition of the fact that my family was so important as I gave myself over to God; I was glad when I received that name.
As you wrote the letter requesting to profess vows, were you nervous? I started writing the letter before I had really made up my mind, and I felt that God was challenging me to take a step back and really pray with this decision. As I continued to pray I felt encouragement in my prayer – that I don’t have the strength to do this on my own and I’m going to have to rely on faith to pursue a vocation like this.
What was your first profession like? I was very surprised that all my friends and family were there, I didn’t expect them and it was a gift to see them there. I watched Br. Florian going through the steps first and I started to get a little nervous, but I had a large sense of trust through it all. I was giving myself in freedom, not out of some sense of pressure or duty, but out of love. Not going through [my novitiate and profession] on my own was a blessing; having Br. Florian go through all of this with me has been a real gift. Also realizing that all the people there are a part of who I am, whether through friendships or family. They’re imperfect people just as I am, but God works through them. I’m not a perfect person, and God works through each of us; understanding that God reaches out to me through those people, through the events in my life, and I am just thankful for that as I give myself in my vows.
How is monastic profession similar to the Sacrament of Marriage? Christ gave himself freely to us on the cross. I think all men, when we see the cross, we feel a call to manhood and a call to give ourselves, and women, too. It’s a reflection of the spousal relationship. Giving myself in vows was the first step in giving the totality of myself back to Christ who has already given me his whole self. I can give Him my whole self and let Him transform me into something else. As I discerned my own vocation, I felt Christ giving Himself to me in monastic life, so I wanted to return that gift.
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THE LIFE AND TIMES OF
BR. JEROME SIMPSON •
Parents: Tom & Jan Simpson
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Hometown: Omaha, NE
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First Vows: December 8, 2018
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College Major: Business Management and Marketing
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Favorite Saint: Mary. Her life shows us the reward of having faith, hope, and love through the greatest of trials.
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Favorite Devotion: Seven Sorrows
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Favorite Book: My favorite childhood book was Sword of Clontarf. My favorite now is undecidedly Illustrissimi by John Paul I
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Reading Now: The Love of Learning and the Desire for God- Jean Leclerq (And way too many other books at once)
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Favorite Movie: Blood Diamond
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Favorite Food: Fruit- primarily berries
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Favorite Childhood Toy: Electronic Light-saber
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Favorite Place: Atchison, Kansas
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Favorite Cereal: Fiber 1
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Best job I ever had: Fire Door Inspector
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Worst job I ever had: Traveling as a Fire Door Inspector. It was fun at first, but my vow of Stability is a relief.
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You didn’t know: I’m 1/16 Indian. No, not Native American, India Indian.
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Qualities I admire in other monks: Curiosity, Joy, Passion, and Trust
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Best advice I’ve ever received: It’s not about what happens, but how you react that really counts.
Winter/Spring 2019
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Running on the path
THE DIACONAL ORDINATION OF BR. LUKE TURNER & BR. THIAGO SILVA
9:55 A.M.
As the procession enters the sanctuary, Br. Luke and Br. Thiago take their places in the front row, they will spend the Liturgy of the Word with their families and friends...
10:07 A.M.
9:59 A.M.
Fr. Jay, the Master of Ceremonies, addresses the assembled clerics, then gives final instructions to Br. Luke and Br. Thiago.
10:02 A.M.
10:31 A.M.
Br. Thiago has traveled nearly 5,000 miles to be ordained in his monastic mother house, but perhaps more importantly has crossed a language barrier. His uncle proclaims the first reading in Portuguese, recognizing the universality of the Christian call.
The candidates are called forward and Archbishop Naumann instructs them as to what they’re about to undertake: “At its heart, the Diaconate is a ministry of service. The Priest and Bishop never cease being a deacon first, being one who comes not to be served but to serve those entrusted into his pastoral care.”
10:35 A.M. 12
As Mass approaches, the priests, deacons, and monks gather in the Abbey Narthex – a momentous occasion is imminent: the next step on the path to priesthood for Br. Luke & Br. Thiago.
Kans a s M onk s
10:20 A.M.
For Br. Luke Turner, his journey to this moment has been unique, from high school seminary, entering the Abbey as a novice in 1981, to leaving the monastery to pursue a career, finding success as a Senior Vice President with MasterCard, back to the monastery in 2012, to conquering colon cancer, the diaconate is the penultimate step on the journey he started as a teenager.
After the homily the candidates lie prostrate before the altar and the assembled pray the Litany of the Saints, calling for the intercession of all those holy men and women who have served Christ before us. “This act symbolizes his unworthiness for the office to be assumed and his dependence upon God and the prayers of the Christian community.”
10:41 A.M.
Coming Home
BR. THIAGO REFLECTS
ON HIS VISIT TO THE ABBEY
One at a time, each man is called to kneel before the Archbishop; this is the height of the ordination. The Archbishop calls down the Holy Spirit and lays hands on each candidate, just as the Apostles passed on the authority of the priesthood (Acts 6:6). In this moment each man is being singled out; in this moment he is entrusted with the care of the faithful in his ministry, as he goes forth from this moment he will always be an ordained man.
Each Deacon is presented with the book of Gospels, a reminder that his first duty is to proclaim the Good News and follow Christ’s final directive, to “go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations”
11:36 A.M.
10:51 A.M.
The joyous occasion has come to a close, but the journey for these monks continues as they each look forward to being ordained to the priesthood. Please join our community in praying for them during their diaconal ministry.
In December and January 2018-19, I was blessed to visit our mother house, St. Benedict’s Abbey, studying English and getting to know my confreres. As I prepare to return to Brazil, I wanted to reflect on this all-too-brief stay: I entered St. Joseph Priory in 2014, the Abbey’s dependent priory in Mineiros, state of Goiás, located in the Center West region of Brazil. Coming this far, I wasn’t sure what to expect. When I first arrived I was struck by our neighborhood – the pleasant town of Atchison; I wish I had more time to learn about it. The abbey itself is an architectural jewel. I enjoyed joining my brothers in prayer and I am grateful for the hospitality of the monks and of the lay people I have come to know. It’s also wonderful to see the witness of the families who come and share in our monastery’s prayer. My diaconal ordination was beautiful; while it happened far away from my biological family, my Brazilian fellow monks and my friends, I experienced the warmth and attention of my fellow American monks that day. Since then I have enjoyed my first experiences as a deacon at the altar and have gradually taken on the proclamation of the Gospel. Abbot James and some of the younger monks took me on a tour to several parishes in the area that were founded by our community; it helped me gain a better sense of our abbey’s history of service. After seeing these beautiful churches that those parishioners built, I want to congratulate the Catholics of this region for erecting these lovely architectural witnesses to their faith. Between January 3 and 6, I was able to share with 17,000 other young people at FOCUS’s SEEK in Indianapolis, Indiana, a fantastic event! I had the opportunity to force myself to speak in English. It was marvelous to see how the young Catholics of this country were practicing their faith with such fervor and maturity. To participate in a great gathering like this one by spreading the news and mission of our community, the “Kansas Monks,” among those thousands of youth is something that I shall always remember. I thank God and my monastic community for welcoming me. I want to thank everybody for their patience in trying to understand my beginner’s English. I thank Fr. Denis for his translations and for teaching me the history of our abbey and our group of Benedictines. Good readers, you welcome me to your neighborhood by reading these words. Thank you. Obrigado!
Winter/Spring 2019
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m o nks o n a miss ion
When the monks arrived in the Kansas Territory in 1855, they sought to provide the sacraments as missionaries. Though the monks vow stability to the abbey in Atchison, occasionally they must venture beyond the monastery to serve the faithful. These are just some of the ways the monks work to spread the Gospel:
kansas monks abroad
mosteiro são josé st. joseph priory mineiros, goiás, brazil a brief history
selected works: abbot james albers
In 1961 Pope John XXIII asked the “priest rich” countries to send priests to the “priest poor” countries. Responding, Abbot Cuthbert chose to make a foundation in Brazil. In 1962 three men were chosen to begin this venture. They established themselves in central west Brazil at the small city of Mineiros. Along with founding a monastic community they assumed the parochial apostolate for the city and surrounding area, a ministry that continues today.
travels to brazil twice annually to serve as superior of community
prior joaquim carvalho serves as local superior of priory university of mineiros - board chairman
fr . vinicius queiroz rezende
pastor - são bento parish diocesan youth ministry leader
fr . josias da costa
teacher at colegio agapé active in pastoral ministry
br . thiago silva
solemn profession , ordained deacon in 2018 co - authored book on lent , published 2018
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Families served by monks at Mineiros parish.
Monks provide the sacraments for 30,000 Catholics in Mineiros, Goiás, Brazil
Monks serve as spiritual advisors and chaplains to a variety of lay ministries in Brazil.
pignon , haiti
br . leven and bc students served the people of haiti and provided assistance with a new parish school .
kolkata , india fr . jay and bc students served the poorest of the poor with the missionaries of charities
lima , peru
fr. brendan was chaplain to focus missionaries, west point cadets, and us naval academy midshipmen on mission trip to peru.
san salvador, el salvador fr . simon traveled with bc students to serve those in need and visit sites dedicated to st . oscar romero
new orleans , la
br . karel and a group of bc men traveled to new orleans to assist with flood recovery efforts .
serving in europe fr . brendan rolling Fr. Brendan Rolling serves as an International Chaplain for the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS), serving students at colleges and universities in the USA, Austria, and England. fr . daniel m c carthy Fr. Daniel serves on the faculty at the Pontifical Institute of Liturgy in Rome, Italy. He serves on the faculty at the University of Leuven in Belgium and teaches summer courses at Ealing Abbey in London.
pilgrimages to the holy land Fr. Gabriel served as chaplain for a Holy Family School of Faith pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2018. Fr. Simon led a group of Benedictine College students on a pilgrimage through the Holy Land in 2018. 14
service trips
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publishing
Fr. Daniel’s sixth book is his expanded doctoral dissertation on church architecture, and his seventh is a study of the personal letters of Cicero. These are both now with their publishers and total over 1,000 pages each. You may join Fr. Daniel’s course on church architecture offered by the Archdiocese of Denver 20-24 January 2020. Br. Thiago Silva co-authored a book on Lent, 40 Days with Jesus, released in Portuguese in Brazil in 2018.
serving in
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s tat e s a n d d . c .
highlights • Confirmations throughout Kansas • Leading and providing sacramental support for pilgrimages and mission trips • Giving talks to youth and church groups • Witnessing marriages for alumni and friends • Monks forming FOCUS and SPO missionaries • March for Life in Washington D.C. • Hosting Brews with Benedictines evangelization events
states with oblates states where monks ser ved
• Providing support for parishes in the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
service by the numbers
selected works: abbot james albers
monastic visitations - ok & pa evangelization - ca & mo
Monks serve more than 2,300 students from grade school to graduate programs in Kansas, Rome, Belgium, & England.
The Abbey hosts formal and private retreats; over 500 people made a retreat in 2018.
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500+
Retreatants to St. Benedict’s Abbey.
Hours of confessions heard each week by monks.
The monks provide the sacrament of Reconciliation at 25 scheduled hours to all those they serve in chaplaincies, parishes, and prisons. Also available upon request.
fr . meinrad miller leading retreats - nj monastic visitation - al
fr . gabriel landis
serves as prior of community - ks evangelization - co , ia , ma , & mn
fr . jay kythe
witnessing marriages - mo & mn serving students - tx & mn
br . leven harton
evangelization - tx vocations work - il , in , ks , mo , & nj
br . karel soukup
serving with bc students - la vocations evangelization - ia , ks , & il
br . placidus lee
leading high school retreats - ks blessed emil kapaun pilgrimage - ks
fr . simon baker
Oblates live according to the Rule of St. Benedict, joining the monastic community in its life of common prayer from afar.
leading pilgrimages & retreats - co, fl, ks, & tx witnessing marriages mo & tx
fr . maurice haefling
serves as superior and financial administrator for holy cross abbey
Winter/Spring 2019
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Anxiety and St. Benedict by Fr. Meinrad Miller
Anxiety and stress are not easy subjects to talk about. No one wants to seem to be less than perfect in life. Perhaps we are plagued with the delusional thinking that there are people who have no share in such trivial human ordeals. When I pray Psalm 73:4-5 I try to rid myself of these false and delusional thoughts, as if those people I imagined actually exist:
Psalm 73
For they suffer no pain; their bodies are healthy and sleek. They are free of the burdens of life; they are not afflicted like others.
The reality is that we are all on a journey together, all children of a loving Father in need of healing, the Father that is perfect. At Mass, right before Communion, we implore: Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant us peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Prayer after the our father
When we pray, by the help of your mercy, we are in a sense admitting that we are powerless over the evil, the sin, and the distress (anxiety) that plague us both individually, and as a people. We need God’s mercy and grace every moment, given to us freely through the Blood of Jesus Christ. On November 30, 1980, Saint John Paul II issued his encyclical on mercy, Dives in Misericordia. In section 15 he reminds each of us of a great truth: Modern man often anxiously wonders about the solution to the terrible tensions which have built up in the world and which entangle h umanity. And if at times he lacks the courage to utter the word “mercy,” or if in his conscience empty of religious content he does not find the equivalent, so much greater is the need for the Church to utter his word, not only in her own name but also in the name of all the men and women of our time. Saint Benedict lived in a time of great upheaval and change, not unlike the modern period described by St. John Paul II above. In the midst of the chaos of his day St. Benedict wanted to establish a School of the Lord’s Service. The word school itself comes from the word “schola” which means leisure. While the world seems to be falling apart around me, I have the leisure of silence, contemplation, entering deeply into the Word made Flesh, Jesus Christ, through reading of Sacred Scripture in Lectio Divina, praying the Liturgy of the Hours, and receiving the Sacraments. When I am feeling stressed, I often remember the word of Our Lord to Martha, and I paraphrase Luke 10:41: “Meinrad, Meinrad, you are anxious and worried about many things.” Just that awareness of my anxiety and worry help me realize my powerlessness at that moment, 16
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and then with the grace of the Holy Spirit, I am able to turn my will and life over to the care of a Merciful Father who loves me to the core of my being. This awareness of God’s Mercy can be very helpful in our lives as we face daily stress. But we should also realize the power of the Scriptures and the Sacraments to bring about God’s healing grace in our lives. Finding other believers to share our experience, strength and hope can also be of great assistance. Many also find the guidance of a spiritual director and/or a counselor to help in getting over issues of anxiety. Saint Benedict said it best. When I do not know where to turn, I can remember his words of wisdom in the Rule: “And finally, never lose hope in God’s mercy.”
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 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. A simple paragraph can be added 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 is all it takes.
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
why I joined the
St. Benedict’s Abbey leg a cy society L a r r y & Tr e s a B u e s s i n g We were both born into communities where the monks were serving. Fr. Phil O’Connor came to St. Bridget, a country parish in Marshall County, Kansas, to prepare to go to World War II. After Mass he would work with the farmers to get into shape to serve as a military chaplain, so their model of prayer and work was instilled in us at an early age. That prayer and work is an example for all of us; that this is what we ought to be doing everyday. The monks were involved in establishing a lot of the parishes in the area, so they were very influential, but they were also very hospitable and very charitable. It was Fr. Columban Clinch, a St. Benedict’s College history professor and the college’s placement director, that helped me [Larry] get my start with Met Life, which turned into my life’s work. We’ve included the monks in our will because we feel that the prayer and work of monks is very important to the community, not just the Catholic community but to the world as a whole. Once you’re gone, you can’t make your annual gift, so this is a great way to leave a lasting impact on the Abbey. Leaving the Abbey in our estate also enables us to make a much larger gift than what we’re able to do annually. The monks have been a light to our community for many years, they’re not some new idea, but they are a stable presence in our community. They’re focused on serving the people: offering the sacraments, serving at their college and high school, and creating the educational standards that continue today in our institutions. We’re happy and proud to support the monks today, and are glad we are able to leave a legacy gift through our estate to St. Benedict’s Abbey.
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answering the life the and service call of fr. maurice haefling by J.D. Benning
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“M a y it be do n e t o m e a c c or d i ng t o y o u r w o r d .” - L u k e 1 : 3 8 For more than 2,000 years these words have been echoed as the purest and most perfect Christian assent. And though his own humility would prevent him from agreeing that they are a perfect description, they seem to be almost universally applicable to the life of Fr. Maurice Haefling. The monastery is like a ship, (heck, the Abbey Church was designed to look like a ship) and it takes a great many jobs to keep the ship moving – Fr. Maurice has risen to every challenge with a “whatever it takes” mentality that amazes everyone he encounters, but every story has a beginning, this one starts with a ruined Thanksgiving dinner… he youngest of nine children, Fr. Maurice, dubbed Charles by his parents, was born on Thanksgiving Day in 1943, in Strong City, Kansas. “I wrecked my family’s Thanksgiving,” he offered with a wry smile, “and they’ve never forgiven me.” It’s moments like this that Fr. Maurice’s character comes through – today serving as the Business Manager of the Abbey, he can seem from first glance as the stoic accountant – but after you get to know him, you see there’s much more than meets the eye. Baptized at just 3 days old on November 28, 1943, the Haefling family’s parish priest was the great uncle of Abbot James Albers and a 1926 graduate of St. Benedict’s College, the same school Fr. Maurice would ultimately attend. Though he doesn’t mention it much, it’s clear that Fr. Maurice’s parents provided a strong faith foundation; his oldest sister, 17 years his senior, left while he was still in infancy to join the Dominican Sisters in Great Bend, Kansas. “I didn’t really meet her until I was four years old, and when I did, I refused to believe that she was my sister!” His third sister also went on to join that same community. “We were around priests and religious all of our lives, but I don’t know that I’m anymore religious than anyone else.” The family didn’t linger in Strong City long after his birth, moving to Kansas City, Missouri. It was there that Fr. Maurice first encountered the Benedictines at Lillis High School. The Sisters of Mount St. Scholastica comprised a large portion of the faculty, and a monk of the Abbey, Fr. Kieran McInerney, was the chaplain all four years of Fr. Maurice’s high school education. “He had a big impact on me… I
was always interested in the priesthood growing up and Fr. Kieran invited me to accompany him on a trip to the Abbey. My first visit was a little overpowering to say the least; there were more than 100 monks in the refectory when we gathered for lunch. But in talking with Fr. Kieran and the sisters, I knew where I wanted to be. When it was time for me to go to college, I returned here with the intention of becoming a monk.” Fr. Maurice began the novitiate with 20 other men, 13 from other monasteries. He had entered college with the intention of majoring in math, but ultimately moved on to major in philosophy with a minor in classic languages as he prepared for the priesthood. As he continued his studies and monastic formation, something changed, “I saw my brother monks getting ordained and disappearing. Whether it was to graduate school or a parish, they would be gone. Maybe, you would see them at retreat time. And that’s not the life I wanted – I became a monk to live in community.”
I saw my brother monks getting ordained and disappearing… And that’s not the life I wanted – I became a monk to live in community.
At that time the Church was in the midst of Vatican II, and the future of monastic life was not immune to the changes that would come from the Council. Informal late night meetings occurred regularly to discuss what effect
this would have at St. Benedict’s Abbey. Prior to Vatican II, men who wished to remain “brothers,” not intending to pursue ordination, professed a different type of vows and didn’t have chapter rights (rights to vote on community matters). It had even been legislated further that those bound for ordination wouldn’t have chapter rights until after they were ordained. “I went to Abbot Thomas and said I didn’t want to go on to ordination. He asked ‘Why?’ And I told him my reasons, but I said I wanted to profess solemn vows [as the other clerics had done] as a choir monk. Abbot Thomas just looked at me and said ‘we can work with that!’” Abbot Thomas wrote to Rome requesting permission for (then Br.) Maurice to profess solemn vows without the obligation to go on to be ordained. In that way Fr. Maurice was a trendsetter. Within a year it was decided there would be only one type of vows. All the monks could then go on to profess solemn vows if they wished, and no one had to remain on the priesthood track for solemn profession. “There had been really a ‘class’ system within the monastery, and this segregated the community. Each group had its own recreation room; brothers were not welcome to enter the priests’ recreation room… And we were objecting to this, we didn’t like this ‘class’ system… it was a sociological change, not just at the Abbey but throughout the country.” With that, the future was wide open. The Abbot asked him what he would like to do, and, true to form, Fr. Maurice responded with “what does the community need?” Though there was a need for a business manager at the time, the Abbey also needed a nurse to care for the monks at home, so Fr. Maurice volunteered. Abbot Thomas spoke to the staff at St. Margaret’s Hospital in continued on next page
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What does the community need? Kansas City, Kansas, just a few blocks from a parish that the Abbey staffed at the time (the Little Sisters of the Lamb now live at this location). It was rare for men to be nursing students, but the hospital uncharacteristically already had 5 other male students. For three years he lived at the rectory with other monks and pursued a nursing diploma. (Shown at top right) Returning to the Abbey, he immediately set about his duties. During the community retreat in 1969 Abbot Thomas called him to his office and said “I’ve got a surprise for you; I’m appointing you Subprior.” To that point, there had never been a non-ordained subprior (third in command in the monastery) and at just 25 years old, a few monks questioned the Abbot’s decision. “A journalist referred to me as the ‘boyish faced subprior.’ But I loved to tell people ‘well it just means I’m fourth from the Pope!’ But seriously, I tried to be a leader and I think the Abbot recognized that.” In the 70’s the Abbey and others started hosting retreats for college students – this lead to Fr. Maurice, or “Bro-Moe” as the students liked to call him at the time, getting more involved at Benedictine College, taking classes and regularly interacting with the students. Several students developed an affinity for “Bro-Moe.” Pete Tulipana, a 1973 graduate of Benedictine College, was grateful for his friendship with Fr. Maurice, one that continues to this day. “Fr. Maurice was a wonderful sounding board, when you’re delving into your faith and trying to understand it, he is someone I could always talk to and never felt judged,” said Tulipana. 20
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Fr. Maurice was a wonderful sounding board, when you’re delving into your faith and trying to understand it, he is someone I could always talk to and never felt judged. Fr. Maurice was honored to take part in their lives, in their weddings, and was glad to be a part of their group, “They kind of looked to me as a big brother, and I just wanted to be a good mentor or friend, and those friendships developed over the years. I was grateful for all of them,” he said. In 1981, in the early hours of a Friday morning he was headed to Kansas City on I-29 when he flipped his car off the side of the highway. “I was driving, and I’m not sure what happened, but I had to be life-flighted to [the University of Kansas Hospital]. When I woke up, it was Monday afternoon with one of my Dominican sisters standing at the side of my bed… ’Why are you here? Why am I here? Where am I?’ and they told me what happened… it was my only helicopter ride!” Fr. Maurice continued in his nursing duties, serving as the only nurse, until 1987. “It was a one-man show, which I don’t recommend!” He also served as community
Master of Ceremonies, planning and carrying out special liturgies (like professions or major feast days). He managed the Abbey’s social security program, handling all health insurance, and taking care of medical bills, getting his first taste of business work in the midst of nursing. It was 1987 when Abbot Ralph called him to his office, “How would you like discontinuing everything you’re doing?” Fr. Maurice smiles as he remembers the exchange, “Am I being fired?” “No,” the Abbot replied, “Benedictine College needs a business manager, and I recommended you!” Fr. Maurice took the reins and had to learn a new skill set. The college was in crisis – they had very little money and were still operating on two campuses. “For the first six months I was fighting fires, meeting lawyers and bankers, trying to resolve the problems.” Regardless of his assignment, Fr. Maurice’s sense of hospitality and his work ethic has always been remarkable, something his friend Mike Crulcich admires, “He really does welcome people as Christ – and he was an incredible workhorse! He always seemed to be working, he always seems to enjoy what he is doing, and never complains, I wish I was more like that! Most importantly, he is an excellent person, an excellent monk, and an excellent friend.” After a couple of years at Benedictine College, Fr. Maurice was living in his office day and night, “my hair went from blond to white! But I felt they needed to find
someone with a lot more experience, so in 1989 I resigned at the end of the school year.” As he closed the chapter on his time at Benedictine College he began considering returning to his studies. In the fall of 1990 he enrolled in the monastic studies program at St. John’s Abbey. As he progressed in his studies he began to feel a long-dormant call to study for the priesthood. With the blessing of Abbot Owen he continued onto seminary studies and was ordained to the priesthood alongside Fr. Meinrad Miller on June, 4, 1994. Upon returning to Atchison, he was immediately appointed Business Manager of the Abbey and helped out in parishes. The first summer was spent traveling to 14 different parishes across the state. “I was a weekend-warrior, and when you’re traveling to all these parishes you have to learn their own unique way of celebrating liturgies.” Running the business office at the Abbey was a simpler job than that of Benedictine College, but there were only two people to do all the work. “A lot of things are assigned to our business office that might ought not fall under our purview, but things get pushed over there just because someone has to take care of them, so it’s hard to pinpoint a real list of what my daily life has been like as business manager. About half of it’s planned and the other half is a surprise. A lot of what we do goes unnoticed because, when we’re doing our job well, people don’t notice that anything is going on, it just happens, it’s kind of the nature of the job.” Along the way, Fr. Maurice’s good fiscal sense didn’t go unnoticed. As Holy Cross Abbey in Cañon City, Colorado, began the process of closing, Abbot President Timothy Kelly placed Fr. Maurice in charge of their operations, looking after the needs of the monks and the Abbey’s affairs. This job would require regular travel to Colorado; “I always loved traveling and
seeing the mountains… but no matter what, I’ve always loved a new challenge. Abbot Brendan once asked me, ‘how do you get involved in these things?’ And I responded, ‘I just want to be helpful!’” As he slowly unwinds these brief anecdotes about his life, each story is replete with mentions of others. For Fr. Maurice, the story isn’t really about him, but about all the people he’s encountered, whether that’s other monks, his friends from college, or just trying to extend a helping hand to someone in need – and remaining ever humble and a bit self-deprecating as he recounts his life. Truly, we’ve all known people like Fr. Maurice, those that are willing to go the extra mile, but I don’t know that I’ve ever encountered someone that does it with such humility. It has been said that true humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less; Fr. Maurice embodies this statement. Abbot James is grateful for Fr. Maurice’s dedication, “Fr. Maurice over the years has taken on various roles in the community and our apostolates many times outside of his comfort zone - but has entered into those works with much energy and dedication. The word that comes to mind is indefatigable. Even now, though he is entering into his senior years, the care and concern he offers for the community, and his confreres, is inspiring.” If you happen to drive past the Abbey Guesthouse late at night, you might notice that the lights are on in the business office. It’s just Fr. Maurice toiling away at his duties, ever the hard worker, but adhering steadfastly to St. Benedict’s instruction never to grumble. I would be remiss not to mention that in all of his stories of ups and downs, he looks back at everything fondly and with a smile, without even a shred of complaint or negativity – a tremendous lesson for all of us, that sometimes, like Fr. Maurice, we have to do “whatever it takes.”
the
Father Maurice Haefling Legacy Fund Th e Fa t h e r M a u r i c e H a e f l i n g L e g a c y Fu n d p r o v i d e s f o r t h e healthcare and retirement 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 M a u r i c e ’s outstanding years of ser vice as the A b b e y ’s n u r s e a n d y e a r s o f s e r v i c e a s p r o c u r a t o r. 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.
To make a contribution to the Father Maurice Haefling 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 Winter/Spring 2019
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this is how you are to pray... Our Father… if you were to hear those words, you’d probably respond with “who art in Heaven” without missing a beat. This prayer ’s utterance is so frequent that we all seem to share a common cadence at which we think it ought to be prayed. Indeed, it is striking that when one visits St. Benedict’s Abbey they will undoubtedly notice that the monks recitation of the Our Father is remarkably slow – but, there is a lesson in that. Too often we are consumed not with what we are doing but, rather, what is next, perhaps to the point of ignoring the gravity of the moment that we currently occupy. As one joins the monks in slowing down their prayer, they can slowly become aware of each word – and that each word has meaning. Too often we’re in a hurry – too often we speak without thinking, not considering our words, let alone each word. Here, Fr. Jay offers us a deeper look into this most common of prayers – that we, like the monks, might consider each word. Like Christ said, “this is how you are to pray...”
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In Union with Sinners: Praying the Our Father By Fr. Jay Kythe, OSB
our
OUR: This word fights my tendency towards pride. I must turn away from my selfishness and recognize the one standing next to me – my brother or sister – and be in union with that person. Only then I am able to face God. Therefore, prayer must come not just from me but from us sinners as we stand together and pray together. Have I ever prayed this way, in union with my brothers and sisters who carry the same cross that I carry? So let me pray in this way as I meditate on the words of the perfect prayer that Jesus gave us: not my Father but Our Father….
father
FATHER: “Holy Communion unites us through Jesus Christ to the three Divine Persons. When I possess Jesus in my heart, I say to the Father: Heavenly Father, I adore Thee, I give Thee thanks, I unite myself to Thy divine Son and with Him, I acknowledge that all I have, all that I am, comes from Thee” (Blessed Columba Marmion, OSB).
our father By baptism, we become the adopted sons/daughters of the Father. We share in the Sonship of Christ. As Christ stands before the Father, we too can stand before God the Father because we share in the person of Christ, we become alter Christus, other Christs, through baptism. And like Christ, we dare to call God “Abba, Father.” And we also dare to pray: “Our Father, who art in heaven ....”
hallowed be thy name
who art in heaven “In my Father’s house are many rooms … I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). “Behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your walls of precious stones” (Isaiah 54:11b-12).
My name means nothing without Your Name. How often people use Your name in foul ways! And not realizing it, they shatter the dignity of their own names! If only we would use Your name not in vain, carefully watching our speech and honoring You by speaking of You with reverence, we would honor one another. Help us, teach us, show us how to honor You and one another that we not kill with our tongues.
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thy kingdom We have established kingdoms in our hearts. And what has that gotten us? Only more misery and sorrow. We traverse the halls of this world, forgetting that we have no control over anything. Yet we still cling to our own domains, believing the fantasy of power and control over things and peoples. Overthrow our kingdoms and let Thy kingdom come!
come The movement is from heaven to earth. It is the same route You took when You chose to become one of us. You chose to become one of us! And you chose to come into our homes and eat with us (Matthew 9:10)! “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Behold, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst” (Luke 17:21). Your kingdom is here where Your Son is present. Where two or three are gathered in Your name. Where we can pray, “Our Father ….”
thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven “Father, if You are willing,” Jesus prayed, “remove this chalice from Me; nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42). Even He prayed in this human way. When we have something disagreeable before us, we first pray against it. But then quickly we need to surrender to the Father’s will. How difficult that is for us to do! And when we find it difficult, we must kneel on that rock at the Mount of Olives where Your Son prayed to You in this way. And we must watch Christ struggle, where an angel from heaven appeared to Him to strengthen Him, and where “His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground” (Luke 22:44). There, we offer our petitions to You, and ask that our inability to surrender fully to You can be strengthened by Jesus’ surrender to Your most holy will, so that we may not stand in the way of the establishment of Your kingdom here on earth as it is in heaven.
give us this day our daily bread Christ says to His apostles: “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). How does Jesus stay with us? He stays with us in the Eucharist. Here is Jesus, under the appearance of bread and wine, for what we receive is His precious Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity. Oh how close we would be to our Beloved Lord and Savior if we truly believed that He enters us whenever we receive Holy Communion!
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and forgive us our trespasses Here begins the hard work of forgiveness, first done by You in Your Son on the Cross. It begins with His prayer to You from the Cross: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). It actually began much earlier, with Your heart desiring to forgive us in the most radical way possible, You becoming one of us and dying on the Cross for us, defeating death so that we may live. You give us the gift of eternal life, as undeserving as we are. You feed us with Your Son’s body and blood, the daily bread, to forgive us. “But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water” (John 19:34). And we are the recipients of Divine Mercy.
as we forgive those who trespass against us We find it so hard to forgive. We hold grudges and resentments. To forgive would mean freedom, yet we desire to be less free. Our desires are fallen. We prefer the prison of unforgiveness and sin rather than the light of freedom. How mixed-up is that! Only You can make up for the shortcomings in our work of forgiveness! Whenever we look to Your Son on the Cross and stretch out our hands towards it, desiring all the gifts of mercy from it rather than our own selfish ways, You make up for all that is lacking in our work of forgiveness. And You strengthen us so that we can forgive more perfectly.
and lead us not into temptation You led Your Son into temptation when Your Spirit drove Him into the desert. You tested Him for 40 days and 40 nights. We are not so strong. We are unable to withstand even a small bit of temptation without caving in to it. Do not lead us into temptation as Jesus was led!
but deliver us from evil “I know that my redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). We know that you will deliver us from evil because You are love (1 John 4:8) and You love me with a perfect love. Our time here on earth is temporary, a mere valley of tears. Our destiny is heaven, where we will be eternally free from evil. As Your Son had to endure evil here on earth, so must we. But we can overcome that evil while we stay in union with Him. How beautiful it is when we do so, when we rise above our fallen natures and do the unexpected: when we smile and look beyond evil towards our eternal home and not let evil have the last word! The only last word we will utter is the last word of this prayer: “Amen.” So be it. Thy will, not mine, be done!
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Eternal rest grant unto him B r o t h e r An t h o n y Vo r w e r k , O S B
Born • January 25, 1931 Professed • December 27, 1953 Died • January 17, 2019 Brother Anthony Vorwerk died peacefully on Thursday, January 17, 2019, fortified by the Sacraments of the Church, having received the Apostolic Pardon. Leo Vorwerk was born on January 25, 1931, the ninth son of Lawrence and Nelli née Haag in Dodgeville, Iowa. As a young man Brother Anthony was a gifted athlete, playing baseball, basketball and football. Talking about his favorite childhood pastimes, he said, “We had American Legion baseball for kids. Played every day, as pitcher or shortstop. I played basketball and sandlot football too.” He graduated from Burlington Catholic High School in 1951. During high school Br. Anthony considered religious life, he reflected, “In high school, I thought about the monastic life and we had Benedictine monks in our parish that I looked up to but it was a diocesan priest, the chaplain at my high school, who convinced me to visit the Abbey. After that, I kind of drifted into it, with a good deal of prayer of course.” Upon entering religious life he requested Anthony as his monastic name. He said he often prayed to St. Anthony of Padua to “help him find stuff.” Brother Anthony professed his vows as a monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey on December 27, 1953.
Overseeing the Abbey grounds was Br. Anthony’s primary job during his time as an active monk. He was a hardworking, skilled, and diligent groundskeeper, managing the planting, harvesting and everything in between. The garden covers about three acres and its most successful crops are tomatoes, corn, and potatoes. Over the years he worked at the Abbey Student Press from 1951-1953; as a groundskeeper for St. Benedict’s College from 1953-1971; as porter of the Abbey from 1987-2010; and as a groundskeeper at the Abbey from 1957-2010.
Br. Anthony professed first vows before Abbot Cuthbert McDonald (above) on December 27, 1953.
A model of Benedictine hospitaltiy, over his years as a monk he cultivated a great many friendships. It made no difference whether one was rich or poor, man or woman, or how intelligent one was, all found a friend in Brother Anthony. Countless young monks, students, and visitors to the Abbey experienced his warm smile, and often an opportunity to help with work in the gardens. He was not afraid to admit he needed your prayers, and he showed his appreciation for them. Reflecting on his life on his 60th anniversary of vows in 2013, he said: “You can see how the Holy Spirit is growing holiness in you over time just as He is growing tree after tree from tiny seeds.” He continued, “Right now, I’m taking prayer more seriously, which means I’m getting old… Through my prayers, I’m working on giving up my self-will,” he says. “The vow of stability helps with this. My favorite part of monastic life is what that stability gives us, the Benedictine family. We have good, loving brothers who care for one another… We’re just one big family.”
When Br. Tony was no longer able to work on the grounds he continued his labor as a woodworker, making boxes, pencil holders, bird houses, canes and more as gifts for his friends and guests of the Abbey. Pictured above with a cane that he had recently completed for himself.
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Kans a s M onk s
Brother Anthony was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Nellie, his brother, Carl (Frances), his sisters, Mary Alice, Sr. Mary Emaline, R.S.M., Sr. Fausta, R.S.M., Emily Sander (Ray), Irene Clark (Leo), Joan Kurtz (Ronald), and Martha Junker (Joseph). He is survived by the monks of the Abbey, nieces and nephews, and numerous friends whose lives he touched.
why I joined the
for young adults by Sean Halpin My senior year of college; a Benedictine monk led a bible study for my friends and me. At that point in my spiritual life I convinced myself that by joining a bible study while my other friends were doing other less “holy and righteous” activities, that I was already a saint… My friend, this monk who led our bible study, always referenced “The work” we must do in our lives, but, at the time, I didn’t understand what he meant. “The work” is our partaking in God’s will. All good things that we are driven to do in life are invitations from the Lord and we can choose to accept that call or not. A seed was planted in that bible study, but it would take a few years for that seed to be watered and sprout. When I graduated, I got a job, moved out of my parents’ house and lived my life as most 20 something’s after college. I was doing all the things that we do in our free time to medicate our unhappiness. I felt a void in my life, one that I tried to fill with everything but the truth. I considered myself Catholic, but I was certainly not living as one. The passage in the bible where it talks about serving two masters rang true, as I was very much trying to serve two radically different masters. Every time I tried to pull myself out of this mess, I failed. I always hear stories of successful individuals taking the bull by the horns, conquering their demons and scaling the mountain in face of all adversity. After years of trial and error I learned that this was not to be my fate. I fought to have things my way and my stubbornness allowed me to fall into a continual and unrelenting despair. That bravado eventually brought me to my defeat. I found myself broken and tired. It was in my brokenness that I was finally able to experience God’s true love and mercy. I support the monks because they have played an integral part of my story. Without my relationship with the Monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey, I don’t believe I would have encountered the truth in the way I did. Though I do believe God would have continued to work Grace into my life, I believe I had the experiences I did for a specific reason. I believe that the Abbey and my relationships I developed over the years, allowed me to have that very special encounter with mercy. The monks offer their lives in service to others, in search for truth and a deeper relationship with our Lord. Without them our dreams would look quite different but with them we can come to better understand God’s love. Jesus Christ himself explained, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”. The monks have laid down their lives and offer all that they have to the Lord who in turn gives this abundance of love to us. They embody love and truth, desperately wishing that we can all come to encounter truth in this most powerful way. That is why I support the monks. For more information about the Society see Kansasmonks.org/society
SAVE THE DATE the priestly ordination of brother luke turner, osb +++ the twenty-ninth of june two-thousand nineteen the feast of saints peter & paul ten o’clock in the morning +++ st. benedict’s abbey atchison, kansas
Winter/Spring 2019
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presenting the r a lumen vitae medal to p d an l sr. irene nowell, osb r e v o and dr. scott & kimberly hahn kansasmonks.org
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