Monthly Archives: May 2023

News

Grumbling, Gossip and the Ruin of Solidarity by Br. Daniel Sokol, OSB

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The devil has a motto which is: “Divide and conquer.” Benedictines have a motto that unites us to God: “That in all things God may be glorified.” As a matter of fact, many of the Church’s prayers contain a unifying theme. Jesus teaches us to pray, “Our Father…Give us this day our daily bread”; The Hail Mary states: “Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners…”; The Sign of the Cross helps unite us with the Blessed Trinity. Jesus prays, “That they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me” (Jn 17:21); St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle…be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil…”

St. Benedict is keenly aware that “grumbling” (which is gossip or discontent) can “divide and conquer” any group. That is why he is very strict in teaching against it. “Do not grumble or speak ill of others” (RB 4:39-40).

“This very obedience, however, will be acceptable to God and agreeable to men only if compliance with what is commanded is not cringing or sluggish or halfhearted, but free from any grumbling or any reaction of unwillingness (RB 5:14); “First and foremost, there must be no word or sign of the evil of grumbling, no manifestation of it for any reason at all. If, however, anyone is caught grumbling, let him undergo more severe discipline” (RB 34:6, 7).

Even the abbot is advised: “Similarly, he should so regulate and arrange all matters that souls may be saved and the brothers may go about their activities without justifiable grumbling” (RB 41:5).

Jesus ardently desired that His followers are to be united in faith and at peace with all those whom one would come in contact with and live a life of solidarity with Himself and our Father.

Christ’s Priestly Prayer for Unity, John: 17, is saturated with fervent desires for human and divine solidarity. Here is one example.

“That all may be one even as We are One: I in them and Thou in Me: that they may be perfected in unity, and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me (Jn 17: 22-23)”

Jesus taught His apostles and disciples to be ardent in their faith and gave them numerous examples of being heralds of being faithful regardless of the circumstances they were in. After experiencing all that He went through in holy obedience to our Father in bravely facing persecution, denial and the cruelest of deaths ever devised, Christ showed us by example what true loyalty involves.

St. Benedict echoes this sentiment when he writes to us about what Christian solidarity entails, and the rewards that follow. “Never swerving from his instructions, then, but faithfully observing his teaching in the monastery until death, we shall through patience share in the sufferings of Christ that we may deserve also to share in his kingdom” (RB Prol 50).

Psalm 15 with the Title, “The Guest of God,” gives us a good summary of human solidarity.

O Lord, who will sojourn in your tent? Who shall dwell on your holy mountain?

He who walks blamelessly and who does justice. He who thinks the truth in his heart, and slanders not with his tongue; who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; by whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the Lord; who though it be to his loss, changes not his pledged word; who lends not at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be disturbed.

Br. Daniel Sokol, OSB, is a member of Prince of Peace Abbey in Oceanside, California.

Vocations, Women's Communities

Visitations Sisters’ Secret: God Is Our Vocation Director

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Any sign of growth in a religious community is a cause for rejoicing, and the Toledo, Ohio Visitation Nuns have much to be thankful for. The nuns recently accepted Sister Ashlie as a postulant (center); and Sister Katie as a first-year novice (second right); Sister Toni as a second-year novice (second left), Sister Maria Teresa (right) as a first-year temporary professed, and Sister Maria Cecilia (left) as a third-year temporary professed.

There were also two sisters recently who made their final profession: Sister Katherine Chantal (left); and Sister Veronica Teresa (right).

Thus, of seven of the 17 sisters in the community are more or less, new members.

What is surprising and hopeful is that these milestones all have occurred within the last nine months. Many communities in the western world, whether contemplative or active, go for years without seeing new faces.

“Our Secret”

“Our secret is that God is our Vocation Director,” said the community’s superior, Sr. Marie de Sales. “He sends them to us. It is interesting, we haven’t received a vocation from our Diocese in many years, but we hear from women in other states. Currently the women in formation are from Indiana, California, Illinois, New York and Texas.”

The backgrounds of the new members are varied: some were homeschooled; some attended Catholic grammar schools or high schools; they frequently came from devout Catholic families or were converts to the faith; and some came from families of four or more children.

Also, many were very active in their parishes in different ministries. The Sisters in formation are between ages 25 and 57. In the last week or so they’ve heard from two young women in their twenties.

How would you describe your charism/spirituality?

Sr. Marie de Sales: We are Daughters of Prayer; we are contemplatives (Seekers of God) striving to be all for God and as our Holy Father, St. Francis de Sales said, “to give to God daughters of prayer, and souls so interior that they may be found worthy to serve His infinite Majesty and to adore Him in spirit and in truth.”

How do you pray for the world events that seem to be so troubling today?

Sr. Marie de Sales: We hold it in our hearts and lift it into the Heart of Christ.

You are contemplative, with a set schedule of prayer, meals, recreation, and so on, but to what extent do you interact with friends and visitors in the Toledo area?

Sr. Marie de Sales: We go out for doctor appointments, grocery shopping, to visit one of our Sisters who may be in rehab, a nursing home or the hospital. We have visits in the parlor with our family and some friends. We attend daily Mass, and the Guard of Honor Holy Hour monthly. Our Sisters who serve as extern Sisters are the face of the monastery for the people who do come to the front door, the Mass, etc.

How do your new members typically find out about the Toledo Visitation?

Sr. Marie de Sales: It seems to be mostly word of mouth, particularly referred by another community (if older). We started our Facebook page ten years ago thinking we would receive vocation inquiries from it. There have been no more than three or four inquiries with Facebook during that time.

Founded by two saints

The Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary was founded in 1610 in Annecy, France by Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane de Chantal. The Visitation came to Toledo in 1915 from their Georgetown Monastery in Washington, D.C. at the invitation of Bishop Joseph Schrembs, the first bishop of the Diocese.

Today there are Visitation monasteries all over the world.

For information, or to inquire about a vocation to the Visitation Sisters, contact the Vocation Directress, Sr. Gianna Marie, Monastery of the Visitation, 1745 Parkside Blvd., Toledo, OH 46307-1599. Email toledoviz@toast2.net, or call 419-536-1343. Visit their website at www.Toledovisitation.org.

News, Women's Communities

School Sisters of St. Francis Have a New Name!

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What’s the answer to darkness?
Turn on the Light!

From the School Sisters of St. Francis

We are now officially able to use the name that has been in our hearts for so long!  The School Sisters of St. Francis held their General Chapter in January of 2023 in Vienna, Austria at the Motherhouse.  Ten days of dialogue, prayer, and decision-making for the entire congregation took place, one of which is our now-approved name: Franciscan Sisters of Christ the Light.

This is a fruit of years of searching and discerning – can the Sisters be the reflection of the Light of Christ, igniting that fire in every soul we encounter? Can we put our lights together to kindle a blazing inferno?  Does this desire correspond with the vision of our Mother Foundress (Maria Hyacintha Zechner (Maria Teresia 1697–1763)) and the Charism given to her by the Holy Spirit for the good of the Church and all of mankind?  Is there a need for the Light of Jesus Christ to be lit everywhere in society and in the Church?

The highest governing body of our Congregation, (while it is in session) the General Chapter, says YES!  There is affirmation of our request to the General Chapter to officially be Franciscan Sisters of Christ the Light along with the Charism Statement:
“We desire to be bearers of the Light of Christ to the spiritually hungry, the lonely and unloved, fostering this light in every soul we encounter.”

There is no doubt of the darkness in our world today.  No one can debate that; while there is much good to celebrate and nurture, darkness reigns among those who have not embraced the Light.  These are the spiritually hungry!  These are those who thirst for truth and hope but don’t know where to find it.

“What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (Jn 1: 1-5)

As we continue our age-old commitment to Christian education in old and new ways, we also renew our commitment to helping make families and marriages stronger through Gospel values and accompaniment. And our primary strategy? Turn on the Light and let in the Light of the World!  We want to show what a personal love relationship with Jesus looks like.  He is the answer to…everything.

“The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; to them that dwelt in the region of the shadow of death, light is risen” (Isaiah 9:2).

https://panhandlefranciscans.org

Men's communities, News

Missionaries of the Real Presence – Contemplative Missionaries for Urban Evangelization

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The Missionaries of the Real Presence are Contemplative Missionaries for Urban Evangelization. They are active-contemplatives, relying profoundly upon the contemplative life and the gifts of prayer found there, in order to go out into the streets, bringing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those that need it most.

They serve in areas known for their poverty and lack of Catholic presence, bringing Christ’s Real Presence from the church to the margins. Their days are structured around the Liturgy of the Hours, Holy Mass, Adoration, silence, spiritual reading and personal reflection. In between prayer, they go out into some of the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods, walking joyfully and praying for everyone that they meet.

“When God gives us the opportunity,” said Griffin Rain, “we pray with the individuals we greet along the way, inviting them to the church and praying for their needs by adding them into our book of intentions. Our apostolate is to be missionaries and to go where others have neglected to spread the Good News! It is not complicated, but it requires a deeply spiritual life of devotion to God and love of souls. There are many groups dedicated to social work among the poor, but few to work for the salvation of souls in these areas.”

“We walk by faith, every day, and as we walk, we have no fear, because it is not we that are working but God who is working in us,” Griffin said.  “By this way of life, we have seen the most remarkable fruits growing in the neighborhoods we serve. Many have returned to the Catholic Church and many have begun the process of joining the Catholic Church since starting our ministry. We are always praying for the people who have nobody else to pray for them. We are always speaking life into the world around us, bringing Jesus Christ from house to house and corner to corner. We go out two by two, living the call of Christ to be ‘Fishers of Men.’”

They have interesting ties to the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate. Griffin discovered a book of conferences, given to the community by their foundress, Servant of God Mother Mary Teresa Tallon and it resonated with him. “The first chapter was exactly what I needed at that time,” he said, and he wondered if they had a men’s community, because he felt very connected to their charism to be contemplative missionaries.  “Mary Teresa Tallon has helped us to discover our charism and move closer to the will of God and see that what we are doing is not all that new, but has been going on with the Parish Visitors for over 100 years, “he said. “In her works, she often mentions how they are to be like the Good Shepherd going out to find the lost sheep who are away from God and His Church.”

Currently the Missionaries of the Real Presence has been assigned a priest from the archbishop of Milwaukee to accompany them in their process of being established as an Association of the Faithful. They hope to one day take formal vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and the three men currently living in the community are all living as if they have already taken them.

“What we pray for most earnestly is the sanctification of our own souls,” said Griffin, “the salvation of all souls, and for God to send more workmen into the fields.”

RealPresenceMissionaries.org