Benedictines

[regina_coeli]

And Nunsense- what wonderful news! Want to hear more about your discernment when you are ready.

[Starets]

I am a Benedictine Junior Monk at Christ in the Desert. We are a fairly traditional men's community in northern New Mexico, about 80 miles from Santa Fe. We follow the full Benedictine horarium. We use the Ordinary Form of the Mass, with varying amounts of Latin. I am not as active here as I used to be.

[TeresaBenedicta]

[quote name='regina_coeli' timestamp='1304000907' post='2234231']
To anyone who wants to understand the Benedictines, the novel [b][i]In This House of Brede[/i][/b] was written by Rumer Godden, who lived in the guesthouse at Stanbrook Abbey for several years. It is a beautiful depiction of monastic life.
[/quote]

Yes!

I read this over this past summer and it really helped me to understand the life of a Benedictine. And, although I'd never have imagined it possible, it also increased my love of the Church's sacred liturgy!

[bmb144]

Something else I can think of is the following DVD- http://www.abbeycraftsandbooks.com.au/catalogue/category93/c143

While it is focused on the 5 women who live with the nuns for the 33 days, you do get to see a decent amount of their lives as Benedictine nuns and if you were to choose to buy it your supporting their life also. [They have a great book shop and candle shop] One thing though, it is in PAL format so those of you outside of Australia would need a DVD player able to play DVD's from outside your area.

[Studiumecclesiae]

I really love the Benedictines and I always have!

I am definitely considering joining a Benedictine convent.

[krissylou]

[quote name='MargaretTeresa' timestamp='1303846704' post='2233517']
Yay for Benedictines! Aren't they known for hospitality, or am I just making that up?

I might have to post a thread seeing if I'm the only one really discerning the Paulines-FSP- like this. Thanks for this thread! I'm learning a lot!
[/quote]

Nope, you're right. The Rule tells them to "Receive guests as Christ." Now that typically means retreatants, but it used to just mean travellers. And remember this was before Motel 6. They were founded as the Roman Empire was falling to pieces, the world was dangerous, and providing a safe refuge for travellers was incredibly important.

Monte Cassino -- Benedict's first abbey -- is right along the main road between Rome and Naples. Boom! There it is!

If you're trying to hide away from the world, that's really bad planning! But if you're in "strategic withdrawal" from the world, but in a way to be a resource TO the world, then it is brilliant!

Carmelites, of course, would also say that they're a resource for the world. And they are! But it gets lived out in very different ways.

So, for instance, I go on retreat at a Trappistine abbey (they are a Benedictine reform and follow the Rule of Benedict). Before each Office there are piles of prayerbooks available for visitors, WITH BOOKMARKS IN ALL THE RIGHT PLACES. They weren't put there by elves! And if you show up and are new, one of the nuns will leave the choir and show you where all the relevant parts of the prayerbooks are. (I can't go into their space, but they can come into mine.) This isn't because they're lax, but because that's what their Rule emphasizes. A strict Carmel would never do this.

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='JulianofLdn' timestamp='1302157498' post='2226639']
Making my first post here at Phatmass (hello, everybody!) to agree with you I like the Benedictines too - from what I've seen of them - but am not sure what their individual charism is. I 'get' what the Carmelites are about, the Franciscans, the Dominicans... but the only thing I think of when I think of the Benedictines is hospitality.

But I like them, very much. St Cecilia's Abbey looks beautiful. I'm not discerning with them (because I'm not discerning with anybody...yet) but I'll certainly be visiting them at some stage.


[/quote]

I live in Ryde and go to Mass at St Cecilia's Abbey most weekdays. They seem a lovely community, a steady flow of postulants and lots of younger sisters, about 28 sisters in total I think. Their liturgy is beautiful and I enjoy being there for both Mass and vespers occasionally, but must admit I struggle with it all being Latin. The convent is actually on a residential street, which you wouldn't guess from their website, but backs onto parkland and is in a fairly quiet area. They have a darling extern who shared her own journey with me (I told her I had just had to leave Carmel) and it was so reassuring to be with someone who had struggled herself but persevered. She held up her wedding ring and told me 'It took me over 10years to get that, but I don't regret one moment'. In the early days, when I couldnt walk into a church without crying, she would come and put her arms around me and hold me. While I have never felt any call to the Benedictines, I can so clearly see that its a good, loving community.

[InPersonaChriste]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1304602211' post='2237487']
I live in Ryde and go to Mass at St Cecilia's Abbey most weekdays. They seem a lovely community, a steady flow of postulants and lots of younger sisters, about 28 sisters in total I think. Their liturgy is beautiful and I enjoy being there for both Mass and vespers occasionally, but must admit I struggle with it all being Latin. The convent is actually on a residential street, which you wouldn't guess from their website, but backs onto parkland and is in a fairly quiet area. They have a darling extern who shared her own journey with me (I told her I had just had to leave Carmel) and it was so reassuring to be with someone who had struggled herself but persevered. She held up her wedding ring and told me 'It took me over 10years to get that, but I don't regret one moment'. In the early days, when I couldnt walk into a church without crying, she would come and put her arms around me and hold me. While I have never felt any call to the Benedictines, I can so clearly see that its a good, loving community.
[/quote]

That is wonderful to hear! I just finished entering my application and I wish I had something as good to say about the Benedictine Spirituality as you have I am sure!

[Studiumecclesiae]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1304602211' post='2237487']
I live in Ryde and go to Mass at St Cecilia's Abbey most weekdays. They seem a lovely community, a steady flow of postulants and lots of younger sisters, about 28 sisters in total I think. Their liturgy is beautiful and I enjoy being there for both Mass and vespers occasionally, but must admit I struggle with it all being Latin. The convent is actually on a residential street, which you wouldn't guess from their website, but backs onto parkland and is in a fairly quiet area. They have a darling extern who shared her own journey with me (I told her I had just had to leave Carmel) and it was so reassuring to be with someone who had struggled herself but persevered. She held up her wedding ring and told me 'It took me over 10years to get that, but I don't regret one moment'. In the early days, when I couldnt walk into a church without crying, she would come and put her arms around me and hold me. While I have never felt any call to the Benedictines, I can so clearly see that its a good, loving community.
[/quote]


Oh yea it's a very good community! Actually Carmel isn't quite far from the Benedictine way of life, even though penance isn't made the same way.
This community is so good for having kept the whole Gregorian Chant. There aren't many in the UK that have kept everything in Latin (not just Lauds and Vespers for instance)

[Yaatee]

Just a note for those interested in Benedictine life, there is an excellent blog by the new young abbess at Colwich in the UK,

www.colwichnov.wordpress.com

Puellapaschalis visited there and helped them set it up. They are a small monastery with two aspirants at present, and have a "Come and See" at least twice a year. They observe Benedictine hospitality, constitutional enclosure and have gardens, put up a lot of their own food etc. They don't seem to be terribly austere. They wear a full habit.

[JulianofLdn]

[quote name='Yaatee' timestamp='1305653638' post='2242838']
Just a note for those interested in Benedictine life, there is an excellent blog by the new young abbess at Colwich in the UK,

www.colwichnov.wordpress.com

Puellapaschalis visited there and helped them set it up. They are a small monastery with two aspirants at present, and have a "Come and See" at least twice a year. They observe Benedictine hospitality, constitutional enclosure and have gardens, put up a lot of their own food etc. They don't seem to be terribly austere. They wear a full habit.
[/quote]


Oh, I do *like* the Benedictines. I just do. Can't put my finger on it, but there's something very appealing about them. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/nunpray.gif[/img]

Now, here's an important question. Benedictines seem to often have dogs as house pets. Carmelites tend towards cats. Do other orders have pets, and if so, which do they usually have? [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/saint.gif[/img]

[Yaatee]

[quote name='JulianofLdn' timestamp='1305656541' post='2242868']
Oh, I do *like* the Benedictines. I just do. Can't put my finger on it, but there's something very appealing about them. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/nunpray.gif[/img]

Now, here's an important question. Benedictines seem to often have dogs as house pets. Carmelites tend towards cats. Do other orders have pets, and if so, which do they usually have? [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/saint.gif[/img]


[/quote]

I don't think that it's decreed in their constitutions .

A number of the OSB's have substantial property, enough for a dog. There may be less emphasis on silence than the Carmelites (cats). Not sure. I like both--cats [i]and [/i]dogs, I mean .

There [i]is[/i] something appealing about the Benedictines. They seem very down to earth. They accept retreatants and show hospitality, meaning that folks can enter. They can go out for important things, conferences, papal visits, canonizations, etc. A nun at Regina Laudis got her Ph.D. at UConn [i]while a nun.[/i] (microbiology for cheesemaking). There is a big emphasis on scholarship, not mandatory, tho' they do perform the Office (English or Latin or both), and many OSB's, men and women alike, are specialists of some kind, whether they teach or not.

[Nunsense]

[quote name='Yaatee' timestamp='1305653638' post='2242838']
Just a note for those interested in Benedictine life, there is an excellent blog by the new young abbess at Colwich in the UK,

www.colwichnov.wordpress.com

Puellapaschalis visited there and helped them set it up. They are a small monastery with two aspirants at present, and have a "Come and See" at least twice a year. They observe Benedictine hospitality, constitutional enclosure and have gardens, put up a lot of their own food etc. They don't seem to be terribly austere. They wear a full habit.
[/quote]


They are also very courteous with regard to internet/email etiquette. Some communities never bother to reply or take so long to reply that one wonders if they ever received the email in the first place but Colwich responds quickly to questions posted on their website and they have responded to an initial email contact. They obviously aren't online all the time because subsequent emails have not been answered yet but at least I know that the email address is valid now and they were very warm in the email.

I have written to some other communities (not only Benedictine, but they are the ones I have conteacted most recently, and it has either taken over a month to get a response, or I have had no response at all.

This raises an interesting question in my mind about communities and email which I am going to post in a separate topic.

[Chiara Francesco]

A great Benedictine book I bought as I too am discerning which order, is by Cardinal Basil Hume's "Searching for God" - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000JWLRJ2/ref=cm_cr_asin_lnk - this is the good edition.


[b]About the Author[/b]
Cardinal Basil Hume, O.S.B., became Abbot of Ampleforth Abbey in England in 1963 and was made Archbishop of Westminster in 1976. Until his death in 1999, he was an internationally known and loved leader in the Church.


It is fantastic! If I remember right, it is the teachings he gave to the monks of Ampleforth Abbey on the Rule of St. Benedict, the life, community, prayer, the vows, etc. Great intro, info for Benedictine life. I was given this book to read by the suggestion of a Benedictine nun at Colwich a while back.

Of course there other great Benedictine books also. But this one stands out as explaining the life.

I remember liking this advice he gave his novices: "When you were postulants and we were discussing whether or not your should enter the monastery. I told you there were three questions you should put to yourself: Do you want to live with these persons? Do I want to do what they do? Do I see myself becoming the sort of person they are? These are 3 questions you might well put to yourselves again. Do you want to be one of us? Do you want to do what we do? Do you see yourself becoming the sort of person we are?"

I have tons of highlighted sections in this book!

[Yaatee]

Here's a short list of habited OSB sisters in small monasteries with either no stated upper age limit or a high one.

============================
[b][u]LIberty MO [/u]

Queen of Angels Monastery [/b]

[url="http://www.libertyosb.org/index.html"]http://www.libertyosb.org/index.html[/url]

Modified and/or no habit
=====================

[b][u]Ann Arbor MI[/u]

Corpus Christi Monastery[/b]
4485 Earhart Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105-9710
(734) 995-3876 no website
===================
[u]
[b]Starr Co TX [/b][/u]
[b]
Sisters of the Good Shepherd Monastery[/b]

[url="http://www.starrcountybenedictines.org/"]http://www.starrcoun...nedictines.org/ [/url]

age 18-55
====================

[b][u]Elk Co St Mary's PA[/u]

Benedictine Sisters of Elk County[/b]

[url="http://www.benedictinesistersofelkcounty.org/main.cfm"]http://www.benedicti...ty.org/main.cfm[/url]

don't mention age

Edited May 21, 2011 by Yaatee

[TeresaBenedicta]

[url="http://ourladyoftherock.com/vocations.htm"]Our Lady of the Rock[/url] in WA state. Pretty high age limit.

[Yaatee]

Anyone discerning with the Trappistines?

I especially like those in Sonoita, AZ. They have a marvelous journal or blog, which I believe is written by their prioress. Because they are small, they go to parish church for Mass, and are more informal than the others might be. The hurdle with these groups is rising at 3 AM....

[url="http://www.santaritabbey.org/"]http://www.santaritabbey.org/[/url]

[url="http://www.santaritabbey.org/abbey_journal.htm"]http://www.santarita...bey_journal.htm[/url] ...and check out the journal entries of past years.

[Nunsense]

[quote name='Yaatee' timestamp='1306021149' post='2244322']
Here's a short list of habited OSB sisters in small monasteries with either no stated upper age limit or a high one.

============================
[b]
[/b]
[b][u]Ann Arbor MI[/u]

Corpus Christi Monastery[/b]
4485 Earhart Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105-9710
(734) 995-3876 no website
===================
[u]
[/u][/quote]

Just a heads up about this one. I have sent three emails over a period of six weeks (trying two different email addresses I was given) and have still not received a response from them - and it can't be my age because the article about them said they WELCOME older women. Either their email doesn't work or ????

Here is their blog website - but they don't update it much - nice photos of a clothing and a final profession though

[url="http://www.benedictinesistersccm.com/"]http://www.benedictinesistersccm.com/[/url]

and there is a nice article about them but I have to find the link for that.

I was very disappointed not to hear back from them. One example of a religious community not responding in a timely manner.

Edited May 22, 2011 by nunsense

[Two Hearts]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1306030014' post='2244373']
Just a heads up about this one. I have sent three emails over a period of six weeks (trying two different email addresses I was given) and have still not received a response from them - and it can't be my age because the article about them said they WELCOME older women. Either their email doesn't work or ????

Here is their blog website - but they don't update it much - nice photos of a clothing and a final profession though

[url="http://www.benedictinesistersccm.com/"]http://www.benedictinesistersccm.com/[/url]

and there is a nice article about them but I have to find the link for that.

I was very disappointed not to hear back from them. One example of a religious community not responding in a timely manner.
[/quote]


Nunsense, they are a lovely community, but it is best to snail mail or call them. I don't know why they even have an email address listed as I've never known them to use one. Perhaps a benefactor thought it a good idea.....I've known of it happening with small, traditional communities - the nuns/sisters are not really interested but the benefactor talks them into it then women do not hear from Community b/c they do not check the email. If seriously interested, perhaps print your email and send it off snail mail.

Edited May 22, 2011 by Two Hearts

[Nunsense]

[quote name='Two Hearts' timestamp='1306030761' post='2244374']
Nunsense, they are a lovely community, but it is best to snail mail or call them. I don't know why they even have an email address listed as I've never known them to use one. Perhaps a benefactor thought it a good idea.....I've known of it happening with small, traditional communities - the nuns/sisters are not really interested but the benefactor talks them into it then women do not hear from Community b/c they do not check the email. If seriously interested, perhaps print your email and send it off snail mail.
[/quote]

Thanks TH - I was going to do that next, but just haven't got around to it. Snailmail is soooo slow. I sent a letter to Oulton a month ago and of course no response yet. I heard that the Abbess was not well but just the time from Australia to the UK is aobut 10-12 working days for the mail, so probably the same for the US. I am so used to the quick response time of email and this reminds me of when my sister and I used to send each other letters back and forth - weeks would pass and the news was always tale by the time it went back and forth - phone calls were better then - but so expensive. Today I guess we are used to everything being so immediate. Patience for things like this is not my strength - lol! I like to know NOW! One way or the other, so I can get on with things.....