Unusual careers

Many Subiaco alumni follow careers in medicine, law, information technology, architecture, and engineering. At least one alumnus lists one of the following as a present occupation: junk yard owner, rodeo clown, librarian in an Australian university, director of off-shore drilling operations near Vietnam, Benedictine abbot, cardiovascular surgeon, Episcopalian priest, producer of videos, professional tennis instructor, Mormon missionary, U. S. Army General, and Catholic deacon.

God’s Love

One of the most dramatic things about God’s love for us is that it is unconditional. Think about it. We don’t have to deserve it to be loved. In fact, we can’t really deserve it. The New Testament makes it clear that the amazing thing about God’s love for us is that while we were still in our sin, God so loved the world that he gave his only Son. St. Paul says that it is just possible for us to understand someone giving their life for someone they love, but while Jesus gave his life for us, we were still in our sin, rejecting the very love that was being given.

Jesus used the example of the father of the Prodigal Son to let us know how God loves. The father’s love for his son was unconditional. He did not stop loving his son when the son rejected his love. He was watching the road for the day his son would get his senses back and return home. And when the son returned there was no mention of punishment. The father was overjoyed to have his son back. That is what the older son didn’t like at all. He resented the love the father had for his wayward son.

God loves us even when we are unlovable. And that should tell us something about how we ought to love one another. We shouldn’t first of all require that a person be deserving of our love – we should love them first. And that very love could lead them to be deserving of our love. That is the way God loves, and we ought to pattern our love on the way that God loves us.

A SENSE OF PLACE - Br. Eric Loran, OSB

Oftentimes a visit to Subiaco Abbey will give guests a feeling as they depart of having experienced “A sense of place.” A place of Peace, of Prayer, a place of Welcome and a place just to be and not have to do. For more than a century, Subiaco has stood for these attributes and with God’s blessing, will for many years to come. We monks absorb this sense of place and a constancy of purpose from the life and times of the Father of Benedictine life, Saint Benedict. With this comes a regulated schedule of worship of our Lord and Savior several times daily as we stand together for prayer in choir. We develop the habit of living by the teaching and example of the early Fathers of the Church. A monastery like a person or a nation must have a set of values that are adhered to relentlessly. This gives this ‘Place’ an identity in our time of shifting values and changing morals.

Some years ago one of the monks of Subiaco Abbey, Father Hugh, authored a book entitled “A Place Called Subiaco”, a chronological history of the founding and early days of Subiaco. A substantial volume, there is still a strong interest from the public that caused a recent reprinting. Over the years Subiaco Academy has taught these principles and values to a long line of young men and these have developed into an alumni association that has become a strong pillar in the support and guidance of the Academy. They too have experienced a “sense of place.”

Tetragrammaton - Abbot Jerome Kodell, OSB

In August, 2008, the Bishops received an instruction from the Congregation for Divine Worship concerning the Tetragrammaton, which is Greek for “four letters” and is the code reference to God’s name YHWH as it appears in the Hebrew Bible.

In the liturgy and in Bible translations, the divine name may not be pronounced or rendered as “Yahweh” or “Jehovah.” In English it must be either “Lord” or “Lord God.”

This may be appear as an arbitrary decision, something minor and out of the blue, but there are very good reasons for it. From ancient times, the People of God considered the name of God as too sacred to pronounce, and when coming on the Tetragrammaton in the Bible would automatically substitute “Adonai” (Lord or my Lord). This tradition was maintained in the Christian Church.

The first to break with the tradition in English were the translators of the King James Bible (1611) who rendered YHWH as Jehovah (a misunderstanding of the Hebrew vowel pointing). The Catholic Church did not write or pronounce the sacred name until after Vatican Council II when Yahweh was used the in the Jerusalem Bible and some new liturgical hymns. Though this was meant well, some saw it as insensitivity to an ancient faith tradition and even an affront to Jewish believers.

With the instruction, the Catholic Church officially resumes the tradition of not pronouncing the sacred name out of reverence for God.

Not my will, but yours - Br. Patrick Boland, OSB

One of the things monastic life consists of is giving up one’s will for God’s will; however monks are not alone in this activity. Many lay people sacrifice their own desires for others. The most obvious are parents and couples. Reflecting on this reminds me of a story about one of my brothers that occurred many years ago. I was living in Florida and he brought his family to visit and go to Disney world. Of all the activities we had planned there was one in particular he really wanted to do, attend the Hawaiian Luau at Magic Kingdom. He had never seen a Luau in person, but always wanted to. Our error in planning was making this the last event of the day. If I remember correctly it began about 9pm, we had a full day of walking, standing and riding, then had to wait about an hour for the Luau to begin. Less than 30 minutes into the show his children couldn’t stay awake, one was sleeping on the floor under the table the other two in their chairs, not touching their food. He finally said, “Let’s go.” I replied that the show had just begun, but he insisted we should leave and put the children to bed.

I’ll never forget that sacrifice because at that stage of my life I didn’t seem to mind the sleeping children because I was so centered on my own enjoyment. I think he taught me a lot that evening about putting others first, but it really didn’t sink in until several years later. He is not alone or especially unique because I’m sure any of you that are parents can cite your own examples. I am edified by your self-giving and that strengthens me in my vocation to put the needs of the monastic community before my own. When people ask how I do without certain luxuries, my response in not so much what I don’t have but what I’m willing to do without. There is a certain amount of healthy pride in knowing I’m doing my part to live in community and that others are doing the same. In this case it is you that inspire me and I thank you for your commitment to Christian living.

Care for the Sick - Brother Joseph Heath, O.S.B.

Perhaps it's mere coincidence, or better yet a spark of Divine inspiration, that this writing comes while I take my turn working the 11 pm-3 am shift in our Abbey Infirmary and Health Center. During the papacy of Pope Paul VI (r. 1963-1978), a Joint International Commission of Catholic Bishops published guidelines for the pastoral care of the sick, addressing both the rituals of the Catholic Church alongside the spirit with which all followers of Christ and people of good faith minister care for the sick:

"The concern that Christ showed for the bodily and spiritual welfare of those who are ill is continued by the Church in her ministry to the sick. This ministry is the common responsibility of all Christians, who should visit the sick, remember them in prayer, and celebrate the sacraments with them....Through words of encouragement and faith, all involved with the care of the sick (family, friends, ministers, physicians, and other medical and non-medical caregivers) can help the sick to unite themselves with the sufferings of Christ for the good of God's people."

Anyone who has heard or read the Scriptures can cite numerous examples of how Jesus, and His disciples and followers of the early Church, showed concern for the bodily and spiritual welfare of the sick among them. At first glance, the process witnessed to in Scriptural accounts seems a tad idyllic when compared to our experiences of caring for the sick currently. Care for the sick demands great reserves of caring, patience, skill, fortitude, time (not to mention greater reliance upon health care insurance) that can exhaust, even frustrate, both the most dedicated of caregivers and quite possibly the sick people themselves.

Here at Subiaco Abbey, as in other communities of believers and people of good faith, we place a vital importance on prayer and caregiving, for both the sick and the people who minister to the sick. Like any other group or individual dedicated to this mission, we are all imperfect and hopefully striving to better ourselves, both in the eyes and by the grace of God. In that spirit, I would like to make a two-fold request. First, that we remember the sick and all caregivers in daily prayer, that both may be touched and moved by God in their sufferings and caregiving respectively and be granted hope and strength. Second, on the feasts of St. Camillus de Lellis (July 14), the patron of nurses and health aides, and St. Pantaleon (July 28), the patron of medical physicians, we offer special days of prayer for any and all in their respective professions.

While vacationing in New Jersey (June 6-21) I had opportunity to witness first glance at how demanding the care for a loved one can be. My sister, Hilary Heath (with whom I stayed over vacation), has been the primary caregiver in my immediate family for my late father and for my mother over the past 11 years during their illnesses. In my mind, Hilary has displayed great dedication and care for our late Dad and currently Mom, and to degrees that are inspiring and heroic! Please say a prayer for Hilary, and for Mom, that both may persevere in God's Will for them. Thank you and God Bless!!!

Stability - Br. Ephrem O'Bryan, OSB

All Subiaco monks have professed three vows: obedience, conversion of life, and stability. Dom Jean Leclercq traces the idea of stability to its Latin origin – “Stability is derived from stare, which means to stand, and also to be still. From this comes its figurative meaning - to be firm, to stand fast, to endure, to persevere, to be rooted.”

St. Benedict's made stability important. He bound together the lives of all members of the monastery as brothers. In his vision of community, St. Benedict wanted communities to be formed by faith and bound by mutual respect, solidarity and love. Since they lived together in one place, affection for and care of that place were considered the norm, but only because of commitment of the heart to the community. This then, is what St. Benedict meant by stability, being firmly and perseveringly committed to one's community and its values.

While updating the Subiaco's Monks section of the Abbey’s website, I was struck by diversity of places of birth and the widespread college and work venues in the backgrounds of Subiaco’s monks who have come to one place to spend their lives and to share their lives in one community. Being committed to and sharing the values of this one monastic community requires of some to spend months, and sometimes years, outside the monastery. Some monks have worked and/or studies in Africa, Europe, Central America, and in the far corners of the United States, but Subiaco is always the place in which all are “committed” and eventually the place to which all spend their “golden” years.