Dom Donald's Blog: Cistercian Founders 26th January

Community Chapter Sermon - on the eve of the Solemnity Fr. H... launched the theme in mind with the recent Letter from, 

POPE FRANCIS ON THE OCCASION OF THE YEAR OF CONSECRATED LIFE Apostolic Letter...

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Consecrated Life,  

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The Founders of Cîteaux
Sts Robert, Alberic and Stephen	Saints Robert, Alberic and Stephen founded the reformed monastery of Cîteaux in 1098. Their aim was to refresh the institutional forms of monastic life and to bring them into closer conformity both with the Rule of Saint Benedict and with the aspirations of the age. In particular this involved an emphasis on authentic poverty and simplicity even in the liturgy, manual work, non-involvement in secular affairs, and, at the level of the Order, mutual concern and supervision among the different monasteries, as a means of maintaining fervor. The prime documents of this period are the Exordium Parvum, describing the origins of the reform, and the Charter of Charity, giving its constitutional basis.  (OCSO.org)
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Dom Donald's Blog: Cistercian Founders 26th January: Solemnity of the Founders of Cistercian Order Saints Robert, Alberic & Stephen Today we are celebratin...

Cistercian Founders 26th January

Solemnity of the Founders of Cistercian Order Saints Robert, Alberic & Stephen Today we are celebrating the feast of our three founders, Robert, Alberic and Stephen. Actually there were possibly 21 founders, but we mention only the first three abbots of the new foundation. The Rule of St. Benedict gives a lot of power to the abbot and one of the reasons the twenty-one monks left the Benedictine monastery of Molesme to settle in a place called Citeaux in Burgundy, was because they wanted a stricter interpretation of the Rule of St. Benedict. But it takes more than an abbot to make a monastery. In fact I can think of nothing worse than a monastery full of abbots bossing each other around! Daily life in a monastery is a complex interchange between authority and obedience and often times it is difficult to know who has which - no matter what the official documents say. Take for instance the job of cantor. Who has more power than the cantor? Who could put a note on the board on a Saturday stating, "The Mass readings for Sunday have been changed from the ones given in our Mass reading booklet!" So, what if the abbot had a homily prepared based on the old readings! So the homily you are about to hear, is based on six scripture readings! It will be twice as long too! Really, all the Mass readings are concerned with one theme, the call of God. Our founders, all twenty-one of them, left one monastery to found another based on certain ideals they had about how the monastic life should be lived. It was not a smooth transition. The first abbot, Robert, was ordered back to his original monastery. No one joined the new group for years. They were on the verge of giving up when St. Bernard arrived with a large group and joined. After a lot of trouble they were eventually able to live out their dream. Pastoral Now almost a thousand years later, we are celebrating their memory. It is a good occasion to look at our own calling, our own dream. The scripture reading chosen for this celebration gives us a way of evaluating how we are doing. The first reading, Gen 12:1-4a, is the call of Abraham. The call to leave his country, his relationship with his father's house. Each of us is free to interpret what that means for us. The early desert monks called it the three great renunciations or detachments. Country meant all the wealth and riches of the world, to leave your kindred and relationships meant the life of sin and vice that cling to us and become like kindred to us. To leave our father's house means the whole visible world as opposed to the invisible world of the Spirit. These are radical renunciations just as are the ones in today's Gospel, Mt 19:27-29, and even more so the ones Paul speaks of: 1 Cor 1:26-31,leave our own wisdom and justice, even our own holiness. What does all this mean? All this renunciation and detachment? I think it means that each of us is called to go out of ourselves, to go beyond ourselves. Take the journey to a new place, an unknown place. In the letter to the Hebrews we read that our ancestors set out on the journey not knowing where they were going. They were living on a promise and they died before the promise was fulfilled. We too live on a promise. We can demand nothing. Monks have been accused of being Pelagians, making things happen by our own effort. If we fast or get up at 3:00 am, we will become spiritual men. Life is not like that. Life is a great teacher of detachment. We don't set our program and then watch it being fulfilled. We live our life and then come to understand it in the light of scripture. Life is a call to move out of ourselves. As youth gives way to middle age we are challenged to detach from perceived ideals. As middle age gives way to old age we are forced to give up false ambition and pretenses. As old age progresses, we are made to detach from physical health itself, our body. The world we wanted to create is slowly taken from us and something unfamiliar and new replaces it. It slowly dawns on us that God is calling us and leading us on-no matter how dark it seems or how unfamiliar the road. The new self made in this image of Christ is replacing the old self. We leave ourselves to find ourselves again. Are we good monks? Are we following our Founder? Are we good Christians? Who are we to judge? Life is teaching us. Let us put ourselves in the hands of the Lord of Life. Fr Brendan ocso (New Melleray) Cistercian Publications is putting out the collection of homilies and chapter talks in April.

     

 See this image

Stephen Harding: A Biographical Sketch and Texts (Cistercian Studies) Paperback – 1 Dec 2008

by Claudio Stercal  (Author)

Customer Reviews Amazon.com

Stephen Harding: A Biographical Sketch and Texts (Cistercian Studies)

5.0 out of 5 stars well done, December 27, 2008 By  Bjoern Gebert "Student der Geschichte des Mit... (Berlin) This review is from: Stephen Harding: A Biographical Sketch and Texts (Cistercian Studies) (Paperback) This short book concerning the live of the third abbot of Citeaux provides a lot of reliable information about Stephen Harding and the early years of the later Ordo Cisterciensis. But Claudio Stercal does even more than sifting all the available sources "that can with certainty be attributed to Stephen Harding" and combining them to a short biography with success - he critically reviews quite a lot of the biographical studies on Stephen Harding published in the last centuries. Besides the "biographical sketch" the author and the translator provide the print of five texts "considered as having been written by Stephen Harding" in latin and english language. At the end of the book the author gives a list of used sources and a detailed bibliography in chronological order and afterwards in alphabetical order. An index of names (mentioned historical persons and cited historians) completes the book. Although it does not count more than 158 pages, it is an useful, substantial and stimulating study.

COMMENT: Email on St. Francis de Salle

COMMENT:

Hi, William,

Your Email on St. Francis de Salle is a splendid commentary, the story of interesting memories. (Donald). 

------------------------------

 Fw: St Francis de Sales

Sancta Maria Abbey: http://www.nunraw.com.uk (Website)  
Blogspot :http://www.nunraw.blogspot.co.uk |

domdonald.org.uk 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: William ...
To: Donald@....
Sent: Sunday, 25 January 2015, 13:53
Subject: Re: St Francis de Sales

Dear Father Donald,

I delight in St Francis' feast day, for his writings have had such an influence in my life, and I am so pleased to have the photo you insert of that portrait of him, so much closer-up than the one I have: for in 1984 I wrote to the Monastery of the Visitation, Thurnfeld, Austria to ask if they could send me a photo-card of St Francis' portrait (I must have seen it reproduced in a book), and they kindly did so, a small colour card of that portrait from 1622 that hangs in their monastery, and in my bedroom!

The Anglican clergyman who later gently coaxed me away from Anglican orders to Catholicism, gave me, in 1975, a slim selection of St Francis' letters, in which he wrote, "May the Master of the Spiritual Life be of as much help to you as he had been to 'BSWS' (his customary signing of his name, Benjamin Smith Wignall-Simpson)". Even before the 2nd hand bookshop obtained its grand building and vast stock, I found in its original Dickensian premises, in 1980, a copy published by Rivingtons in 1871 of a larger selection of St Francis' letters (for £1.50!). Attached image: front piece, and wonderful inscription in the book (the evidence of my name tells how I treasured this discovery!).

Thank you for celebrating his feast day with me!

With my love in Our Lord,

William

----Original message----
From : nunrawdonald@.........
Date : 24/01/2015 - 18:48 (GMTST)

Subject : True Devotion

Journalist  St Francis de Sales

Sent from my iPad. 

Saturday 24 January

Saint Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales True Devotion

  Posted By Blogger to  Dom Donald's Blog on 1/24/2015 05:16:00 pm

 

                                    

EWTN Live - Saint Francis de Sales - Fr Mitch Pacwa, SJ with Fr Thomas D...

Saturday 24 January

Saint Francis de Sales

St. Francis de Sales
True Devotion 

 http://www.ccel.org/download.html?url=/ccel/desales/devout_life.txt  

CHAPTER XVIII. TENTH MEDITATION.

   How the Soul chooses the Devout Life.

   Preparation.

   1. PLACE yourself in the Presence of God.2. Humble yourself before Him,
   and ask His Aid.

   Considerations.

   1. Once more imagine yourself in an open plain, alone with your
   guardian Angel, and represent to yourself on the left hand the Devil
   sitting on a high and mighty throne, surrounded by a vast troop of
   worldly men, who bow bareheaded before him, doing homage to him by the
   various sins they commit. Study the countenances of the miserable
   courtiers of that most abominable king:--some raging with fury, envy
   and passion, some murderous in their hatred;--others pale and haggard
   in their craving after wealth, or madly pursuing every vain and
   profitless pleasure;--others sunk and lost in vile, impure affections.
   See how all alike are hateful, restless, wild: see how they despise one
   another, and only pretend to an unreal self-seeking love. Such is the
   miserable reign of the abhorred Tyrant.

   2. On the other hand, behold Jesus Christ Crucified, calling these
   unhappy wretches to come to Him, and interceding for them with all the
   Love of His Precious Heart. Behold the company of devout souls and
   their guardian Angels, contemplate the beauty of this religious
   Kingdom. What lovelier than the troop of virgin souls, men and women,
   pure as lilies:--widows in their holy desolation and humility; husbands
   and wives living in all tender love and mutual cherishing. See how such
   pious souls know how to combine their exterior and interior duties;--to
   love the earthly spouse without diminishing their devotion to the
   Heavenly Bridegroom. Look around--one and all you will see them with
   loving, holy, gentle countenances listening to the Voice of their Lord,
   all seeking to enthrone Him more and more within their hearts.

   They rejoice, but it is with a peaceful, loving, sober joy; they love,
   but their love is altogether holy and pure. Such among these devout
   ones as have sorrows to bear, are not disheartened thereby, and do not
   grieve overmuch, for their Saviour's Eye is upon them to comfort them,
   and they all seek Him only.

   3. Surely you have altogether renounced Satan with his weary miserable
   troop, by the good resolutions you have made;--but nevertheless you
   have not yet wholly attained to the King Jesus, or altogether joined
   His blessed company of devout ones:--you have hovered betwixt the two.

   4. The Blessed Virgin, S. Joseph, S. Louis, S. Monica, and hundreds of
   thousands more who were once like you, living in the world, call upon
   you and encourage you.

   5. The Crucified King Himself calls you by your own name: "Come, O my
   beloved, come, and let Me crown thee!"

   The Choice.

   1. O world, O vile company, never will I enlist beneath thy banner; for
   ever I have forsaken thy flatteries and deceptions. O proud king,
   monarch of evil, infernal spirit, I renounce thee and all thy hollow
   pomp, I detest thee and all thy works.

   2. And turning to Thee, O Sweet Jesus, King of blessedness and of
   eternal glory, I cleave to Thee with all the powers of my soul, I adore
   Thee with all my heart, I choose Thee now and ever for my King, and
   with inviolable fidelity I would offer my irrevocable service, and
   submit myself to Thy holy laws and ordinances.

   3. O Blessed Virgin Mother of God, you shall be my example, I will
   follow you with all reverence and respect.

   O my good Angel, bring me to this heavenly company, leave me not until
   I have reached them, with whom I will sing for ever, in testimony of my
   choice, "Glory be to Jesus, my Lord!"
     ______________________________

Saturday 24 January

Saint Francis de Sales____________________________________

          

EWTN Live - Saint Francis de Sales - Fr Mitch Pacwa, SJ with Fr Thomas Dailey, OSFS - 04-06-2011  

EWTN 
Mass Saint,
 

Third Sunday of the Year (B) Jan 25, 2015

Mass Gospel Mark 1:14-20

After John had been arrested, Jesus went into Galilee. There he proclaimed the Good News from God. ‘The time has come’ he said ‘and the kingdom of God is close at hand. Repent, and believe the Good News.’

  As he was walking along by the Sea of Galilee he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net in the lake – for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you into fishers of men.’ And at once they left their nets and followed him.

  Going on a little further, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John; they too were in their boat, mending their nets. He called them at once and, leaving their father Zebedee in the boat with the men he employed, they went after him.

The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity

Day Eight: Many believed because of the woman’s testimony (John 4:39)

God, spring of living water, Make of us witnesses of unity through both our words and our lives. Help us to understand that we are not the owners of the well, And give us the wisdom to welcome the same grace in one another. Transform our hearts and our lives So that we might be genuine bearers of the Good News. And lead us always to the encounter with the other, As an encounter with you. We ask this in the name of your Son Jesus Christ, In the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Vatican Resources

                   

Sunday Gospel Reflection With Fr. Bill Grimm

International January 23, 2015 The clearest presence of the reign is Jesus, God's reign made flesh."The time of fulfillment has come" is another way of saying, "Here I am!"

Divine Will, Father Iannuzzi - FULL (500x333)

GB 

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWjIuQU_pyw

Divine Will, Father Iannuzzi - FULL 

(URL, perhaps COPY & PASTE to Net)

 

olav laurel

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Published on 5 Sep 2013

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Subject: 2 Thur of Yr All pressed around Jesus

Mass NT:   

Fw: 2 Thur of Yr All pressed around Jesus

 

Sancta Maria Abbey: http://www.nunraw.com.uk (Website)  
Blogspot :http://www.nunraw.blogspot.co.uk |

domdonald.org.uk 

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Nivard  ...
Sent: Thursday, 22 January 2015, 11:38
Subject: 2 Thur of Yr All pressed around Jesus

www.dailyscripture.net, adapted Copyright author Don Schwager © 2015 Servants of the Word

2 Thur Jan 22 2015): Scripture: Mark 3:7-12 

All pressed upon Jesus

   Is there anything holding you back from giving yourself to God without fear or reservation?

   Jesus offered freedom to everyone who sought him out.

   Wherever Jesus went, the people came to him because they had heard about all the wonderful deeds and miracles that he performed.

   They were hungry for God and desired healing from their afflictions.    

   In faith, they pressed upon Jesus to touch him.

   As they did so, power came from Jesus and they were healed.

   Let us seek to lay hold of Jesus' presence in our life that he may touch and heal each and every one of us.

 

   Father, Inflame our hearts with a burning love for you and with an expectant faith in your saving power, through Christ our Lord.

 

Finnish Catholics and Lutherans visit Vatican A delegation of Catholics and Lutherans visited Rome today, Feast of St Henry patron saint of Finland,  during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In his address to the Finnish delegates, Pope Francis applauded the progress achieved in ecumenical dialogue between the two Churches over the last thirty years and said: “a shared Christian witness is very much needed in the face of the mistrust, insecurity, persecution, pain and suffering experienced so widely in today’s world.”

Finnish Catholics and Lutherans visit Vatican - Independent Catholic News

 

 
Finnish Catholics and Lutherans visit Vatican - Independent Catholic News 

Finnish Catholics and Lutherans visit Vatican

Posted: Thursday, January 22, 2015 5:44 pm

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St Henry & his successors A delegation of Catholics and Lutherans visited Rome today, the Feast of St Henry patron saint of Finland,  during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In his address to the Finnish delegates, Pope Francis applauded the progress achieved in ecumenical dialogue between the two Churches over the last thirty years and said:  “a shared Christian witness is very much needed in the face of the mistrust, insecurity, persecution, pain and suffering experienced so widely in today’s world.” The  full text of Pope Francis’ address follows:  Dear Bishop Vikström, Dear Bishop Sippo, Dear Friends, It is with joy that I welcome you, on the occasion of your annual ecumenical pilgrimage to Rome to celebrate the feast of Saint Henrik, the patron of your country. This annual event has proven to be a truly spiritual and ecumenical meeting between Catholics and Lutherans, a tradition dating back thirty years. Saint Pope John Paul II addressed the members of the first Finnish ecumenical delegation which had come to Rome thirty years ago in these words: “The fact that you come here together is itself a witness to the importance of efforts for unity. The fact that you pray together is a witness to our belief that only through the grace of God can that unity be achieved. The fact that you recite the Creed together is a witness to the one common faith of the whole of Christianity”. At that time, the first important steps had already been taken on a common ecumenical journey towards full, visible unity of the Christians. In these intervening years much has been done and, I am certain, will continue to be done in Finland to make “the partial communion existing between Christians grow toward full communion in truth and charity” (John Paul II, Ut Unum Sint, 14). Your visit comes within the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This year our reflection is based on Christ’s words to the Samaritan woman at the well: «Give me to drink» (Jn 4:1-42). We are reminded that the source of all grace is the Lord himself, and that his gifts transform those who receive them, making them witnesses to the true life that is in him alone (cf. Jn 4:39). As the Gospel tells us, many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony. As you, Bishop Vikstrom, have said, there is so much that Catholics and Lutherans can do together to bear witness to God’s mercy in our societies. A shared Christian witness is very much needed in the face of the mistrust, insecurity, persecution, pain and suffering experienced so widely in today’s world. This common witness can be sustained and encouraged by progress in theological dialogue between the Churches. The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine on Justification, which was solemnly signed some fifteen years ago between the Lutheran World Federation and the Catholic Church, can produce further fruits of reconciliation and cooperation between us. The Nordic Lutheran–Catholic dialogue in Finland and Sweden, under the related theme Justification in the Life of the Church, has been reflecting on important questions deriving from the Joint Declaration. Let us hope that further convergence will emerge from that dialogue on the concept of the Church, the sign and instrument of the salvation brought to us in Jesus Christ. It is my prayer that your visit to Rome will contribute to strengthening further the ecumenical relations between Lutherans and Catholics in Finland, which have been so positive for many years. May the Lord send upon us the Spirit of truth, to guide us towards ever greater love and unity.

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Tags: Bishop Sippo, Bishop Vikström, Lutherans, patron saint of Finland. Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, Pope Francis, St Henry