Andre Louf Abbaye du Mont des Cats

The portrait of Dom Andre Louf, below, is the one I know best for the times we met over the years 1964 to 1997
He is one of the Cistercian monks and abbots who has most impressed and inspired me in my monastic life.

Les abbés

R.P. Dom André Louf

Né à Louvain en 1929, Jacques Louf entre à 22 ans à l'abbaye du Mont des Cats, en flandre française. Ordonné prêtre en 1955, il suit à Rome les cours de l'Université Grégorienne et de l'Institut biblique.

En 1963, il est élu Abbé de son monastère, 
âgé de 33 ans. Durant de longues années il fut le Modérateur des Chapitres Généraux (réunion des Abbés de l'Ordre cistercien-trappiste). Ayant démissionné comme Abbé du Mont des Cats en 1997, il vit en solitude à l'ombre du monastère de Simiane-Collongue, en Provence. 



On lui doit plusieurs ouvrages de spiritualité : 
- Seigneur, apprends-nous à prier (Éd. Lumen vitae 1975). (Épuisé)
- La Voie cistercienne (DDB 1978). (Épuisé)

Andre Louf OCSO

In memoriam
Dom André Louf, OCSO
(1929-2010)

Dom André Louf died on July 12, and was buried two days later in the monastery where he had entered as an eighteen-year-old. We knew that he had recently been moved from the South of France to a hospital in Bailleul, near the abbey of Mont-des-Cats. His end was in sight. Now it has come.


A fatherly friend, abbot and hermit, a creative writer and an excellent translator, a spiritual director and an inspiration for so many persons, an ardent ecumenist, engaged in dialogue with Orthodox Christians in particular, he has departed from us. A diamond with many facets, the radiance of his richly talented personality extended far beyond monastic circles. Even the Université catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve recognized his authority by awarding him the degree of doctor honoris causa in 1994 (cf. Coll. Cist. 56 – 1994, p. 215-226). Throughout his entire life, he was drawn to the public marketplace just as strongly as to the barren solitude of the desert. He chose and he was chosen. A man of good taste, he never sought the banal, but rather what was unique. More than once in his life, things turned out differently than he had hoped. His early inclination to the life of a hermit suddenly took a very different turn when, at 33 years of age, he was chosen to be abbot of his community. After ten years of being superior, he thought he could turn in his resignation, but the Abbot General of the Order thought differently about the matter. When he finally could retire in 1997 – after having been abbot for 35 years – he hoped to become a Carthusian, but his request was not granted... A community of Benedictines in the South of France did issue him an invitation though: he could live in a hermitage on the edge of their community. The stable of a donkey which had died was renovated to become his hermitage....   

Br Roger, Taize 5th Anniversary

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: father patrick ...>
Sent: Wed, 11 August, 2010 19:47:09
Subject: Brother Roger of Taize - fifth anniversary of his tragic Death

Pope pays tribute to slain Taizé founder

  August 11, 2010

 

Pope Benedict XVI paid tribute to Brother Roger (1915-2005),

founder of the Taizé ecumenical community,

as an “untiring witness of Gospel peace and reconciliation”

in a brief letter written on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of his murder.

 

 

The letter, dated July 9,

was published in the August 11 edition of L’Osservatore Romano;

it was written by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone on Pope Benedict’s behalf.

“Brother Roger was a pioneer on the difficult path

towards the unity of the disciples of Christ,” the letter stated.

“Now that he has entered into eternal joy,

he continues to speak to us.

His testimony of an ecumenism of holiness can inspire us on our path towards unity.”

St Clare

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Marcellino D'Ambrosio
To: Donald  
Sent: Wed, 11 August, 2010 16:05:01
Subject: TV NEEDS a Patron Saint, Don't You Think? 8-11-2010

A Patron Saint of Television?

Yes, there is a patron Saint of television and today, August 11, is her feast day!  St. Clare, disciple of St. Francis of Assisi, was so ill one Christmas that she could not attend mass, but the Lord miraculously made it possible for her to hear and see mass although it was taking place miles away.

Today, through the modern “miracle” of television and radio and the worldwide web, millions are hearing and seeing programming that is helping to sustain and increase their faith.  The Crossroads Initiative in this month of August will touch countless people all over the world through international radio broadcasts and a TV series on the Eternal Word Television network on the Early Church Fathers.  Two to three thousands persons will come to our website per day to feed their own faith and get resources to share with their families, schools and parishes.

All this is provided as a free service – we are not paid a dime, but it costs us a great deal to make it all available.   

St Lawrence Sunrise at Dunbar

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Anne Marie   ...
To: Donald
Sent: Mon, 9 August, 2010 10:42:57
Subject: Sunrise at Dunbar
I am not sure this will work but if it does it is the moment of sunrise.
I have not had time to compile or put music to it but even just the film 
is amazing.  You probably see sunrise most mornings so it might
not be so amazing, for those of us who are still in the land of nod it is 
thrilling.
...    This should be the link..............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwbnYu58k78

Yours ...
 Anne Marie.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Dear, Anne Matie,   

Amazing.

Best without music.

The sound of the Gannets, Gulls, fishing boat, beautiful.

Donald

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Tuesday, 10 August 2010

Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr - Feast

Today the Church celebrates : St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr († 258) 

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 12:24-26.

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. 
See commentary below or click here
Saint Augustine : "Where I am, there also will my servant be" 

"Where I am, there also will my servant be"

       Dear brothers, your faith recognizes this seed fallen into the earth that death has multiplied. Your faith recognizes it because it dwells in your hearts. No christian hesitates to believe what Christ said of himself. But when this seed died and multiplied, many seeds were scattered on the earth. Saint Laurence is one of them, and today we celebrate the day when he was sown. We see what a tremendous harvest has sprung up from all those seeds scattered over all the earth and the sight fills us with joy, provided only that we ourselves belong to God's grain store, by his grace.
       
For not everything that is harvested goes into the grain store. The same necessary and fruitful rain causes both good seed and straw to grow but we don't store both of them in the barn. Now is the time for us to choose...Listen to me, you holy seed, for I have no doubt that it is here in abundance... Listen to me or, rather, listen to him in me who was first called a good seed. Do not love your life in this world. If you truly love yourselves do not thus love your life, and then you will save your life... «Whoever loves his life in this world will lose it.» It is the good seed who said that: the seed thrown into the ground who died that he might bear much fruit. Listen to him because as he speaks so has he done. He both teaches us and shows us the way by example.

            Christ wasn't attached to the life of this world. He came into the world to be stripped of himself, to give his life and take it up again when he willed...He, the true man, is true God, a sinless man that he might take away the sin of the world, clothed with power so great that he could truly say: «I have power to lay down my life and power to take it up again. No one can take it from me; it is I who lay it down and I who take it up again» (Jn 10,18).

Saint Edith Stein

Teresa Benedict of the Cross Edith Stein (1891-1942) nun, Discalced Carmelite, martyr   Not having the up-to-date Prayers of the Mass, we were happy to avail of the MAGNIFICAT Missalette. Monday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time SAINT TERESA BENFDICTA OF THE CROSS Edith Stein was born of Jewish parents in 1891, becoming an influential philosopher following her extensive studies at major German universities. Following her conversion to Catholicism she became a mayor force in German intellectual life, entering the Discalced Carmelites in 1933. Sister Teresa Benedicta was arrested by the Nazi regime on August 2, 1942, along with all Catholics of Jewish extraction, and transported by cattle train to the death camp: of Auschwitz: where she died in the gas chambers that same year .• MASS Prayers Entrance Antiphon This holy woman fought to the death for the law of her God, never cowed by the threats of the wicked; her house was built on solid rock. Opening  PRAYER God our Father, you give us joy each year in honouring the memory of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross. May her prayers be a source of help for us, and may her example of courage and chastity be our inspiration. Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. PRAYER OVER THE GIFIS Lord, receive our gifts as you accepted the suffering and death of Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross in whose honour we celebrate this Eucharist. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Communion Antiphon If anyone wishes to come after me, he must renounce himself, take up his cross, and follow me, says the Lord. (Mt 16: 24) Prayer after COMMUNION Lord God, you gave Saint Tercsa Bcnedicta of the Cross the crown of eternal joy because she gave her life rather than renounce the virginity she had promised in witness to Christ. With the courage this Eucharist brings, help us to rise out of the bondage of our earthly desires and attain to the glory of your kingdom. Grant this through Christ our Lord.

Titular Priory Nigeria

News. 

Abbot Mark, Nunraw could not obtain the necessary Visa to visit the Cistercian Titular Priory of Our Lady of the Angels, Nsugbe, Nigeria.

We were happy with the good news from the Community.

Three monks made their Simple Profession,

Br Paschal

Br. Kieran

Br. Rock James

There were also three Solemn Profession,

Br. Simon

Br. Peter

Br. Casimir

Fr. Raphael has attained to the 75^th age as Titular Prior.

Our prayer goes with the Brethren at this milestone of progress in the community.

Br Casimir, Br Peter, Br Simon

 % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %

Sunday, 08 August 2010

Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12:32-48.

Do not be afraid any longer, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your belongings and give alms. Provide money bags for yourselves that do not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven that no thief can reach nor moth destroy. For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival. Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself, have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.   

Transfiguration

Jesus took three of his disciples up a mountain to pray, and there he became transfigured with God's glory.
FEAST OF THE TRANSFIGURATION OF THE LORD

LUKE 9:28b-36
(Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14; Psalm 97; 2 Peter 1:16-19)
KEY VERSE: "Then from a cloud came a voice that said, `This is my chosen Son; listen to him'" (v 35).

POPE BEN EDICT XVI  'JESUS OF NAZARETH' pp. 305-307 THE TRANSFIGURATION All three Synoptic Gospels create a link between Peter's confession and the account of Jesus' Transfiguration by means of a reference to time. Matthew and Mark say: "And after SIX days Jesus took with him Peter and James, and John his brother" Mt. 17:1; Mk 9:2). Luke writes: "Now about eight days after these sayings" Lk 9:28). Clearly, this means that the two events, in each of which Peter plays a prominent role, are interrelated. We could say that in both cases the issue is the divinity of Jesus as the Son; another point, though, is that in both cases the appearance of his glory is connected with the Passion motif Jesus' divinity belongs with the Cross--only when we put the two together do we recognize Jesus correctly. John expressed this intrinsic interconnectedness of Cross and glory when he said that the Cross is Jesus' "exaltation," and that his exaltation is accomplished in no other way than in the Cross. But now we must try to delve somewhat more deeply into this remarkable time reference. There are two different interpretations, though they do not have to be considered mutually exclusive.

You are The Christ, The Son of The God of THE living

Matthew 16:16 This mrning, it is my turn for the Mass. Peter's confession features in the Pope "Jesus of Nazareth". see below. For the Gospel, the lead was from Peter's words, "You are the Christ of the Son of  the living God".  We could have Noted the repeating the three Articles in the English, THE Christ, THE Son, THE living God, four articles in the Greek,  In fact, interest is much from Benedict's Two Milestones on Jesus’ Way: Peter's Confession and the Transfiguration PETER'S CONFESSION All three Synoptis Gospels present the Confession of Peter and Benedict has five shematic observations "But only Matthew follows Peter's confession withthe bestowal upon Peter of the power of the keys -". % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % Jesus of Nazareth – Benedict XVI   CHAPTER NINE Two Milestones on Jesus’ Way: Peter's Confession and the Transfiguration PETER'S CONFESSION All three Synoptic Gospels (Edit Print Layout) present Jesus' question to the disciples about who the people think he is and who they themselves consider him to be (Mk 8:27-30; Mt 16:13-20; Lk 9:18-21) as an important milestone on his way. In all three Gospels, Peter answers in the name of the Twelve with a confession that is markedly different from the opinion of the "people." In all three Gospels, Jesus then foretells his Passion and Resurrection, and continues this announcement of his own destiny with a teaching about the way of discipleship, the way to follow him, the Crucified. In all three Gospels, however, he also interprets this "following" on rhc way of the Cross from an essentially anthropological standpoint: It is the indispensable way for man to "lose his life:' without which it is impossible for him to find it (Mk 8:31-9:1; Mt 16:21-28; Lk 9:22-27). And finally, in all three Gospels there follows the account of the Transfiguration of Jesus, which once again interprets Peter's confession and takes it deeper, while at the same time connecting it with the mystery of Jesus' death and Resurrection (Mk 9:2-13; Mt 17:1-13; Lk 9:28-36). Only Matthew immediately follows Peter's confession with the bestowal upon Peter of the power of the keys--of the power to bind and loose-and this is connected with Jesus' promise to build his Church upon Peter as on a rock. Parallel passages concerning this commission and this promise are found in Luke 22:31f., in the context of the Last Supper and in John 21:15-19 after Jesus' Resurrection. It should be pointed out that John, too, places a similar confession on Peter's lips, which once again is presented as a decisive milestone on Jesus' way, giving the circle of the Twelve its full weight and profile for the first time an 6:68£). As we study Peter's confession in the Synoptics, we will also need to take this text into account, since, despite all the dif­ferences, it does reveal some basic elements in common with the Synoptic tradition. These somewhat schematic observations should have made it clear that Peter's confession can be properly understood only in the context of Jesus' prophecy of the Passion and his words about the way of discipleship. These three elements-Peter's words and Jesus' twofold answer-belong inseparably together. Equally indispensable for understanding Peter's confession is the attestation of Jesus in the Transfiguration scene by the Father himself and by the Law and the Prophets. In Mark's Gospel, the story of the Transfigura­tion is preceded by what seems to be a promise of the Parousia. On one hand, this promise is connected with what Jesus … Jesus of Nathareth, POPE BENEDICT XVI pp. 287- 288

RWP

Mat 16:16 -

Peter is the spokesman now: “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Su ei ho Christos ho huios tou theou tou zōntos). It was a noble confession, but not a new claim by Jesus. Peter had made it before (Joh_6:69) when the multitude deserted Jesus in Capernaum. Since the early ministry (John 4) Jesus had avoided the word Messiah because of its political meaning to the people. But now Peter plainly calls Jesus the Anointed One, the Messiah, the Son of the God the living one (note the four Greek articles). This great confession of Peter means that he and the other disciples believe in Jesus as the Messiah and are still true to him in spite of the defection of the Galilean populace (John 6).

(GNT) Mat 16:16 ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος εἶπεν, Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος.

http://biblos.com/matthew/16-16.htm

<< Matthew 16:16 >>

Matthew 16:16 Greek Study Bible (Apostolic / Interlinear) ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος εἶπεν· σὺ εἰ ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦζῶντος. KJV with Strong's  And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God Greek Transliteration Strong's Morphology English ἀποκριθεὶς apokritheis 611 V-APP-NSM having answered δὲ de 1161 CONJ And Σίμων simōn 4613 N-NSM Simon Πέτρος petros 4074 N-NSM Peter εἶπεν eipen 2036 V-2AAI-3S said σὺ su 4771 P-2NS Thou εἰ ei 1488 V-PAI-2S art ὁ o 3588 T-NSM χριστὸς christos 5547 N-NSM Christ ὁ o 3588 T-NSM υἱὸς uios 5207 N-NSM Son τοῦ tou 3588 T-GSM of θεοῦ theou 2316 N-GSM God τοῦ tou 3588 T-GSM ζῶντος zōntos 2198 V-PAP-GSM living ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 16:16 Greek NT: Westcott/Hort with Diacritics ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος εἶπεν· σὺ εἰ ὁ χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 16:16 Greek NT: Greek Orthodox Church ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος εἶπε· Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 16:16 Greek NT: Tischendorf 8th Ed. with Diacritics ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος εἶπεν· σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 16:16 Greek NT: Stephanus Textus Receptus (1550, with accents) ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ Σίμων Πέτρος εἶπεν Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 16:16 Greek NT: Byzantine/Majority Text (2000) αποκριθεις δε σιμων πετρος ειπεν συ ει ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου του ζωντος ΚΑΤΑ ΜΑΤΘΑΙΟΝ 16:16 Greek NT: Textus Receptus (1894) αποκριθεις δε σιμων πετρος ειπεν συ ει ο χριστος ο υιος του θεου του ζωντος Matthew 16:16 Hebrew Bible ויען שמעון פטרוס ויאמר אתה הוא המשיח בן אלהים חיים׃ Matthew 16:16 Aramaic NT: Peshitta ܥܢܐ ܫܡܥܘܢ ܟܐܦܐ ܘܐܡܪ ܐܢܬ ܗܘ ܡܫܝܚܐ ܒܪܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ ܚܝܐ ܀ Latin: Biblia Sacra Vulgata respondens Simon Petrus dixit tu es Christus Filius Dei vivi