Transcript NORTH AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF BENEDICTINE OBLATE …

NORTH AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION OF BENEDICTINE
OBLATE DIRECTORS
MEETING 2009
St. Vincent's Archabbey
Administrative Team
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President: Antoinette Purcell,
OSB
Our Lady of Grace Monastery
Beech Grove, Indiana
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Vice President: John Peto,
OSB
St. Benedict’s Abbey
Atchison, Kansas
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Executive Secretary: Bonita
Gacnik, OSB
Sacred Heart Monastery
Yankton, South Dakota
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St. Vincent's Archabbey
• Founded by Benedictine
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monk Boniface Wimmer
in 1846
St Vincent is Now an
Archabbey, College,
Seminary & Parish
The Basilica of the First
Benedictine Monastery in
the U.S.
170 Monks comprise the
Archabbey
St. Vincent's Archabbey
• Aurelius Hall & School
• Mary Mother of
Wisdom Chapel
• Archabbot Douglas R.
Nowicki, O.S.B.
St. Vincent's Archabbey
Mother Mary Anne Noll OSB
• Lectio – transformation & Surrender
• "Tools of our daily lives as sacred vessels of the
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altar" OSB = OJT (On-the-job trainees) (Listen,
Obedience, Prayer)
Humility – Be centered in God not self
Stability – Spiritual Compass – GPS = God
positioning system “Bloom where you are planted.”
– “TRUE GOD” – Not ego, power or greed
– God prevents our ideals from becoming our Idols.
Hospitality – Open up to receive
Stress: Not everything is 911
Be practical in the present with people here
Pray & Work – “Prayer is the time with our Beloved”
Prayer made visible; our emptiness
meets God’s fullness
Serve – one drop, one snow flake, one person
– Flood, Blizzard, Change
Mother Mary Anne Noll OSB
• KEY POINTS
– “All Work has Dignity – Value if
you give it all to God”
– Recognize the “Holy in the daily”
– ~ Sanctifying the Daily ~
• Morning Offering
– Be Specific
– Work on Small & Consistent goals…
– Each day you grow along the
Journey…
Benedictine Nuns
St. Emma Monastery
• A monastery is a touchstone with
God – not only for us, the nuns
living here, but for all who come.
A monastery is a sign to the world
that here are women for whom
God is so real that they have
responded by vowing their lives to
God in a special way.
A monastery is a Touchstone for
all who come to a place hallowed
by prayer – not only of the prayer
of the permanent praying
community of nuns – but also of
all those who come and pray here.
Interesting People
I Meet at NAABOD
• Sr. Phyllis Hunhoff
O.S.B.
– Mary Gibson’s Sister
• Nancy Kaib
– Chandler Dean
• Lance & Betty
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Dickinson from
Tucson
Sr. Lenora Black
Oblate Brainstorming
session…
• Inquirers & Candidates/ Novices
– How can we attract new membership?
– What might be an overarching goal of these Stages?
– What values might guide the input/content of these
Stages?
– What resources are helpful in working both groups?
– What rituals could be part of these Stages?
– What qualities do we expect Inquirers & Novices to
exhibit?
– How can we discern readiness for Candidate/Novice
or oblation Stage—ways to do this, questions to
consider/ask?
Oblate Brainstorming
session… Oblates
• What might be an overarching goal of Oblation?
• What qualities do we expect Oblates to exhibit?
• What values might guide the content and activities of
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ongoing formation of Oblates?
What resources are helpful in the ongoing formation of
Oblates?
What rituals might be celebrated with Oblates?
How do we allow for diversity—different faith traditions,
different physical or mental abilities, different needs and
expectations, various distance from monastery?
How might we handle Oblates who are a source of
conflict for other Oblates or for the monastic
community?
Oblate Brainstorming
session…
Developing Leadership
• What might be the goal of leadership development
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among Oblates?
What qualities indicate potential leadership among
Oblates?
How might we invite Oblates to leadership roles?
What values might guide the content and activities of
leadership development among Oblates?
What are some possible ways Oblates can exercise
leadership?
What values might guide the relationship between
monastics and oblates?
How might we handle conflicts that arise when a leader
is not performing to expectations?
Fred Rogers Center
Communication - Collaboration - Creative Change
Father Brian Boosel O.S.B.
Archabbey Archivist - History Professor
• Community
– Grace of Compromise
– Community is like Trinity, Persons interacting with one another
• Uniformity not a goal; puts aside individuals and their gifts, and creativity
suffers.
– Disagreements are not a bad thing in a community, but open up the
door to discussions. – STRETCH – Together we will grow if we are rooted in Christ, following God’s Will.
– Community will feed the Oblates, who need real food, not fluff
• Word of God - Prayer
• Social & Being involved
• Hospitality & Breaking Bread – room for everyone
– Encourage various gifts and roles, but keep One Heart
• Healing – Divine physician - Spiritual Direction
– There are limitation… (Counseling Groups)
Sister Cecilia Dwyer O.S.B.
St. Benedict Monastery in Bristow VA
• Relationships & Rule Chapter 72
• Entering Saint Benedict Monastery in
Bristow, VA in 1963, Sr. Cecilia earned
a BA in Music Education from
Marywood University and an MA in
Liturgical Theology from Catholic
University of America. She has served
as a teacher, community
musician/liturgist, formation/vocation
director, lecturer and retreat
director. Sr. Cecilia has served and
continues to serve on a number of
boards including her current position
as President of the Board of Trustees
for the Benedictine Sisters of Virginia
and their five corporate ministries,
Vice-President Board
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– Respect & Love
– Physical, Mental, Emotional
– Gift of Self – Freely chose make a
Profession of Faith
– Stability to Culture & Environment
(Community)
– Energy
– Being with…
– Listen – Tell Your Story
Organize people as blessings not
problems…
– Communication
• As Equals
• Stay Curious
• Help others by being better
listeners
• Slow down
• Have good conversation ( Natural)
• Things will get messy at times
– Have courage
– Be silent – be in the present
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Sister Cecilia Dwyer O.S.B.
St. Benedict Monastery in Bristow VA
• Reconciliation & Forgiveness
– We are not in Perfect ideal Harmony
– Self forgetfulness
– Work with Issues, problems, diversity,
individuality…
– Return to God - Prayer
Monastic prayer marks the distinctive
movements of the day,
the liturgical year,
and the Christian life.
It is time made holy.
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• Sadness shows mistrust in God’s
providence; acedia is soul-sickness
– Prayer! Do not forget why we are…
– Be yourself – don’t judge others by
your judgment scale…
– Never lose hope in God’s Mercy
– Be a “repairer of the breach”- forgive
– Morning Offering – Life is a Journey
to Holiness.
More Interesting People
I Meet at NAABOD
PAX - Thank you for the Opportunity 
Mike Schroeder OSB Oblate
• Thank you – Sr. Lenora Black
• Thank you – NAABOD
• Thank you – St. Vincent Archabbey
• Thank you – St Emma Monastery
• Peace & Blessing to all - Gods Will is Best!