Period September – November 2006

MEETING PLACE
Chapter meetings are held at St. Joseph's Convent, 16 York Street, South Perth. Meetings are held each 3rd. Sunday,commencing at 2.00pm sharp.
September Chapter meeting to be held on Sunday, 17 September. Discussion on Rule 55 & discussion on the Gospel of the day – Mk. 8:27-35.
October Chapter meeting to be held on Sunday, 15 October. Discussion on Rule 56 & discussion on the Gospel of the day – Mk. 10:17-30.
November Chapter meeting to be held on Sunday, 19 November. Discussion on Rule 57 & Lectio on the Gospel of the day – Mk.13:24-32.

PRAYER LIST
Please remember all our sick oblates – in particular Tom Gollop, Pat Cockett & Michael Kent.
Prayers requested for Fr. Anthony’s mother, Doris's sister Evelyn and also Rhod’s mother.
Also and always, continue to pray for our parent community in New Norcia.
Would you please remember all our deceased oblates.

ITEMS OF INTEREST
The annual retreat this year was once again supported by an excellent roll up of oblates. We congratulate Anne-Marie Mendis who was received as a novice by Abbot Placid. Anne-Marie is now wading into the Faith Formation Modules. Congratulations also to Ted and Glad Wilson who took their final oblation as part of their affiliation to New Norcia. The oblates were pleased once again, to welcome John McInerney from Sydney, who had made the trip over to be present with us. John made the most of his trip by spending two weeks at NN. Fr. Abbot also led us in our annual renewal of oblation.
Our thanks to Fr. Anthony for conducting the retreat and the presentation of his talks on the subject of 'Humility'. Also many thanks to Fr. Abbot and Fr. David for their two talks.
Some fourteen oblates turned up at St. Pat's basilica in Fremantle for Mass, to celebrate St. Benedict's feast day on 11 July. Afterwards we all proceeded over the road to enjoy a meal together at 'Clancy's Restaurant'.

FAITH IN THE RESURRECTED CHRIST
By Anselm Pedrizetti OSB – taken from ‘The Oblate’ newsletter of St. John’s Abbey.
The opinion is sometimes expressed these days, that we are in a crisis of faith. If we look around a little, we find that there is some basis for this opinion. The world we live in is not the most stable world and our religious ideals tend to appear faintly ridiculous at times, in the face of the hard realities of life. We know that the war in Iraq is but the latest chapter in a human conflict which has been with us, off and on, ever since we were born and that it does not in the foreseeable future show any indication of stopping. Our problems with civil rights, poverty, population and political and social upheavals in so many areas, all have their effect on us. In our own personal lives, we know of physical and mental illness, of the confusion caused by a questioning of moral standards, of the dismay in some of our parishes over the unsettled state of the Church's liturgy.
Is the foundation of our religion tottering?
None of these things necessarily involve a question of faith, but any of them can give rise to the question. Each of us has his own reasons for wondering in unguarded moments, whether some incident, some setback, some experience, does not mean that our faith no longer has the value for us it used to have. The temptation may come, as it seems to have come to some of our friends, to feel that the foundation of our religion is tottering and that it is useless to try to reinforce it in the face of continued attack. To the extent that this may be true, we have a serious problem on our hands and the first thing to do is to realise the extent to which we may be depending on a number of non-essential props, often of our own making, which we have come to suppose are identical with faith in Christ. We perhaps tend to believe in Christ as long as our sons and friends are not sent off into battle, as long as our way of prayer is not criticised, as long as we can pay our bills. All of these things touch us very personally, but nevertheless we must sooner or later face the fact, that our faith does not depend upon the degree of serenity in our lives.
Faith and daily life
Once we have done this, not only will the problems of faith lose their ability to unsettle us, but we will come to a clearer notion of the real reason for our faith. Faith does not rise or fall on the basis of our present experience of joy or sadness, confusion or clarity about a specific moral question, or even the continued good health of our closest friends. We believe in Christ, in the power of His passion and death, in the glory of His resurrection. We believe that He will be with us until the consummation of the world and we believe that His Spirit is ever present, acting, saving, giving life, wherever He is accepted in the world. We believe that no circumstances of our daily lives can alter that situation.
Abraham is the father of us all because he is the man of faith. We are told that even though he was almost a hundred years old, he did not waver in his faith when God promised him a son. Rather, he was strengthened in faith and so a son was born to him.
Abraham displayed a faith which was solid and unwavering in the face of seemingly impossible circumstances and yet we are expected to have a faith that is vastly superior to that of Abraham. He believed in a human life being raised from the ‘dead womb’ of his wife Sara, but our faith must be in an operation of God, which raised Christ from the dead and will raise us also. Our faith is not simply in God, but in God who raises up Christ, and us, insofar as we are joined to the resurrection of Christ. We are concerned here not with a gift of human life, as was given to the son of Abraham, but of heavenly life, which is given to us through the risen Christ. Also, when we recite the Creed we do not merely express our belief in a God who exists and lives in his heaven. We believe in God the Father who has sent His Son. We believe in Christ who broke into human history and redeemed mankind, was raised from the dead by His Father and whose Spirit demands that we make a decision which radically influences the course of our destiny.
Faith is a process
Faith is not, then, merely a set of doctrines to be held, but a reality which engages our whole person, because it relates us to the person of Christ. The Christian faith is centred on Christ the Lord. Christ risen from the dead. In faith we acknowledge not merely that Christ will provide us eventually with a joyful life, without care and worry, in the hereafter, but that He here and now makes contact with us and communicates to us the glory of His resurrection.
This kind of outlook on the matter can do much to dissipate the idea we sometimes have, that faith is like a piece of baggage we carry around, which has not changed since we first acquired it and is liable to disappear if we don't keep an eye on it. A faith which is unchanging and which is not in vital contact with our personalities, is not worthy of the name. Faith is a process. It is a lived union with Christ, which ever grows and deepens, or gradually loses its force and power, depending upon the degree to which we cooperate with the action of Christ transforming us by the power of His resurrection.
Problems of Faith Problems of faith, from this point of view, become influences in our lives which make it difficult for us to live in Christ. They give rise to hesitation, to compromise, to a less than total commitment to Christ. They undermine the trust we have had in another person, the person of God. These problems can so destroy the trust which is the indispensable basis for any personal relationship, that from time to time, an individual finds himself in the position of denying the existence of God, or the possibility of our making contact with Him. But problems of faith can do the opposite also. They can be the concrete realisation in our lives of the passion and death of Christ, which we contact in faith, because they can accelerate the process of incorporation into the resurrected Christ, if we but maintain our trust. Problems of any kind involve anxiety, depression, suffering. So problems of faith, though they appear to be a frontal attack on the foundation of the spiritual life, can be used by God to bring us closer to Him. Then especially, we are living the life of faith, for faith is present when there is movement, a movement towards God.
It is faith itself which creates the paradoxes in our lives, in the sense that faith can be at its best when everything else seems to be at its worst. So we do not always believe and act in a way that is ‘sensible’ from an exclusively human point of view. Our faith, though profound, can still seem faintly ridiculous from some points of view. But then, the faith of St. Paul seemed ridiculous to the Greeks too, when he preached the resurrection of Christ to them.

REFLECTION - SICKNESS
Taken from ‘The oblate’ newsletter of St. John’s Abbey.
‘I was sick and you visited me’. RB36. Sickness frightens us. If it is a matter of our health, a cut or a broken limb, then we can be concerned. But when it is a tragic accident or a deadly illness, when it is old age or mental illness, then we balk. We are reminded, almost too graphically of our weakness.
If we remain in such an attitude, then sickness is something morbid and spooky, something not to be mentioned. But we believe in a Lord who suffered and died, who underwent human weakness, to come to glory. Our suffering and death is one with His, just as is our life.
The presence of Christ is especially strong in those who are sick, the presence of Christ, the suffering servant. It is the love and concern shown by other Christians to the sick, which is the pledge of eternal love with the Father. To avoid those who are suffering and are ill is to renege on our faith, it is a subtle way of expressing our disbelief in the risen Christ. It must be the concern of every Christian to be compassionate to the suffering Christ, for by dying with Him, we come to eternal life.

THE BENEDICTINE BALANCES
By Michael Casey OCSO taken from the ‘Saint Benedict of Nursia’ booklet

It may be surprising to many, that in the years of upheaval since Vatican II, Benedictines and Cistercians have entertained no thought of dropping the Rule of Saint Benedict as their central legislative document. The Rule still has meaning even after nearly 1,500 years and despite the shock of scholarly consensus, that views Benedict more as editor and compiler, than as author of most of the Rule's content. History poses this fundamental question, why has the Rule of Benedict survived?
A first answer could be that the Rule possesses that quality which Benedict loved - stability But here we have to be careful. Stability is not rigidity or immobility. Stability is the knack of adapting to changing external conditions to maintain one's position in the midst of flux. Think of a surfer on a surfboard. His stability is neither passive nor motionless. It is very active and energetic. Likewise most of us would think that those buildings which were most solid, would escape damage from earthquakes. But this is not true. Modern buildings in earthquake zones are designed to move with the tremors - not to resist them. By maintaining their inner coherence and accepting outer movement, the building survives the cataclysm without loss of integrity.
The stability of the Benedictine institution derives from its flexibility and adaptability This capacity to change is not the result of a confused identity or the absence of positive principles. It comes from a certain inner richness, which enables the Benedictine community to embrace opposite values and to modify their blending in response to changing conditions. Benedictinism is not monochromatic. It provides scope for the expression of many polarities working in harmony. It survives because it operates dialectically and by reason of local autonomy, is able to adapt quickly, to inculturate. The Benedictine community is no behemoth, it remains on a human scale.
Benedict's quality of openness to different values becomes apparent when we become aware of the dynamic tensions inherent in his presentation. The Rule of Benedict is not an expression of a simplistic ideology. It respects the complexity of the human situation and varied nature of monks' personalities and gifts. The following are some of these pairs of values.

1..Monastical and Ecclesiastical traditions Benedict has complemented the psychological and practical wisdom emanating from the Desert Fathers with the more theological insights of the early ecclesiastical writers, many of whom were bishops. Among these, Augustine, Basil and Cyprian are particularly important. This duality is apparent in the scheme that Benedict drew up for the Liturgy of the Hours, in which elements of traditional monastic usage can be found in combination with contributions from the Cathedral offices.

2.Solitary and Community orientations The Rule of Benedict has drawn much on a tradition of spirituality that was originally framed for those living as hermits. Yet the way of life described by Benedict is clearly communitarian. The monks pray, eat and sleep together, but on the other hand, there are structures to inhibit interaction, the rule of silence being the most obvious. Another way of highlighting this polarity is to speak in terms of vertical and horizontal. Benedict envisages his monks as being totally drawn towards God, but at the same time, ready to love one another and to live as brothers. It is this fraternal aspect of Benedictine life that is especially emphasised by present day commentators, especially outside Europe.

3.Abnegation and Humanism The traditional asceticism of monastic life is not absent from a Benedictine community, the lifestyle is controlled and frugal even though it avoids extremes. Yet, on the other hand, Benedictine monasteries have been traditionally places where the human values are cultivated, a certain refinement, culture, the pursuit of excellence, good taste, an emphasis on quality. The steadfast refusal of many ordinary human gratifications, in some sense, frees the monk for other equally human gratifications. Perhaps this is part of the hundredfold promised in the Gospel.

4.Commonality and Personalism A monastery run according to St. Benedict’s principles never becomes an institution. Alongside an insistence on the common life, Benedict is careful to advocate personalised attention for every monk. The abbot is ‘to be at the service of many different temperaments’(2.31) and he is expected to ‘accommodate and adapt himself to each one’s character and intelligence’(2.32), ‘using the skill of a wise physician’(27.2) and ‘so arrange everything that the strong have something to yearn for and the weak nothing to flee from’(64.19). ‘Every age and level of understanding should receive appropriate treatment’(30.1). ‘The abbot must take their infirmities into account’(48.25) ‘and arrange for help when they need it’(53.2). Artists may use their gifts for the benefit of the monastery so long as their art does not deflect them from their purpose of seeking God (57.1-3). No wonder every self-respecting monastery in the Benedictine tradition prides itself on at least a few eccentrics!

5.Physical and Spiritual The axiom, ora et labora coined by the tenth century Benedictine abbot Paschasius Rabertus, expresses an important truth about the form of monasticism that bears Benedict’s name. There is a balance between prayer and work, between properly spiritual activities and the ordinary tasks which constitute the daily round between inner and outer contemplation and action. The ‘work of God’ is matched by an equal involvement in temporal and physical exertions.

6.Rule and Abbot Despite the injunction to maintain his rule in its entirety (64.20,cf3.7), Benedict allocates wide discretionary powers to the abbot, saving only that decisions to effect changes are made responsibly and with due deliberation.
These are polarities in Benedictine life. In most cases Benedict took it for granted that the opposed values would somehow work in harmony to produce a synthesis and not result in a fragmented community. In fact he probably expected that all communities would have a little from both sides of the equation, though the proportions would probably prove to he different in each case. One of Benedict's favoured terms is moderation. He is aware of the dangers of too recklessly pursuing an ideal. Most virtues have an opposite that is equally virtuous. Vice, on the other hand, is frequently the result of a virtue carried to extremes. So Benedict habitually chooses moderation and discretion. He left room for multiple options even in important observances. As a result, each community develops its own specificity - and this is why a monk feels called, not to an Order, but to a particular local monastery.
There is a danger in this lack of determination. Instead of respecting both solitary and communitarian values, for instance, it is possible that each is used as an excuse for avoiding the other. The result is a group of persons who are serious about neither solitude nor community, instead of being passionate about both. In other words there is a risk of becoming wishy-washy – an institution without values, committed only to blandness.
That this is the latent bane of Benedictinism is undeniable for anyone who reads the ancient chronicles. It is this innate tendency to degenerate, that has made Benedictine history, a history of reforms – presupposing of course, the antecedent deformations. The most common solution to this problematic tendency, is the introduction of yet another polarity - between local autonomy and external supervision. This is only intimated in the Rule (64.3-4). So the potential for deviation in a local community can he checked by the institution of the regular visitation and by the legislative and judicial functions of general chapters.
The other feature of Benedictine history that is explained by this theory of polarities, is the frequency of controversies among the monastic orders, on the subject of regular observances. Where there is a wide spectrum of monastic values, the resulting lifestyles can seem quite different. As soon as one group claims to be living according to the Rule or monastic tradition, it immediately impugns the integrity of an opposite lifestyle. The first shots of a war of observances have been fired.
What gives the possibility of great variety to adherents of the Benedictine Rule, is the fact that it contains within its tradition, all these polarities - at least implicitly. Each monastery and congregation will make its own choices and produce a distinctive blend that responds to the time and place and reflects the special charism of the group. It is not true that some species are more faithful to Saint Benedict’s vision than others, because their following of the Rule is more literal. It is of the very nature of the Benedictine Rule that it yields plural interpretations - a fact confirmed both by a study of its sources and by an awareness of subsequent monastic history. Benedictine variety is something to celebrate, it is the source of a life able to adapt to the needs of persons and local conditions. It provides for the expression of original talents and it has enabled the vision and wisdom of the Patriarch of Western Monks to be transmitted through many centuries and to the remotest ends of the earth.

RELIGION, TERROR AND PEACE
Cardinal Martino reflects on the Role of Belief – zenit.org
Singapore, July 1, 2006 - The role of religion in promoting peace and helping to defeat terrorism was the subject of a recent speech by Cardinal Renato Martino, president of the Pontifical Councils for Justice and Peace and for Migrants and Travelers. The discourse came during his visit to Singapore last week, as Benedict XVI's special envoy to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Holy See and Singapore. The public lecture, delivered June 22, was titled - The Role of Religions in Promoting Peace and Solidarity and Denouncing Terrorism. Cardinal Martino noted the variety of cultural and religious elements present in Singapore. Religion, he said, 'must never become a pretext for fueling conflict, hatred and violence.' He added that sincere religious sentiment can actually be a strong antidote against conflicts. In this perspective, individuals and religious communities must clearly manifest a complete and radical rejection of violence, all violence, starting with the violence that would wrap itself in the mantle of religion, even appealing to the holy name of God as it commits offenses against humanity.
No religious end, the Cardinal emphasised, can justify the practice of man committing violence against man. The Pope's representative called to mind the example of Pope John Paul II. The previous Pontiff invited believers to cultivate dialogue, believing it to be a useful means to dispel distrust and misunderstanding. He also invited us to recognize the gifts of different cultures and traditions.
Promoting dialogue. This teaching is most useful in facing current problems, Cardinal Martino noted. He invited believers of different religions to undertake their dialogue within the context of promoting justice and solidarity. Believers also need to be conscious of the deep wounds of ethnic and social conflicts, of violence and war and a lack of respect for rights.
The message of Jesus, the cardinal continued, invites us to place value on what we share in common and on what unites us. Dialogue between believers is also necessary in order to overcome the dangers of religious fundamentalism, the cardinal said. 'Just as in the recently ended twentieth century, certain ideological concepts corrupted the truth of politics, so the power of men over other men threatens today to exploit religions, deeply disfiguring their intrinsic truth.'
Another serious danger is that of terrorism, today more than ever, now that it has been transformed from isolated acts of individual extremists into a sophisticated network with access to significant financial resources. Terrorism is 'unacceptable in the most absolute of manner,' the Cardinal stated unequivocally. It is based on contempt for human life and uses persons as means to achieve an end. In addition to killing innocent victims, terrorism also leads to isolation, distrust and closed mindedness, which in turn fosters hatred. This leads to a vicious cycle whereby violence engenders further violence.
Terrorism is also an attack on human dignity, Cardinal Martino added and an attack against all humanity. For this reason there is a right to defense against terrorism. He also recommended international cooperation with particular attention put to resolving problems that can fuel terrorism. 'The recruitment of terrorists, in fact, is more easily accomplished in social contexts where hatred is sown, where rights are trampled, and in situations where injustices have been tolerated for too long.'
Rejecting fundamentalism. The Cardinal then returned to the matter of religious fundamentalism. He noted that in this year's message for the World Day of Peace, Benedict XVI warned that at the roots of terrorism we often find fundamentalism or nihilism. Fundamentalism is the belief that one is in complete possession of the truth, such that one can impose it by force. 'Truth, however, must be continually sought; it can only be contemplated and never possessed, because God is truth.' Moreover, every authentic believer knows that the truth is larger than the believer himself. 'For this reason, it is a profanation and blasphemy to proclaim oneself a terrorist in God's name, to kill or inflict violence upon people in God's name.' No religion, Cardinal Martino stressed, can tolerate terrorism, much less preach it. This is particularly true for the great monotheistic religions in which there is faith in God the Creator of mankind. Terror is also contrary to the concept of a God who cares and loves people and to the idea of God as Father of all men and women. For Christians terror is contrary to faith in Christ, sent by the Father, who said: 'Love one another, even as I have loved you, so also must you love one another' (John 13:34). The Cardinal then urged Christians and believers in the other monotheistic religions, along with other religions, to work together to spread a greater awareness of the unity of the human race. This should be done by teaching that the dignity of the human person is great in God's eyes and violence can never be done in the name of the One who is Love. He also called for effort in teaching people that there is no connection between terrorism and religion. This can be helped by means of a renewed commitment to ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue and cooperation, carried out in the spirit of mutual understanding, respect and trust. 'There is a right to defend oneself against terrorism, but we must not forget that the true defense against terrorism is found in the spiritual and cultural order.' Peace, the Cardinal said, is the result of a just order in the relationships between human beings, regardless of their colour, culture or social class. It also comes when fundamental human rights are respected and when people fulfil their duty towards others. Peace also requires sincere cooperation, responsibility and a society built on truth, justice, freedom and love.
Anglican perspective. The role of religion in peace and conflict was also examined recently by an Anglican bishop, Michael Nazi-Ali. Originally from Pakistan, with a family background that is both Christian and Muslim. Nazi-Ali is currently bishop of Rochester, England. In his book, 'Conviction and Conflict: Islam, Christianity and World Order,' (Continuum, 2006), the Anglican prelate admitted that religious beliefs have been and still are, a powerful ingredient in many conflicts. Religion can go wrong, in the sense of stimulating conflicts, but he clarified, so can other fundamental human realities such as love or patriotism, due to the effects of sin on our human nature. On the positive side, Christians are often at the forefront of dialogue and the promotion of peace. Nazir-Ali also argued that it is wrong to conceive of religion as a purely negative influence in its relation with the state. The great moral codes, such as the Ten Commandments, have greatly contributed to the formation of legal codes in various civilisations. Democracy has flourished in countries with a Christian background. There are, nevertheless, troubling issues regarding Islam, such as the financing by some states of extremist groups and the use of concepts such as Jihad to justify conflicts. Within England, the presence of radical Islamist leaders has also been a cause of problems. In the face of such problems the bishop of Rochester called upon Islam and Christianity to engage in dialogue. He also recommended promoting cultural exchanges and the provision of economic aid that will reduce the numbers of the poor and unemployed who are exploited by extremists. Religion, it seems, will be an important part of finding a solution to the current problems of violence and terrorism.

BOOK REVIEW
'The Inner Room' by Mark Plaiss – A Journey into Lay Monasticism

'The Inner Room' takes you on one man's journey into a largely invisible vocation – lay monasticism. 'The lay monastic dons no habit, wears no distinguishing ornament, lives not in a monastery,' says the author. Yet, many people today are being led by the Holy Spirit to discover this new way to Jesus Christ. In 'The Inner Room', one can follow Mark Plaiss's journey, first into the Catholic Church and then into his vocation as a lay monastic, while maintaining his family and professional life. The author recounts his experience of work and prayer in the monastery in his annual retreats, as well as his experience of being a lay monastic outside the monastery. The monk can be in the monastery. The monk can also be on Wall Street, on Main Street and down on the farm. The Cistercian Abbey of New Melleray caters for its oblates, by setting aside separate accommodation for them, providing special attire to wear for their stay, key access to the cloister and a daily work regimen. Daily and psalm schedules at the Abbey are included, as well as an essay on lay monasticism the author presented to the 2000 convention of the American Benedictine Academy.
Mark Plaiss is a medical librarian at the Northern Indiana Education Foundation in Michigan City, Indiana. He is the ecumenical officer for the diocese of Gary and is in the diaconate programme there. Married with two sons, he is a Monastic Centre Associate at New Melleray Abbey, Dubuque, Iowa. He has published articles in the Cistercian Studies Quarterly and Celebration.

This book has been donated to the oblate library.

********************************