The Benedictines Strike Back

[jkaands]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='928730' date='Mar 30 2006, 04:06 PM']
Right, I'm going to do something about the chronic domination of Dominicans, Poor Clares and Carmelites on here. Or at least, I'm praying to see if that's what God wants, because I'm sure he's got plans for the Vocation Station and they'd better include OSBs

In a little less than a month I'm going on a visit to St. Hildegard's Abbey, in Rüdesheim am Rhein in Germany (it's about an hour to the west of Frankfurt). The English section of their website can be found here: [url="http://www.abtei-st-hildegard.de/english/"]http://www.abtei-st-hildegard.de/english/[/url] Having said that, if you can read German it's worth reading that part of the site too, because I think they have some material on there that they've not translated.

This has begun pretty early, mainly because I'm rather excited about it and need to have some kind of outlet. I only live a short distance from my cathedral here and beleive me, if I could get away with it I'd be in there about now (at 1am, tee hee!) blabbering to Christ how excited I was. But alas...you good people will have to put up with me instead

However, this does mean that I'll need some way of holding your interest until 29th April. I propose to post, each day, a portion of the Rule of St. Benedict and invite you all to discuss it. Such a portion is read out each day in each Benedictine House at the Chapter meeting (the portion is usually a chapter of the Rule, hence the name) We won't get through it all by then, not by a long stretch, but it'll hopefully give you all some insight into Benedictine life.

And to totally throw my English reserve out of the window for a few moments: [b]SQUEEEEEE!!!![/b]

Ahem.

Love and prayers,

PP
[/quote]

welcome puella and best of luck in discerning the abbey!

it is beautiful and has young novices!!

The Bennies, especially such a lofty abbey w/ such a long tradition, are being ignored on this phorum in favor of other certain orders which shall remain nameless(!) and the Johnnie-Come-Latlies!! (joke)

The OSB's were around before we were thought of and will be around long after we're dust, in all thier many-varied splendor!!

And happy to have portions of the rule on this list!

[bmb144]

Waves from a Aussie benny in waiting.
I'm a Tyburn oblate "postulant" and I am discerning my vocation : to the order.

I will be visiting the local Tyburn Priory to become a "novice" oblate and spend some time with them hopefully in the next couple of months.

I was wondering if anyone here had read the book called- The Benedictine Handbook?

Also maybe someone here can clear something up for me- Is there more than two versions of the Rule? I have the abridged RB 80 and the version in the above book and they are different. Then I talk with Mother Mary Cyril (Prioress) and she quotes from another version again. Any light on this would be most welome.

In His Light

[puellapaschalis]

Johnnie-come-latelies?! I've only ever used that term in a Benedictine-only environment, where there aren't any of the aforementioned to offend : and everyone present knows what's meant and the tone that's implied! I daren't use it on here

Yes, Ruedesheim is a wonderful Abbey. I'm still in contact with them and all the nuns I've spoken to are quite lovely.

Has anyone else noticed that there are some more Bennies on the Vocation Station now? Yes indeed, we're rising up again

Love and prayers,

PP

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='In His Light' post='1016495' date='Jul 3 2006, 10:30 AM']


Waves from a Aussie benny in waiting.
I'm a Tyburn oblate "postulant" and I am discerning my vocation : to the order.

I will be visiting the local Tyburn Priory to become a "novice" oblate and spend some time with them hopefully in the next couple of months.

I was wondering if anyone here had read the book called- The Benedictine Handbook?

Also maybe someone here can clear something up for me- Is there more than two versions of the Rule? I have the abridged RB 80 and the version in the above book and they are different. Then I talk with Mother Mary Cyril (Prioress) and she quotes from another version again. Any light on this would be most welome.

In His Light
[/quote]

I've been an Oblate for nearly ten years now and most other Oblates at my House aren't in discernment to the cloistered life (having said that though, most Oblates become so rather later in life than I did). But for me at least the transition from Oblate to (hopefully) professed is a completely logical and natural one.

The Benedictine Handbook...the title rings a bell, but I haven't read it and I don't own it. Have you? Do you recommend it?

With regards to the Rule, there are many different translations even into English (let alone into other languages). There are also translations which simply replace the words "monk", "abbot" and so on with their female equivalents. The translation I have closest to me (my RB1980 is in the UK) is Dysinger's parallel Latin & English, which is also helpfully split into the traditional daily readings, which the short RB1980 isn't if memory serves me correctly.

Dysinger's book is nice because it has an extended introduction to not only the Rule but also some aspects of Benedictine life, most notably [i]lectio[/i]. However, there are some parts of his translations that I puzzle over, so soon I'll need to get my RB1980 out again to compare.

Love and prayers,

PP

[memory-singer]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1016500' date='Jul 3 2006, 01:57 AM']
I've been an Oblate for nearly ten years now and most other Oblates at my House aren't in discernment to the cloistered life (having said that though, most Oblates become so rather later in life than I did). But for me at least the transition from Oblate to (hopefully) professed is a completely logical and natural one.

The Benedictine Handbook...the title rings a bell, but I haven't read it and I don't own it. Have you? Do you recommend it?

With regards to the Rule, there are many different translations even into English (let alone into other languages). There are also translations which simply replace the words "monk", "abbot" and so on with their female equivalents. The translation I have closest to me (my RB1980 is in the UK) is Dysinger's parallel Latin & English, which is also helpfully split into the traditional daily readings, which the short RB1980 isn't if memory serves me correctly.

Dysinger's book is nice because it has an extended introduction to not only the Rule but also some aspects of Benedictine life, most notably [i]lectio[/i]. However, there are some parts of his translations that I puzzle over, so soon I'll need to get my RB1980 out again to compare.

Love and prayers,

PP

[/quote]

I guess it's not any degree of humility to say that "Benedictines Rule" but then, I have a long way to go. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. How wonderful that geography doesn't separate our hearts and souls. Pray for me.

Pax,

Dare

[puellapaschalis]

[quote name='Mercy's Child' post='1016634' date='Jul 3 2006, 05:34 PM']
I guess it's not any degree of humility to say that "Benedictines Rule" but then, I have a long way to go. You are all in my thoughts and prayers. How wonderful that geography doesn't separate our hearts and souls. Pray for me.

Pax,

Dare
[/quote]

You're right, it's not, but it's a nice pun on words!

It's a lovely privilege to be able to pray for my Benedictine sisters on phatmass.

Love and prayers,

PP

[bmb144]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1016500' date='Jul 3 2006, 06:57 PM']
I've been an Oblate for nearly ten years now and most other Oblates at my House aren't in discernment to the cloistered life (having said that though, most Oblates become so rather later in life than I did). But for me at least the transition from Oblate to (hopefully) professed is a completely logical and natural one.

The Benedictine Handbook...the title rings a bell, but I haven't read it and I don't own it. Have you? Do you recommend it?

With regards to the Rule, there are many different translations even into English (let alone into other languages). There are also translations which simply replace the words "monk", "abbot" and so on with their female equivalents. The translation I have closest to me (my RB1980 is in the UK) is Dysinger's parallel Latin & English, which is also helpfully split into the traditional daily readings, which the short RB1980 isn't if memory serves me correctly.

Dysinger's book is nice because it has an extended introduction to not only the Rule but also some aspects of Benedictine life, most notably [i]lectio[/i]. However, there are some parts of his translations that I puzzle over, so soon I'll need to get my RB1980 out again to compare.

Love and prayers,

PP
[/quote]

I got my Benedictine Handbook from Jamberoo Abbey's internet bookshop.(they are one of the two benny orders here).
It covers a lot of ground.

It has the Rule, a section on benny spirituality -work of God, Lectio, prayer, work, perseverance, the vows and hospitality. A four week daily office, morn/evening and some other prayers. A list of who is who in benny spirituality and a list of holy places, a section on how to live the rule in different situations. It then has a history of the various parts of the order and a glossary of terms.

Its a hard cover book with 350 pages and yes I really like it. Its a good solid book that helps with understanding. Its only flaw would be the shortness of the historical section.


In His Light

[puellapaschalis]

Hm, thank you for your thoughts on the book. At the moment I'm having to be strict with what I buy so I don't think I'll be able to indulge, but when I visit my House next month (yay! holidays!!) I'll ransack the guesthouse library and see if they've got it in there. Or I could bribe one of the community to look in the monastic library....he he he.

Love and prayers,

PP

[memory-singer]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1017005' date='Jul 4 2006, 12:42 AM']
Hm, thank you for your thoughts on the book. At the moment I'm having to be strict with what I buy so I don't think I'll be able to indulge, but when I visit my House next month (yay! holidays!!) I'll ransack the guesthouse library and see if they've got it in there. Or I could bribe one of the community to look in the monastic library....he he he.

Love and prayers,

PP
[/quote]

Hello again,

I just : went to the Jamberoo Abbey web-site (to do a little "shopping") . What a beautiful community. I like to think of you there.

Pax,

Dare

[puellapaschalis]

VA stayed with me for a couple of days this week, and the very simple act of praying the Divine Office with just two people [i]in common[/i] gave me a bizzare (in a very good way) feeling. How glorious it will be to be a real part of a close-knit family that prays seven times a day!

When I was sitting talking to a Benedictine nun about my vocation when I was sixteen, she told me Benedictines had to really want the Office, and I remember nodding and thinking that this was very sensible (given that most communities spend about three or four hours on the Office) and that I was absolutely something that I could mould myself into because I loved the Office even then. How marvellous is it, then, that a few years later I seem to want the be bound and obligated to the Office even more! Does this mean that at the age of seventy I'll want even more? The thought seems almost bizarre now, but it'd be freaking [i]fantastic[/i].

I once read a book in which a Benedictine monk said that the vocation doesn't go away after solemn profession; rather, it increases throughout one's life. Yay!

Love and prayers,

PP

[VeniteAdoremus]

[quote name='puellapaschalis' post='1019790' date='Jul 8 2006, 08:13 AM']
VA stayed with me for a couple of days this week, and the very simple act of praying the Divine Office with just two people [i]in common[/i] gave me a bizzare (in a very good way) feeling. How glorious it will be to be a real part of a close-knit family that prays seven times a day!
[/quote]

It -was- marvellous, wasn't it? I SO can't wait until my dad gets me that copy of the Liturgy of the Hours he promised me.

[memory-singer]

Hi again,

I've been out of the loop because my boss has been keeping me too busy.

I got my Liturgy of the Hours 3 weeks ago and even praying it alone helps me feel so connected to the praying Church. How wonderful that you both could pray it together. I belong to a Dominican parish and so have the opportunity to get to Vespers a couple times a week. It is wonderful.

Please pray for my boss. He's a great guy but is freaking out because I'm taking time in August(and we are in the midst of a difficult project.) I even have to give him a number to reach me at St. Emma "in case of emergency" (like the computer eats my notes ?)

Also, my pastor asked me to take the 3-4 saturday morning slot for adoration (We have 24 hr adoration in the parish) which is wonderful and also challenging (getting up at 2:00 a.m. and driving to the parish .)

Take care of yourselves.

Pax,

Dare

[VeniteAdoremus]

Hi Dare,

[quote name='Mercy's Child' post='1020035' date='Jul 8 2006, 09:35 PM']
I got my Liturgy of the Hours 3 weeks ago and even praying it alone helps me feel so connected to the praying Church. How wonderful that you both could pray it together. I belong to a Dominican parish and so have the opportunity to get to Vespers a couple times a week. It is wonderful.
[/quote]

I was thinking about starting a Liturgy of the Hours fan club... before I realised that in a way, we already ARE its fan club, aren't we? *grins*

[quote name='Mercy's Child' post='1020035' date='Jul 8 2006, 09:35 PM']
Please pray for my boss. He's a great guy but is freaking out because I'm taking time in August(and we are in the midst of a difficult project.) I even have to give him a number to reach me at St. Emma "in case of emergency" (like the computer eats my notes ?)

Also, my pastor asked me to take the 3-4 saturday morning slot for adoration (We have 24 hr adoration in the parish) which is wonderful and also challenging (getting up at 2:00 a.m. and driving to the parish .)

Take care of yourselves.

Pax,

Dare
[/quote]

Wow, 24hr adoration at your parish? I wish we had that. Actually, PP and I just had a night of Adoration (we've been having a bit of a shower of blessings lately, I think), and we were talking about how cool it would be to organise something in that order - and how difficult.

Maybe I should just get off my bum and try to do it here. *adds note to the already foot-long list of Things To Talk About With Father Smith*

Hoping things will turn out all right for your boss,

VA

[puellapaschalis]

Hi Dare,

at this precise moment in time I never want to come face to face with 2am again! But that's because, like VA said, we've been at an all night vigil for the protection of the unborn child. Actually, if I remember correctly, 2am wasn't so bad. 6am was when I started turning to mush! But having said all that, a perpetual adoration parish is a marvellous thing. I suspect that VA and I are becoming big, big perpetual adoration fans!

Prayers for your boss. He needs to cotton on that vacation time is just that - vacation. He really shouldn't need a phone number for you!

Love and prayers,

PP

[zunshynn]

I was wondering if you Benedictine fans could help me out...

The other day I was trying to think of Benedictine saints, and I couldn't think of any (I mean besides St. Benedict). Could you help me? lol I cant believe my ignorance!