Benedictine Oblate Newsletter No. 15, June 2012
Via Vitaeway of life
Benedictine Oblates of The World Community for Christian Meditation
On the 9 September 1999, James Bishop, a successful computer software executive, thought his life was going to end
violently. He was arrested for serious offenses and sent to prison for ten years. While in prison, James learned about
The World Community for Christian Meditation and Christian meditation from a volunteer who visited there. He lived the
Rule of Benedict in prison and after his release. Now, James has written A Way in the Wilderness, a commentary on the
Rule of Benedict for the physically and spiritually imprisoned. I spoke with James recently about his book, his experiences
with meditation, and his call to oblation:
TRISH: James, I think most people who have never been to prison would wonder how anyone could learn to meditate
there.
JAMES: The biggest complaint I hear from meditators is about the distractions. Of
course, most prison environments are very noisy with lots of distractions, but an
equal number of distractions happen in our everyday lives. Perhaps the distractions
in prison are of a different intensity, but I’ve noticed that the intensity of our
distractions doesn’t really matter as much as the number of distractions. For me,
trying to meditate without any distractions would be like trying to lift weights
without any weights. It is the distractions that give us practice and strengthen our
ability to deal with distractions.
TRISH: There are so many commentaries on the Rule of Benedict. Why the need for
a new one?
JAMES: A Way in the Wilderness examines the Rule as a manual for prisoners in a
pragmatic way. It is a different approach to the Rule, but one that is very similar
to the original intent of the Rule: the life of a monastic. The early monastics
lived in monasteries very similar to our prisons today. But my examination of the
Rule goes a step further, considering the application of the Rule to everyone.
Most people today live in some kind of prison, either a physical one of stone and
steel, or a self-imposed prison. Perhaps they suffer from an addiction like I did, or
perhaps they feel trapped in their lives. Benedict saw the monastery as a kind of workshop (RB 4), and whatever our life
circumstances, we can make our current situation a workshop for improving our lives. We can improve how we deal with
our circumstances, and we can improve our relationship with God.
TRISH: What influenced you to choose the title, A Way in the Wilderness?
JAMES: The title is a quote from Isaiah 43:19. Here, the nation of Israel has essentially been beaten down, and are likely
feeling a bit depressed about their situation, much like a prisoner feels when he is first incarcerated. Isaiah brings a
message from God, saying: ‘I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.’ Note the words God spoke
to Isaiah: not a way through the wilderness, because it is not a way out. The Rule is a way of living while one is in the
wilderness or desert of their life; a way of living while we are living our lives.
INTERVIEW WITH JAMES BISHOPAUTHOR OF ‘A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS’
2
TRISH: How has the Rule changed your life?
JAMES: I was thinking about this just the other day. I
recently saw my first ‘annular’ solar eclipse. It was quite
an experience. An annular eclipse happens when the moon
is so far from the earth that the eclipse forms a ring where
the sun is still visible. As I watched the moon centre itself
over the sun, I thought about how our lives can sometimes
be off-centre. Living the Rule, we become monks in a very
real sense, and we work in our monasteries, our workshops,
toward centring our lives and gaining a proper balance. My
life, before I went to prison, was in tremendous turmoil.
Living the Rule, along with daily meditation, has allowed
me to bring my life back into balance. My life is more
centred now, and I have greater clarity.
TRISH: What was it about the Rule that made such an
impact and led you to live by it?
JAMES: I first encountered the Rule while I was in prison.
On the surface, it is like a manual for operating a
monastery. This intrigued me greatly. I have always felt
drawn to monasteries, to their holiness and their solitude.
I remember as a child feeling at home while visiting a
monastery with my family. As I read the Rule, initially, I
thought that much of it was not relevant today, nor was it
particularly relevant to my life circumstances at the time.
However, I then saw that each section had great application
in much deeper ways. It was like a manual for life, a
guideline for living that made sense. I needed that very
much in my life.
TRISH: In time you became an oblate of The WCCM. What
drew you to the Oblate Path?
JAMES: I felt I needed to make a deeper commitment to
spiritual life. I thought monasticism might be the right
direction for me, so I contacted the prison chaplain who
referred me to one of the volunteers who taught meditation
to the prisoners and, as it turned out, she was an oblate.
A call to oblation is a call to a deeper dedication. It
requires lifelong vows. As an oblate, I live by the Rule of
Benedict, so my studying of the Rule followed. This led me
to a sense that it was vital that I interpret how to live the
Rule when so much of it was inapplicable if read literally.
That is how I came to find a deeper meaning in the Rule.
TRISH: You are no longer in a physical prison. Has the Rule
maintained its prominence in your life?
JAMES: The Rule has gained prominence in my life since
my release. After my release, I found greater application
for the Rule outside of prison, and felt that A Way in the
Wilderness needed to be written. It draws on personal
experiences of the Rule’s application in my life both in
prison and outside. The prison experience has given me the
viewpoint of my life before prison as being more imprisoned
than when I was physically locked up. After prison, I saw
that other people were in the same kinds of prison I was
in before my incarceration, and I think many don’t even
realise it. A Way in the Wilderness can help anyone see the
Rule in a different, hopefully more pragmatic, way.
TRISH: Thank you James, for your willingness to share your
insights which offer a new way of understanding The Rule
of Benedict. They have the potential to shed some light and
offer ‘a way in the wilderness’ to anyone who knowingly
or, even unknowingly, may be imprisoned by problems that
seem to take over their lives, work or other situations in
which they feel trapped. TRISH PANTON, AUSTRALIA;[email protected]
JAMES BISHOP: [email protected]://authorjamesbishop.com/wilderness/
A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS, ISBN 978-1-4411-5115-5 from WCCM book distributors or
Continuum Books www.continuumbooks.com
Interview with James Bishop ........ 1
Rosie Lovat ............................. 3
Editorial ................................ 3
A journey of grace .................... 4
Restraint of speech ................... 5
The Trinity ............................. 6
What stability means for me ........ 8
Contemplative book club ............ 9
Practising lectio divina ..............10
Lectio divina: a spiritual practice .11
Coming home .........................12
Mid-Atlantic US oblates .............13
Cork day of recollection ............14
25 WCCM Benedictine Oblates .....14
What is drawing me; The gift ......15
William ‘Bill’ Harrison ...............15
Book corner ...........................16
Events; Contact info .................16
CONTENTS
3
Rosie Lovat, the first oblate of the community and a close
friend to Father John made two retreats a year at the Priory
and kept a journal, some notes from which are quoted here,
from an oblate meeting led by Father John:
THURSDAY 27/3/80 (warm spring day. Hot sun)
Most unusual weather. Wearing only a cardigan out of
doors. Father said Mass. I will never get used to the
wonder of baking bread, saying my mantra to the rhythm
of the kneading – putting my whole heart into it – then,
at Mass, it becomes the Body of Christ. What greater
happiness could there be? It is such a deep overwhelming
emotion. Bishop Hill, the Anglican Bishop of Ontario,
arrived this evening. Then there was a meeting of the
oblates. Father spoke to us. Father said as oblates we have
a very important place in the development of the monastic
life. By our life in the world, searching for God, we prove
that monasticism isn’t about theories and ideals, but about
real living in Christ. The monastic life is the single minded,
whole hearted search for God. Father gave us 2 books to
read during the year: Benedictine Monasticism, by Bishop
Butler and Teach us to Pray, by Andre Louf.
He urged us during our year of novitiate – am and pm – to
read these books. And to read the Rule of St Benedict daily
with an open heart.
The monastic life is a witness to the absolute value of our
whole life centre in Christ.
He spoke about St Benedict. CHRIST IS OUR CENTRE. St
Benedict puts it clearly. The new creation can only be seen
by the vision of a pure heart, a humble heart. God and
only God is to be worshipped. God alone is good.
THE SUPREME IMPORTANCE OF MONASTIC LIFE IS A SIGN
OF THIS REALITY IN OUR MIDST. The power of the Rule of
St B. for all of us is A WHOLEHEARTED SEARCH FOR GOD.
The reality is the EXPERIENCE OF JESUS. THE PURPOSE OF
PRAYER IS TO BE FULLY OPEN TO THE POWER OF JESUS TO
HIS LOVE.
WE MUST APPROACH THE MYSTERY OF GOD THROUGH
OUR OWN EXPERIENCE. Oh that today you would listen to
his voice, harden not your hearts.
KEY WORD: CONVERSION. We can best understand it in
terms of transcendence: the expansion of our being as we
cross the frontiers of our own limitations, as we leave self
behind and cross to the further shore.
PRAYER: We can say that prayer is transcendence
realised.
We turn aside from everything created and find ourselves
in the Creator.
CONVERSION isn’t a rejection of the world, but a vision in
the redemptive love of the world.
CONVERSION in the Rule is conversion to the brethren.
Think of them not self, turning to God and to Christ.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to the world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God – what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2
• discern what is the will of God. We experience joys
and challenges as we discern with our mentor what is
the will of God through each stage to Final (Solemn)
Oblation.
• present your bodies as a living sacrifice, Discipline at
the outset is not easy, and may feel like a sacrifice but
it is the foundation on which commitment and love
are grounded and become our way of being. We have
experienced this previously through our commitment to
the twice daily practice of meditation.
The experience of commitment is one of expansion;it is not about constraint, rather liberation. John Main OSB
Two oblates who have shaped the oblate community
in different ways have entered eternal life recently;
Rosie Lovat from the UK and Bill Harrison from the US.
Their legacy is written in the hearts and minds of those who
knew, loved and learned from them and those of us who
felt their influence from afar.
I am grateful and deeply touched by the generosity,
sincerity and giftedness of those who wrote for this issue.
And to Alexandra for her dedication and ability to turn
simple articles into a newsletter that is a work of art and
enhances each contribution.
[A]s we progress in this way of life and in faith, we shall run
on the path of God’s commandments, our hearts overflowing
with the inexpressible delight of love. RB Prologue 49
With love, TRISH
ROSIE LOVAT: 1918-2012 We are all called into the fullness of Being, to the fullness
of God Himself.
None of us can understand this fully, but we can all enter
into the EXPERIENCE of it.
TO KNOW GOD WITH THE HUMAN KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS
CHRIST.
St Benedict is never harsh or burdensome. His Rule is
practical.
WE MUST TURN ASIDE FROM EVERYTHING THAT DISTRACTS
US FROM GOD. If we do this our life will be filled with joy.
We will approach God running with indescribable joy.
READ THE RULE EVERY DAY:
Look behind the words and be open to the Spirit.
It is marvellously human and compassionate.
We must be clear, IF WE ARE SERIOUS IN OUR SEARCH FOR
GOD, WE MUST BE SINGLE MINDED AND WHOLEHEARTED.
Journal notes sent by FATHER LAURENCE
EDITORIAL
4
Judi and Paul Taylor en route to the Singapore Meditatio Interfaith Seminar
January 2012
Over more than 15 years our journey took us via a
number of schools of meditation where we met some
remarkable people; we continue to give thanks for the
sincerity and integrity of so many we encountered as we
went, and for being opened to all this way holds. Coming
home to Christian meditation in the mid-90’s had a sense
of rightness, a recognising of an unnamed knowing through
our years of searching that a place of meeting, of union and
integration was always possible. What this might mean in
practical terms came into sharper focus at two Meditatio
seminars we attended, in London and Singapore in the past
year.
The NSW Christian Meditation Community, of which
we are part has, over about 10 years, made a number of
explorations of interfaith dialogue with members of the
Buddhist, Islamic and Vedantic traditions. We always hoped
to share a period of silence as well as our conversation,
sometimes this was possible. Over time we experienced
the limitation of dialogue for us, and realised meditation
together, at the heart of our gatherings, creates a stable
place to explore sharing our respective sacred texts.
We were encouraged by Shaikh Kabir Helminski from the
London Sufi community, who spoke of the world being at a
tipping point between destructive materialism and moving
toward a new sense of global cooperation, and what was
so needed was small contemplative guilds where people
met in a spirit of unity, overcoming the seeming divisions
A JOURNEY OF GRACEBEGINNING AN INTERFAITH MEDITATION GROUP
between the world’s faith traditions. The interfaith seminar
in Singapore continued our thinking of the practicalities of
how to bring this about. Questions, such as: ‘how to invite
people; how to create conditions of trust; and how to share
our sacred writings.’ Father Laurence encouraged us that
what unites us is the silence. We can form a community of
faith, even with our different beliefs, and he reminded us
of St Irenaeus’ words: ‘The beginning is faith, the end is
love’.
The Good Heart gave us a wonderful model for interfaith
sharing, based on friendship, goodwill and trust. And Bede
Griffith’s Universal Wisdom has been a great resource,
collecting together beautiful readings from many
traditions.
We decided to meet once a month. We invited some
Jewish friends and some people from the local Sufi
group and, of course, our own Christian meditators, and
encouraged them to extend this invitation, particularly to
those who belonged to other faith traditions and would
have an interest in meditation. A few years earlier, Judi had
begun a group with some Jewish friends, and others of no
particular faith tradition, when they were facing serious
health issues. Involvement in this group had revealed that
our meditation could be simply adapted in a way open to
all.
The first three months we simply meditated together
with a reading, before and after meditation, from across
the traditions. From our first meeting in February there
has been a lot of interest, with people from Jewish, Sufi,
Tibetan and Laotian Buddhist faiths, some members of the
local Integral group and an atheist who feels at home in
the group. Our own meditators too have been eager. Some
have brought along friends they might not feel able to bring
to our usual groups. With 30+ at a recent meeting, we are
facing the (wonderful) problem that we may need to find a
bigger room!
At our May and June gatherings we have meditated
together with readings as before, and now, guided by a
simple format Fr Laurence helped us shape, we ventured
into some sharing about how the readings spoke to us and
touched our lives. In May, before meditation, we read from
the Bhagavadgita, part of Krishna speaking to his disciple
Arjuna and, afterwards, we used the reading for that
Sunday, John 15:1-8, often referred to as ‘the vine and
the branches’. Some people from other traditions found
Jesus’ words confronting and harsh. Perhaps our meditation
time had created a freedom in them to express this. There
also seemed to be a receptivity and gratitude among our
own to share in this way. We had been given a chance to
5
RESTRAINT OF SPEECH
In Chapter 6 of the Rule, our Father Benedict is actually
very strict. He says: ‘There are times when (even) good
words are to be left unsaid out of esteem for silence.’
He adds: ‘Permission to speak should seldom be granted
even to mature disciples, no matter how good or holy or
constructive their talk …’ He writes that the teacher may
speak, ‘the disciple is to be silent and listen.’
For some years one of my parishioners was a woman
who, I swear, never had an unexpressed thought. Her entire
stream of consciousness was laid bare in words, often
passionate words. You could forget about thoughtfulness.
She provided a running commentary day and night on every
event within her radar. My wife kept reminding me: ‘She
has a good heart, she means well.’ And true, she was not
malicious, though often very hurt by someone. There was a
kind of justice in that. She herself hurt a lot of people.
Benedict says it is better to listen and choose silence.
This was simply incomprehensible to my parishioner. For
her, consciousness and speech were welded together, one
following the other like fish and chips. One of Benedict’s
more prolific contemporary interpreters, Joan Chittister,
points out that silence is not non-talking, but rather
‘respect for others, a sense of place, a spirit of peace.’
But it is more than that. It is that the subduing of my ego
in prayer, stillness and silence, has now lessened my need
to say things, to make statements, to cap other people’s
stories, to tell my own story if I haven’t been asked. If I am
going to be in company, I will remember to be still.
Restraint of speech may be also a matter of making sure
my noise is not drowning out God or others. Sometimes
it does. Someone else’s word gets capped by my more
dramatic or funnier word. Benedictines don’t do that. I
think restraint of speech is also a facet of humility. It is
a recognition that what I might want to say, wonderfully
witty and insightful as it may be, is not all that important.
It may not be all that clever. But even if it is, it may be
better kept to be conveyed more intimately.
There are also aspects of wisdom involved. The motto of
Queen Elizabeth I was video et taceo, I see and I am silent.
When we are in company, when people are celebrating
perhaps, it’s sometimes hard to remember restraint of
speech. Introverts like me tend to withdraw and try to
spot the escape committee. But others, more extrovert,
join in. Then, I imagine, it is time to recall what Benedict
teaches. Our conversation is to be good and sincere. We do
not forget to listen. We do not have to say everything we
think of, or everything we know. We have served if we have
understood someone’s pain.
ROSS MILLER, NEW ZEALAND;[email protected]
Dalai Lama and Laurence Freeman
be confronted by our own scriptures, a chance to listen
with open hearts to the words afresh, and experience the
challenge that helps us go deeper. Others heard Jesus’
words as a call to become free of our false self.
We have invited those attending to suggest readings and
music that could be used before and after meditation.
This week our Sufi friend brought some of the poetry
of Ibn Arabi, and shared a brief reflection before some
conversation among us all. It’s a tentative conversation
‘profound … respectful … powerful and moving …humbling
… a sense of abundance and of simplicity,’ are some of
the comments we have received. At some moments there
can be an awkwardness, at others an exquisite moment of
union. While it has been noted ‘it is difficult for some of us
to know how to honour the diverse expressions of religious
faith when we know very little about them’, people come
back. ‘The meditation bonds us,’ someone said. And we
notice the visitors have stayed on each time for informal
conversation after the group. It is a place of unknowing for
us all, and it seems we are willing to occupy it together in
respect and friendship.
We are grateful for so much in coming to here. Fr
Laurence’s words encourage us on:
Interfaith friendship especially at the grass roots level
serves the whole world in this critical era … Meditation is
a spirituality of our time. It belongs to each tradition in
a unique way. It offers an immediate and deep place of
meeting, creating a community of faith among those of
different beliefs and generates the hope that our time so
urgently needs. Laurence Freeman, 2012.
JUDI AND PAUL TAYLOR, AUSTRALIA;[email protected]
Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2
6
My presentation is a reflection on the Rule of St
Benedict Ch. 9:2, ‘To this should be added the third
psalm and the Gloria.’
In this chapter St Benedict regulates the number of
psalms and the various responses to be used in the Divine
Office. I will be focusing only on one aspect, to be precise,
on one phrase. Of course, what is meant is the Gloria Patri.
My reflections are divided into 3 parts followed by a
conclusion:
1. Examples of the a brief summary from the literary
commentaries
2. Trinity and non-duality
3. Trinitarian Rule
As none of these thoughts are
my own, it remains for me to say
that I have shamelessly quoted
long passages from various
sources.
By prescribing how often and
when the ‘Glory be’ should be
said, St Benedict puts it at the
centre of the Opus Dei, and thus
the Gloria Patri constitutes the
centre of monastic life. This
is not a pious exercise but has
profound implications for the
consciousness of the monastic as
we shall see.
As with silence, St Benedict
does not reflect much on it or
develop a theology of silence; he
legislates for it. He does not talk
much about it; he simply does it.
In my own little survey at
Douai Abbey, I discovered
that the ‘Glory be’ is said 30 to 35 times a day. There is
probably no other phrase or prayer as often used as this
one. As a consequence the ‘Glory be’ has been elevated
without much notice or justification to a repetitive prayer
or mantra. And reverence is demonstrated by bowing or
standing up.
According to Holzherr, a Benedictine abbot and
commentator of the Rule, it was rather uncommon before
Benedict to use the ‘Glory be’ so often. Holzherr argues
that Benedict exhibits a particular Trinitarian piety and
reveals his anti-Arian attitude.1
We can safely say that for Benedict, Jesus Christ was
fully human and fully divine and he wanted his monks to
acknowledge this 30 times a day.
THE TRINITY
Benedict was not interested in reflecting any further
on the Trinity but he wanted to ensure that we develop a
Trinitarian image of God; not so much through reflection
but rather through practice. I will try to argue that
fundamentally it is not about a Trinitarian view of the
Godhead but of reality.
In this paragraph, in contrast to Benedict’s attitude, I
would like to reflect on some aspects of the Holy Trinity
which until recently was largely irrelevant for me. Three
books and one talk in a short space of time made me more
receptive to the reality of the Holy Trinity.
In his lecture ‘From
Duality to Trinity’, Laurence
Freeman2 opened a new
chapter in my approach of
the Holy Trinity.
A few weeks later I read
in Timothy Radcliffe’s
book Why go to Church?
that ‘We need to get rid of
the image of the celestial
Daddy.’3 In fact we need to
rid ourselves of any image
of God. St Augustine was
quoted, that if you count
you get it wrong. The Holy
Trinity is not about counting
from 1 to 3.
The most profound
reflections about the Holy
Trinity and the Trinitarian
reality of life I found in
Raimon Panikkar’s book
The Experience of God.4
According to Panikkar there
are three principal approaches to God:
a. the dualist vision, in which God is the absolutely
Other. There is an infinite distance between Creator
and creature
b. the monist vision, every thing is God and we
experience God insofar as we all experience things
c. the non-dualist vision (advaita) in which divinity is
neither individually separate from the rest of reality
nor totally identical with it.
God is neither the Same (monism) nor the Other
(dualism). God is the one pole of reality. This pole
is nothing in itself. It exists only in its polarity, in its
relationship. God is relationship, intimate internal
relationship with all.
The Trinity icon by Andrei Rublev
7
Panikkar continues that the Christian event constitutes
a challenge to both monism and dualism. The principal
dogmas of Christianity are non-dualist.4 I will often use the
words Trinitarian and non-dualist interchangeably.
‘Although the One is certainly not a numerical value,
it surely implies the negation of all multiplicity; it is the
expression of unity. To say that God is not One means that
the rationalizing human mind cannot reduce reality ad
unum …
If, in the monotheistic perspective, there is one
absolutely omniscient Being who embraces and understands
all of reality, that is not the case for the Trinity.
Nevertheless, there are not three gods: this is non-dualism.
God is not one, but neither is God two nor any multiplicity.
It is only through the constant negation of duality, by
refusal to close the process, in the conscious renunciation
of trying to understand everything, in the neti neti of
apophatic mysticism, that we can approach the Trinitarian
mystery.’4. (p. 65)
‘God, the Human, and the World are not one, nor two,
nor three. They are not three things, neither are they one.
Reality is Trinitarian, not dualist, neither one nor two. Only
by denying duality (advaita), without reducing everything
to unity, are we able consciously to approach it.’4.(p.66)
‘But the Trinitarian scandal that, according to the
theology of the first centuries, cost Jesus his life ended
in time by becoming blurred … The Trinity did not fit in
with the Christian empire. Theocracy is more in accord
with monotheism … The monotheism of orthodox Judaism
emerged again in the way Christianity was lived. The God of
the Hebrew Bible was identified with the Christian God. For
many, Jesus became simply the God of the Christians.’4.(p.67)
‘Sharing the life of the Trinity, we are slowly healed of
rivalry and fear. And so the dogma of the Trinity does not
fuel intolerance and claims of Christian superiority.’3. (p. 88)
‘So when we say that God is one and three, we are not so
much making numerical statements as struggling to glimpse
the mystery of the love that is the Trinity’s being: it points
to a reciprocity, utterly mutual without introversion and
turned out beyond it self.’3. (pp. 85,88)
Trinitarian views in the RBThe Rule at its core and in its outlook has a non-dualist
vision.
Three small examples should demonstrate this point:
1. The example of the ladder of humility clearly exists
only with the two sides, body and soul. It clearly
avoids an either or, or a supremacy of the one over
the other. A balanced life needs both aspects (RB 7)
2. Benedict wants us to cherish and regard the tools
we are using for the daily work like the vessels of
the altar. It has been said that Benedict tries to
overcome the divide of the secular and the sacred.
3. That guests should be received as Christ implies the
strongest non dualist attitude. The guest or stranger,
the poor or the sick are not vicariously representing
Christ but are Christ despite of or because of being
a guest, a stranger, poor or sick. This is clear gospel
teaching of the Trinitarian view of life.
ConclusionThe RB leads us to acknowledge the Holy Trinity and thus
the full humanity and full divinity of Jesus Christ. This
recognition is so radical as it tries to overcome a dual view
of reality. As Christ is not either human or divine, so are
we. Thirty times a day we are asked to bow to the holy
Trinity and acknowledge that reality is not dual but non-
dual or Trinitarian.
‘This single phrase in the Rule wants to open us up to
the understanding that religion is not merely here for us to
become good but to become God.’5. God became man, for
man to become God.
THOMAS BRUNNHUBER, OBLATE OF DOUAI ABBEY, UK; [email protected]
REFERENCES:1. George Holzherr, Guide to Christian Living, with commentary.
(Translated by Monks of Glenstal Abbey, Dublin, Four Courts Press, 1982).
2. Given at Westminster Cathedral.3. Timothy Radcliffe , Why go to Church? The drama of the
Eucharist (NY, Continuum, 2008).4. Raimon Panikkar, The Experience of God: Icons of the Mystery
(Augsburg Fortress, 2006).5. Michael Casey, Fully Human Fully Divine: An interactive
Christology (Liguori, 2004).
Adapted from the article: Reflections on Chapter 9.2 RB(‘Can I be a Catholic and a Buddhist?’) in “Occasional Papers II”
by the London Chapter of Douai Oblates, 2011.
The Holy Trinity (detail), Massacio,located in the church of Santa Maria Novella, Florence.
8
With each passing day I delve into knowledge of the
Rule, and I am amazed that St. Benedict had such
a great wisdom, and was able to convey fundamental
teachings to the contemplative life with extreme simplicity.
Writing about stability, made me conscious of my
weakness. How it is important to keep the twice a day
meditation, and the reading of sacred texts, with the
discipline of stability. Otherwise, the mind is easily
distracted and my heart is heavy with the cares of life.
Stability acquires a fundamental importance in a world
of extremes. It helps me to live in the desert and in the
crowd. How to get to God if I’m not rooted in my heart?
And how to get to the core, living at the extremes? Stability
is the path of moderation.
Stability creates depth in a world with multiple choices
that encourages superficiality. Without stability, we live
fragmented. As Archbishop Michael Ramsey said: ‘Jesus
wholly requires the whole human.’
But, undoubtedly, the most important teaching of this
lesson is that it made me realise that, through a stable
heart, I can feel God’s presence everywhere. It is not
necessary to be in a church, in a monastery or in any other
holy place. Stability makes the soul lighter in order to see
God in all events.
How Anthony Bloom brilliantly said: ‘What is stability? It
seems to me that one can describe it like this: you will find
stability when you discover that God is everywhere. There
is no need to look for him elsewhere, because he is here
and, if you cannot find him here, it is useless to look for
him elsewhere, because it is not he who is missing, we are
… It is important to recognise that it is useless to look for
God elsewhere. If you do not find God here, you will not
find God anywhere else. It is important because, it is only
when you understand this, that you will find yourselves
in the fullness of God’s kingdom in all its richness; God is
present everywhere and in all situations; you might say:
‘So, I’ll stay where I am.’
WHAT STABILITY MEANS FOR ME
At certain times, we live under the illusion that God is
absent when, in fact, it is we who are not present and open
to the reality that is God. Stability frees us from this trap.
Stability helps me to persevere in times when my mind
wants me to fool myself asking: ‘What’s the point of always
repeating the mantra?’ In moments of weakness, stability
is the strength. I think it’s through stability that the monks
fall and rise, fall and rise again. How to repeat always the
mantra without stability? How to have the feelings of being
inhabited by Christ without stability?
In one of the conferences of John Cassian, Abbot Isaac
says, ‘all that our souls engender before the hour of
prayer, we will inevitably re-present by memory, as we
pray. Therefore, as we want to be during prayer, strive
to be that also before prayer. For it is from our previous
conditions that the state of our soul depends during
prayer.’ Through stability, we prepare our souls for prayer.
Stability is to still live in a spirit of prayer. Through stability
my life becomes a prayer. So, I’ll stay where I am …
TAYNÃ MALASPINA BONIFÁCIO, BRAZIL(trans. Marcelo Melgares);
As the third stage of faith begins to dawn,
it opens—as faith ever does—
to a new horizon in which we both withdraw
and return to others in a new way.
We learn better to allow the other to be other
and not allow our projections to distort our love for them.
We have to give ourselves to them
and learn better to ask nothing in return.
Ultimate reality is approached by this process of faith
in which the self and the other are newly discovered
through the losing and finding.
Faith then blossoms
as the most comprehensive form of love—agape.
The vision it bestows in that ultimate reality is love.
LAURENCE FREEMAN OSBFirst Sight, pp. 78-79
Taynã Malaspina Bonifácio being received as an oblate noviceby Fr Laurence at São Paulo, Brazil in November
9
CONTEMPLATIVE BOOK CLUBAn invitation to Lectio Divina for all
We could never have imagined the response to our
invitation to join a Contemplative Book Club (CBC).
Such readiness, openness and trust. So very like starting
out on the journey of meditation!
In 2011 we gathered firstly to explore Madeleine Simon’s
book Born Contemplative soon after it was released
in its new edition. The subject matter was ‘topical’ as
meditation and children and the work in schools around
the world, was of great interest to our Community. But
more importantly the ‘Invitation,’ at the end of each
chapter, gave us a starting point to listen more deeply to
ourselves, and then respond to the ‘white spaces’ between
the words.
We met once a month over six months (joining the
regular Saturday morning meditation group at our Lavender
Bay Meditation Centre, Sydney, for meditation at 10am).
After meditation we moved from there quietly for a cup
of tea, and then spent one hour in two groups of about
10, each with a facilitator, holding a sense of quiet as
we gathered to be with the chapter we had prepared in
the previous month. Our reading was in the way of Lectio
Divina. This was new for many, and each meeting we
deepened our way of ‘breaking of the word’, listening with
the heart for what touched us personally in the writing,
and how we responded to that. The listening to ourselves,
to each other, and to what was being awakened in us,
grew. We were encouraged, in Fr Laurence’s words, ‘To
taste the truth of an experience with the spiritual senses.’
The response was heartfelt and, in the companionship
and confidentiality of our small groups, we came to a way
of recovering our own sense of childlikeness and freedom
‘to be’. Madeleine Simon’s deep insights opened us to the
wonder and simplicity, that we all once knew as children,
and we joyfully acknowledged that we too were ‘Born
Contemplative.’
Almost immediately we were asked to offer a second
CBC and this time Eileen O’Hea’s Manifesting in Form
was a unanimous choice. In fact it seemed to ‘choose
us’. Once again we invited a reading of a chapter or two
(as they were very short), in anticipation of the monthly
meeting, with the added joy of one of Eileen’s poems that
expanded her writing. We explored Eileen’s own story
and contribution to the teaching within The WCCM via the
homilies of Fr. Laurence. We also began the first session by
listening to Eileen’s voice on the CD Rain for the Sea.
After five months we were ready to leave her (or as
someone said, ready ‘’to really start the journey into a
new way of ‘unknowing’), richer for the encounter with
her and each other, and the realisation of the simplicity of
her message - that we are absolutely lovable and loved.
The friendship, about which she spoke so eloquently,
was our sense of the real fruit of our meetings. ‘To love
others involves more than thinking of them, more even
than enjoying their company, more even than sacrificing
ourselves for them: it involves allowing ourselves to be
loved by them’. (John Main, The Inner Christ, p.336) Have we finished with our CBC? No! We are about to
embark on a further five-month journey ‘listening with
the ear of the heart.’ John Main’s Door to Silence seems
a perfect gift to continue the work of the CBC - another
way to a new consciousness, and of coming together into a
silence that builds community.
PENNY STURROCK, AUSTRALIA;[email protected]
CASSIAN THE SEEKER
Cassian was a true seeker after spirituality.
He was trying to answer the perpetual questions
about the meaning and purpose of life
and about the relationship between
the world we see with our senses
and the ultimate reality this originates from.
His guiding thought was Jesus’ words:
‘You come out of things below: I come from the things above.
You come out of this world; I do not come out of this world’
(John 8.23). He tried to find ways
of accessing this divine reality of the ‘things above’.
KIM NATARAJA, Journey to the Heart, pp. 125-126Christian Contemplation through the centuries
Edited by Kim Nataraja. This book is featured on p.16.
10
PRACTISING LECTIO DIVINAReading the Book Of Nature
Nature has significant meaning to many on the
contemplative path. We all have seemed to relate, at
one time or another, and at varying levels of awareness, to
a deeper connection with our creator while just being in
the midst of nature. The questions for me have been: ‘How
do I take this experience and incorporate it into a more
meaningful and disciplined spiritual practice? How do we
deepen our level of awareness and, thereby, open ourselves
to further transformation using nature as a pathway?’
As oblates we are all called to seek God. This never
ending journey may take many different forms while still
being guided by The Rule of Benedict, the teachings of
John Main and Laurence Freeman, the wisdom of the early
Desert Fathers and Mothers, and the mystics. Experiencing
the sacred in the midst of God’s creation can be another
form of commitment or practice.
Origen (185-254) taught ‘The parallel between nature and
Scripture is so complete we must necessarily believe that
the person who is asking questions of nature and the person
who is asking questions of Scripture are bound to arrive at
the same conclusions.’ It was also likely that the tradition
of Lectio Divina, reading of Scripture, may be traced back
to Origen. St Anthony the Great (252-356), when asked how
he got along in the desert without books, replied: ‘My book
is the nature of created things and as often as I have a mind
to read the words of God, it is at my hand.’
These early teachings became the foundation for the idea
to take the practice of Lectio Divina and apply it to the
‘Book of Nature’ while on retreat.
As a hike leader and backpacker, with over 2,000 miles
of experience in the desert and mountains of Arizona’s
southwest, I wanted to find a way to share the power of
nature’s teachings with fellow meditators. What initially
started out as a serious backpacking ‘quest like’ venture,
eventually developed into a more practical retreat at
the Santa Rita Abbey in the foothills of the Arizona Santa
Rita Mountains. Here we would combine teachings, daily
meditation sessions, and periods of silence and reflection
with daily nature hikes. Group Lectio Divina readings of
Psalms, with clear nature content, provided an in-house
learning experience in the essence of Lectio Divina. When
practised at the group level, individual experiences of what
God is teaching us, at this point in our journeys, may likely
be different for each, yet no less important. This became
even more pronounced at the next step.
Taking our understanding of Lectio Divina, and moving
it outside to read ‘The Book of Nature,’ became our
new experience. The concept was simple. The practice
takes discipline. Substitute the ‘lectio’ reading part with
whatever our senses experienced while in the presence
of God’s creation. In other words, bypass the intellectual
reading stage ,with its built in filters, and move directly to
our more innate senses to ‘read’ and then ponder what was
resonating within. Like reading Scripture, the key was to
pay attention and be aware of what God was speaking to
each of us. Only now it was not through words, but by being
a part of nature’s creation, and ‘reading’ with our senses:
sight, sound, smell and touch.
Please consider reading the ‘Book of Nature’ and
experience nature as another path to greater awareness
and transformation in your spiritual practice. I think you
will find it a rewarding way to a deeper realization of our
oneness with God and all creation.
FRANK PRICE, USA; [email protected]
For those praying alone each day, it helps to know that,
even without a visible community,
the commitment to pray leads into a spiritual community.
In subtle but perceptible ways
this can give us the strength and encouragement we all need,
saints and sinners alike, to persevere.
Community is more than a place or a habit;
it happens among those who are faithful
and whose faith allows them moments of grace
to recognize each other.
JOHN MAIN OSB, Monastery without Walls, p. 18
11
Lectio Divina is Latin for sacred reading. It is suggested that,
before or after your morning or evening meditation, you read
a passage of scripture. After reading this go back to it, either
then or later, and spend 15 or 20 minutes reverently turning the
passage over in your heart. Read slowly and lovingly, pausing
whenever the words draw you into silence. Close your eyes and
experience the meaning of the words for you now. But even
more, experience the Presence found in them. Let the Reality of
the words become more and more a part of your being.
During the time of lectio, the historical setting of the passage
is not as important as the place it has in your life now. In a real
sense, you are not the same person you were ten, five or even one
year ago. Since you are always a ‘new person’ your response to
the Word will never be the same. You may find yourself making
acts of the will to conform you life more to the message of the
text. One day you may rest in a deep peace. Another day you
may be aware of tension, anger or sorrow. These feelings should
not cause any anxiety because they are all part of God’s healing
action at work in you. In time, you will learn to accept yourself
as a work-in-progress, and your growing appreciation for the
Living Word of God will lead you to a life of constant wonder,
gratitude and love.
Adapted from The Burning Heart, Gregory Ryan
When we are open and receptive to the Word of God,
Conversion happens.
It is not a matter of changing our opinions
or acquiring a new spiritual home.
It is a revolution in the deep structures
of the personality that, if it is genuine,
goes on for the rest of our lives.’
Introduction, Laurence Freeman OSB, The Burning Heart
Let us open our eyes to the light that comes from God,
and our ears to the voice from heaven
that every day calls out this charge:
If today you hear God’s voice,
harden not your hearts. Ps 95:8.
Rule of St Benedict, Prologue 9,10
LECTIO DIVINA: A SPIRITUAL PRACTICEOF THE WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION
FOUR STAGES OF LECTIO DIVINA
Through Lectio Divina
we learn to know the heart of God,
through the Word of God.
St Gregory the Great
READING/LECTIO (Reading with the eye of your heart and
listening with the ear of your heart )
• Read the passage slowly, two or three times and notice
what word or phrase speaks to you.
• Deeply aware of the word or phrase, ask yourself -
‘what’ am I hearing?
MEDITATION/MEDITATIO (Repetition)
• Repeat the word or phrase over and over, allowing it to
sink into and act on your heart. - Notice any feelings,
thoughts or questions arising and be open to these
touching into your life.
• Mindful of what has surfaced, ask yourself - how is this
touching me?
PRAYER/ORATIO (Listening)
• Listen for what you sense the Lord is revealing to you
now. Take this to heart and ask for the grace to hear
this at your deepest level.
• Immersed in what you have heard, ask the Lord - what
new insight am I being invited to embrace?
CONTEMPLATION/CONTEMPLATIO (Being)
• Stay quietly with whatever is happening, and trust
this. Now is the time to cease pondering, and allow
yourself to be embraced by what has happened for
you, knowing that the Lord loves you and wants what is
best for you.
• Your question now is - how will I respond?
• You may like to form a short prayer around your
response.
Your words were found and I ate them, and your words
became to me a joy and the delight of my heart. Jeremiah 15:16
QUESTIONS DURING THE FOUR STAGES:
• What am I hearing?
• How is this touching me?
• What new insight am I being invited to embrace?
• How will I respond ?
NOTE: Journaling your experiences of Lectio when possible,
is recommended. Over time these become your story of
growth and transformation as well as material for reflecting
on the year/s gone by. TRISH PANTON, AUSTRALIA;
12
I remember, as a young child, looking up at the moon one
breathtakingly cold November evening and knowing, with
crystal clear awareness, that I was a separate being, part of
Life and all its mysteries, but separate. With that shock of
ego consciousness and separation, my personal journeying
through life began and, so too, my longing to return home.
My homeward journey began when I first encountered
Christian Meditation through a Buddhist article on the
series of dialogues between Father Laurence and the Dalai
Llama, nearly two decades ago. As a consequence, I went
to hear Laurence talk on ‘The Desert in the City’. It was a
joy to know that the teachings of Cassian and John Main lay
within the heart of my own tradition. The Community, and
its teachings and wisdoms, have been the threads that have
been transforming the fabric of my faith ever since. Often,
in extraordinary circumstances, I have been led again and
again to renew my commitment to the practice of daily
meditation; stumbling through, with stops and starts, but
always returning to the simplicity of the Way. Gradually I
grew to love the discipline of meditating with a sense of
home coming, no matter what the timbre of my moods on
any given day.
In time, I came to travel through my own desert and
wilderness, experiencing the profound dislocation and pain
of life’s losses, tasting the dust of desolation. It was in the
years of struggle that followed that I came to experience
the true bedrock that I had been seeking. The compassion,
patience, acceptance and love, continuously reflected by
the Community are reflections of the Beloved. I know that I
am known. I know that I am loved.
Only a month ago I set out on my journey to join the
Benedictine Community and, in that welcoming, I knew
again I was coming home, and a deep sense of belonging
has warmed my heart and reawakened a trust that I knew
was part of my journeying. The seeds of where I am arriving
now at this moment have somehow always been present.
Now, the Rule of Benedict lights my journey. Each
morning and evening the wisdom reaches out through
my heart and into my day. The Rule reminds me to be
responsible in the present moment for all my thoughts
and actions, presenting me moment by moment with
those opportunities to live in Christ or not too. Most of
the time I seem to fail miserably! But the daily discipline
of meditating, like bookends to my day, seems to hold
me steady as life gusts about me with all its business and
encounters, graced as a mother of three, graced as the
daughter of a gentle woman losing her mind to the ravages
of Alzheimer’s, and graced as a teacher of little children.
Entering this period of discernment now has heightened my
awareness of the potential that we all have for expressing
the gift of love that is in us all. My mentor walks alongside
me through this stage and enriches my experience of the
Rule, offering guidance and good counsel as the questions
arise. Her support and careful attunement to where I am is
a rich gift which I wish to make the most of.
To put words, to the experience of taking my first step
towards joining the Benedictine Community, is to try to
distil into an essence an experience that is beyond words.
All I know is that now I can hold the grief and losses of my
life alongside the gifts and inexplicable joys that surprise
and arise, moment upon moment, from a deep well within.
This time of discernment and reflection is a liminal space,
which I have entered with a profound sense of joy and
anticipation, and full of wonderment that Life can continue
to insist on opening my heart, and filling it with new graces
in the autumn of my life. Trusting to the commitment to
turn my life of prayer to the outside is like turning myself
inside out.
When the Community welcomed me in December I was
reminded that we are all gifts to one another, and so I ask
for your prayers and blessings during this special time. I
stand tonight beneath the same moon, the same person as
the young child, but graced with the knowledge that there
are no limits to an open heart.
JANE SERRURIER, ENGLAND; [email protected]
COMING HOMETHE FIRST STEP
Mysticism, the personal experience of the presence of God,
is not limited to any particular religious expression
of humankind, but forms an essential part
of all world religions or wisdom traditions.
Christianity is certainly no exception,
although this fact may surprise many modern Christians.
It is, ironically, practically a truism
that deep spiritual experiences,
born out of profound silence,
often flourish in times of political and social turmoil.
LAURENCE FREEMAN OSB Journey to the Heart, (Introduction) p. 1
13
MID-ATLANTIC US OBLATESINITIATE REGIONAL CELL[Jesus] is God’s love made visible in the world
and His vision is a vision of a community;and Christianity, in the vision of Jesus,
is a fraternity of brothers and sisters who respond togetherto the same reality that is beyond them
and yet contains them and constantly expands them.
JOHN MAIN OSB
One of my biggest challenges, as US oblate coordinator,
has been to find a way to expand our community to
include the many far-flung newcomers and Oblates across
the US. These people tend to find our community through
books, the internet, or maybe retreats, but don’t live near
meditation groups or know other Oblates. Outside of one
very well established cell in Houston, and an up-and-coming
one in Jacksonville, other Oblates across the country
are for the most part isolated. How do we provide these
Oblates a rich experience of mentoring and connection with
our larger national and international community?
One initiative has been to create the ‘regional cell’, for
Oblates within reasonable driving distance of each other,
to come together to a central location on an occasional
basis, to experience a cell meeting, spiritual friendship,
and the opportunity for easier on-going contact. The five
US Oblates who came together for the first Mid-Atlantic US
Regional Cell meeting had previously been geographically
isolated from other Oblates. But with the enthusiastic
organization of Art Lerner, Oblates within driving distance
of Washington, DC, (from three states, and ranging from
30 minutes to 3½ hours away) met at the John Main Center
at Georgetown University, on April 28, 2012. For all, it
offered a first experience of the unifying dimension of an
Oblate cell meeting, and an opportunity to make or renew
acquaintances. Art, was accompanied by his wife and fellow
meditator, Kate. Tim Kelly, Tyler Doherty, and Gregory
Robison, also participated, along with Bill Hull, who began
his postulancy with the support of the new cell.
I flew down from New Hampshire to share in the joy of
the new cell, and to lead the group through the process
of a cell meeting. I told the group that I’m keenly aware
not only of how meditation creates community, but also of
how meditation creates new forms of community, of which
Oblates are one example. I shared my perception that,
with the inauguration of a regional cell meeting, we’re
expanding to address the needs of the increasing number of
Oblates in the US who don’t live near a local cell.
‘The spirit continues to move us beyond the
conventional, tangible forms of community,’ I said. ‘We’re
like the early Christians, but with the internet.’ Afterwards,
Gregory Robison reflected, ‘It struck me how important our
underlying Benedictine culture is in making such meetings
possible. As Oblates, we can immediately connect through
the sense of the meaning of the liturgical hours, the form
and content of the Divine Office, and the spirit of the Rule.’
Bill Hull observed, ‘I was moved by the sharing of personal
stories and left Georgetown very sure that I was blessed to
know some very wise and experienced people.’
The Mid-Atlantic regional cell plans to meet twice a year,
and to offer a model for other regional cells rising up in
the United States. A regional cell in the Northeast plans to
meet early this summer.
MARY KELLY ROBISON, USA; [email protected]
Jesus is a teacher of contemplation.
His life models it.
We cannot begin to respond to his question,
‘Who do you say I am?’,
or understand the meaning of the kingdom,
his critique of religion,
his understanding of humanity
or his death and Resurrection
unless we see how central contemplation is
to his life and teaching.
One explicit example of this is a short episode
in the Gospel of Luke,
the story of Martha and Mary which,
even this early in the Christian tradition,
expresses the primacy of contemplation over action
while also recognizing the difficult, inherent tension
between the two (Luke 10.32-42).
JOURNEY TO THE HEART, p.3
UNDERSTANDING JESUSLaurence Freeman OSB
14
CORK DAY OF RECOLLECTIONWITH FR DONAGH O’SHEA OP
On 14 April 2012, a Day of Recollection was held in the
Sacred Heart Missionaries’ Hall, Western Road, led by
Fr Donagh O’Shea OP.
Over 70 people (including newcomers to meditation)
attended this very special day to enjoy Fr Donagh’s unique
blend of humour, common sense and deep wisdom.
His theme for the day centred around the idea of the
‘Holy of Holies’, the empty space in the Temple in which
God was said to dwell. The empty body of the crucified
Christ becomes the Holy of Holies, and through his
Resurrection, we are not only a part of his Mystical Body,
we ARE the Holy of Holies, the Tabernacle in which God
dwells. We reach out from within the Tabernacle.
He expanded this theme in talking about the divided and
conflict-ridden state of the Church at the moment, saying
that polarisation in the Church puts the Body of Christ on
the rack. While anger and frustration are right and natural
at many things the Church has done or left undone, they
must go side-by-side with love and compassion. He used a
telling image to develop this: ‘I am sitting by the bedside
in the ICU of my dearest friend, who has been battered
almost to death by muggers. I naturally am filled with anger
at the people who have done this damage, but I realise as
I sit there (possibly for the first time) how much I love my
friend; and certainly the last thing I would want is to inflict
more damage. I would do anything I could to help heal the
wounds.’ I think it must have given us all a sense of hope
and joy that, in our meditation, our joining in the prayer
of Christ, we could never damage the Church, the Body of
Christ. Fr Donagh emphasised that Hope was the commodity
most needed—not a superficial optimism, but the certain
hope that, whatever happens (and the worst may happen),
God is still God.
I couldn’t do justice to the whole day’s nourishment he
gave us, but we all feel blessed that Fr Donagh is willing to
give us two days of his time each year. Long may the Lord
leave him with us.
RITA O’CONNELL, IRELAND; [email protected]
On March 25, Benedictine Oblates from Ontario and
Quebec met at the home of Polly and Mark Schofield
in Montreal, to honour the anniversary of the death of
St Benedict. The day included a reading from the rule of
St Benedict, a meditation period, discussions on various
aspects of Benedictine monastic life, and a talk on the
spiritual and human friendship between the two twins, St
Benedict and St Scholastica.
As Laurence Freeman has pointed out, WCCM Oblates
make a commitment to the community of Christian
Meditation, as well as to the Benedictine monastic
community. Unlike most religious leaders, Benedict wrote
only one rule of life, not one for men, one for women, and
another for lay people. He wrote one rule that can be lived
by men and women inside and outside the monastery, as
monks, nuns and lay people. It was John Main in 1975 who
placed the tradition of Christian Meditation at the centre
of the monastic life of the contemplative community he
founded in Montreal.
‘Today’ says Fr. Laurence, ‘the community formed
around the world through meditation testifies to John
Main’s vision that the contemplative experience creates
community. Meditation takes us to the essence of the
monastic identity; the single-minded search for God. For
some meditators who wish to become Oblates it offers
them in a particular personal way, a context and vision, for
their pilgrimage.’
For information on oblates in Canada
contact Polly Schofield: [email protected].
PAUL TURNER HARRIS, CANADA; [email protected]
25 WCCM BENEDICTINE OBLATESMEET IN MONTREAL
Darrell Taylor, Paul Harris, Polly Schofield, Don Myrick
Contrary to prevalent belief, commitment sets us free,seriousness bring us joy,
and discipline leads us to transcendence.This is the understanding with which we can communicate the
gospel and our Christian tradition of meditation.To underestimate the absolute demand the gospel presents
to each of us is to also underestimate the absolute joyand fullness of life it offers.
JOHN MAIN OSB, Monastery Without Walls, p. 118edited by Laurence Freeman OSB
15
Bill died on Friday, April 27, 2012, at Houston Hospice
where he and his wife, June Holly, had volunteered in
earlier years. June predeceased Bill in 2009.
Bill and June were both Oblates of The WCCM, and were
faithful and dedicated meditators for many years. They
taught meditation at St Marks Episcopal Church in Houston,
and at ‘Lord of the Streets’, a mission outreach program
for the homeless in Houston. They also formed meditation
groups while living in Galveston, Texas, and at the Holly
Hall retirement community in Houston.
Bill and June travelled enthusiastically to WCCM events
all over the world—nine times they travelled to the annual
Monte Oliveto retreat; they participated in two of the
Way of Peace pilgrimages; they attended the first Oblate
Retreat-Pilgrimage in Italy; and were at many of the John
Main Seminars.
They were such examples of hospitality as they opened
their hearts to all who came within range of their
consciousness. They had the gift of making each person
they spoke to feel like the most important person in the
world. And when anyone spoke to them, they listened
intently and carefully to each word. They were non-
judgmental, welcoming, compassionate, and loving to all.
Bill and June not only showed us how to live, they
showed us how to die. Those of us, who had the privilege of
walking the final journey with each of them, witnessed the
grace and faith with which they surrendered their earthly
abilities, accomplishments, and independent lifestyles,
while retaining their sense of humor and their concern for
others.
As we miss June, so will we miss Bill. We give thanks
to God for their lives, and the wisdom and love they so
generously poured out.
ANNE SINGLEY, USA; [email protected]
WILLIAM ‘BILL’ HARRISONHOUSTON, TEXAS, USA
1920-2012
Bill as we knew himPhoto: Rev. Dr. Helen Appleberg,
Galveston, USA
WHAT IS DRAWING METO THE OBLATE PATH?
The wisdom, discipline and nourishment of The Rule
of Benedict, the daily reminder of what is real in life
and how, with its help, I am beginning to recognise where,
particularly, I am struggling, and how I can begin to chew
on this, face it, feel it.
Deepening in prayer, opening more to the Spirit, and
‘Learning to listen to the words, directions and insights of
the one who is the voice of Christ for me now … knowing
who I am and what my life is meant to garner.’1
Learning what is real for me and who I am, the
Community, the sharing, the not wanting, or thinking I’ve
got to, go it alone. Learning to let go of the power struggle
and begin to ‘… make me face an authority outside myself’.
Learning not to ‘… stubbornly resist the challenges.’
Realising that relationships with others is ‘the stuff of
which our sanctity is made.’1
It’s all a beginning to … wanting to be simpler, deeper,
calmer, yet being able to see, if not always accept, that
whatever it is I want, however worthy it seems, isn’t
necessarily God’s will. Although I have been meditating for
many years, and have attended the oblate cell days, it was
not until recently I noticed that the rule was working within
me and I was being drawn to commit to this way of life.
For me Benedict’s Rule, with the helpful commentary, is a
guide, a friend, a challenge, a constant.
1. Joan Chittister, The Rule of Benedict: Insights for the Ages.
ANGELA GREENWOOD, UK;[email protected]
GIFTRain freely poursupon the earth,
a wondrous gift of lovesince time began.
Refreshing,sinking down,
“losing itself, ” giving itself,
always for others good.
So may I,joined to You
in love,Source of all life,
lose myself,give myself,
be refreshment,nurturance,
within this thirsting world.
RON DICKS, CANADA; [email protected]
NATIONAL OBLATE CO-ORDINATORS
USA: Mary Robison, [email protected]
UK: Eileen Dutt, [email protected]
NEW ZEALAND: Hugh McLaughlin, [email protected]
ITALY: Giovanni Foffano, [email protected]
IRELAND: Rowena O’Sullivan, [email protected]
CANADA: Polly Schofield, [email protected]
BRAZIL: Marcelo Melgares, [email protected]
AUSTRALIA and INTERNATIONAL: Trish Panton, [email protected]
VIA VITAE, No. 15, June 2012
EDITOR: Trish Panton PO Box 555 Pennant Hills, NSW Australia 1715 Tel: +61 2 9489 1780 Mobile: +61 409 941 605 Email: [email protected]
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Alexandra Irini, Australia
JOHN MAIN SEMINARSPIRITUALITY & ENVIRONMENT
16-19 August 2012INDAIATUBA/SP, BRAZIL
with
LEONARDO BOFF, FREI BETTO OP, LAURENCE FREEMAN OSB
PRE-SEMINAR RETREATBE WHO YOU ARE
Led by Laurence Freeman13-16 August
The Christian understanding of Jesus as the Word made
flesh transforms the way we see our own humanity and
also the natural world we are part of. ‘Nothing that is not
against nature is against Christ’ (Clement of Alexandria)—
this liberating insight has to be more courageously
embraced in our own time so that the mystery of Christ
can become fully transformative. But this is not only a
theological project. It begins—and finds its culmination—at
the deeply personal level of experience. And this is why
meditation in our own tradition is such a blessing and
necessity—it opens us to the mystery of the inner Christ and
to the cosmic Christ simultaneously. Our daily meditation
leads us to self-knowledge and also gives us new words with
which to understand and communicate the Word itself.
Bookings and further info:www.johnmainseminar2012.com
www.wccm.org
The John Main Seminar is an annual event designed
to broaden and deepen the teaching of Christian
Meditation. It brings together meditators from around the
world and those wishing to discover the practice.
BOOK CORNER
JOURNEY TO THE HEARTCHRISTIAN CONTEMPLATION THROUGH THE CENTURIES
edited by Kim Nataraja
Orbis Books, www.orbisbooks.com
The contemplative tradition in Christianity traces
its origins back to the person of Jesus himself, who
frequently withdrew to quiet places to pray, and it has
nourished and challenged disciples in every generation
since.
Journey to the Heart is an in-depth and richly illustrated
exploration of this long tradition of Christian spirituality
by some of today’s leading spiritual writers. From New
Testament times to the present day, it traces the many
tributaries of this stream, using the essential insights of
many lay teachers, practitioners, movements, and classic
spiritual texts as stepping stones along the way.
For each successive stage of the unfolding drama
of Christian mysticism, Journey to the Heart features
biographies, an overview of historical contexts and
contemporary influences, an exploration of key concepts
and themes, and essential quotations, making it an ideal
resource for study as well as a compassion guide to the
spiritual life.