Oblate letter of the Pluscarden Benedictines, Elgin, Moray, IV30 8UA.
Scotland.
Ph. (01343) 890257 fax 890258
Scotland.
Ph. (01343) 890257 fax 890258
Website www.pluscardenabbey.org DMB series No 21
Lent--2014
Monastic
Voice of the Carthusians "The Prayer of Love and Silence" by a Carthusian, translated
from the French by a monk of Parkminster:
"Obedience and patience, we
must remember, are not ends in themselves. 'Art for art's sake' is nonsense,
since nothing created can be its own end. It is the same with virtue. .Virtue
for virtue's sake' as an ideal is meaningless and discouraging, because it can
never be realized. Anyone leaving the world for the paltry pleasure of thinking
himself perfect, or who accepts the world's challenge from a sense of spiritual
pride or to increase his self-esteem, is simply ending up where he began with
himself! When Our Lord asks us to empty our hearts, it is because he wants to
fill them with His own love. And it is only when He does fill our hearts that
the work of our purification has achieved its object. In the same way, the
divine life can only take possession of us when we have done all we can, on our
part, to become detached from created things. Death to self and life in God are
inseparably linked: the one without the other remains sterile.
Listen
to Our Lord's promises to those who keep his word: promises that he longs with
divine impatience to realize in us. He
that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him and will
manifest myself to him; and we will come to him, and will make our abode with
him. In that day, you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I
in you. ...And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete,
that he may abide with you forever.....the Spirit of Truth. He shall abide with
you, and shall be in you."
From The
Oblatemaster’s Desk
My apologies--this
letter shall be a little shorter and is a little later than the first of last
year. My brother-in-law Alan died on the feast of the Epiphany and my brother,
Timothy had a heart attack in February ( he is recovering well). Our fragility
is a good preparation for Lent " Remember man that you are dust and unto
dust you shall return" ( Ash Wednesday liturgy)
"When our Lord asks us to empty our hearts, it is
because he wants to fill them with His own love." When we are tardy in
making a shift towards this our Lord, to help us, steps in by His providential
ways. Divine Providence in tandem with the Liturgy empties, shapes and fills
our hearts when we embrace it all in faith. Our Lord Jesus is always about His Father's business which is making
us ready for His company and that of the Communion of saints now and in
eternity--- not without our willing coӧperation.".... and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him. In that
day, you shall know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you."
Prayer
Intentions Br Joseph Solemn profession 25 March For Abbot Anselm's and Bishop Hugh's intentions. For vocations at Pluscarden, St Mary's, Petersham and Kristo
Buase. Br. Adrian and Br. Finbar, health. Br Gabriel’s mother and Fr.
Dunstan’s parents, failing .The repose of the souls of Mary Buist and Fr. Martin's
brother-in-law, Alan Willis and for his
widow Annie. Please pray for sick Oblates especially for Sarah Drever’s husband
Leslie. Brigitte Mackay, Mrs Maggie Barrett and Fr. Martin's brother Timothy(
oblate) recovering from heart surgery, Paul Miller 90's and hernia, Margaret
Rawcliffe, for Ursula Humphrey(who broke her wrist at Pluscarden preparing for
the Lenten retreat!), Mrs. Gertrude Corker’s two daughters, for Bob Barr,
Brian Milne, , Gail Schmitz and her son Julian, Maurice Dufficy, Mary
Bradley, Graham Dunbar, Pauline Reid, Beth Fraser and her husband Chris, Marie
Claire Hérnandez paralysed after a stroke in Spain her home, Bob Clark(poorly
but gamely coming to the rerteat!)), Nick Macrae’s son, Martin Macrae, and wife
Sharon, kidney transplants, Dr. David Paterson and his wife Angela, Jacqui’s
daughter Sally, Poppy Sinclair, Ian Brodie and his twin brother, Carolyn
Boardman and son Malcolm, Martin Farrelly recovering from very major surgery
and just lost his dog Murdo, David Braine, philosopher, Susan Stephen, Violet,
Sheila and all friends of the Abbey and for all oblates, friends and all the
sick, and those who care for them.
BOOKS Conscience in Context by Fr. Stuart Chalmers, VG of Aberdeen Diocese and oblate of Pluscarden
Abbey ISBN 978-3-0343-0995-0 pb. (Softcover) £55.00 ( or
through your library!)"In this book, the author presents a detailed study
of the notion of conscience from the perspective of its historical development
and existential environment. The purpose of the study is to highlight
conscience’s dignity and fallibility, as well as its dependence upon the
context of virtue and grace, in order to develop as our capacity to perceive
the truth in moral action"
"There
is nothing facile here. There is no replacement of the old authoritarianism with
a subtly disguised newer model. Rather Fr Chalmers takes us beyond the
paralysing dualism of inner light and external authority. He makes a quietly unpolemical
but crucial contribution to that authentic renewal of moral theology called for
by Vatican II and Bl. John Paul
II.
Both theoretically (this is based on a doctoral thesis) and practically (he is
a parish priest), he shows a way by which, like St Thomas More, we can indeed,
humbly under the mercy of God, “discharge our conscience”. I hope this book
will be appreciated for the light it brings.
+
Hugh Gilbert O.S.B., Bishop of Aberdeen
"INTERMONASTIC
EXCHANGE PRINKNASH/PLUSCARDEN" Venue--PRINKNASH ABBEY, GLOUCESTERSHIRE,
ENGLAND
12
– 14th JULY 2014-- £65--Don't miss your Chance-- write at once or email Fr.
martin at Pluscarden for a booking form and the full programme ( or see in
Oblate Letter 19 available through Pluscarden website Oblate blog)-- PAMELA IS
VERY HOPEFUL OF YOUR RESPONSE.
St
Mungo’s Chapter Glasgow. As announced. Peter Aitken 11, Maxwell
Grove, Glasgow. G41 5JP. Phone:0141
4272084. Numbers have been steadily increasing.
St. Monica’s Chapter,
Thurso. Contact Jane Coll. "Scaraben”, Westside, Dunnet, Thurso,
Caithness, KY14 8YD. Phone 01847 851467
ST.PETER'S CHAPTER OF OBLATES Aberdeen WILL BE STARTING AGAIN ON
WEDNESDAY 12TH MARCH IN ST.PETER'S
CATHOLIC CHURCH PARISH ROOM AT 5PM
IF YOU KNOW OF ANY OBLATES CAN YOU PASS ON THIS INFORMATION THANK YOU!! Mr Brian MilneTel 01224 485781 stpetersbulletin1803@talktalk.net
Ugandan
Seminarian update.The young man, Dominic, who was in the
Minor Seminary and who the Oblates sponsored for the the last two years, failed
to meet the standard, and was asked to leave the Seminary in December 2013.
The
second young man, Josaphat, had been through Minor Seminary, and was supported
by the Oblates in 2013 to complete his Higher Education. Success would have
allowed him entry into the Major Seminary. We have not received any information
on how successful he was in his exams and as such our sponsorship has come to
an end.
I
fear we may have lost both our Seminarians. Yours in Christ, Paul
The
Third World Congress of Benedictine Oblates October 2013, report from Rome by
our oblates Martin Gardner and Jim Bradley.
During the first week of October Jim and I
found ourselves on a flight to Rome to attend the World Congress of lay
Benedictine oblates. We arrived, not without some little adventure, at
the Salesianum, our accommodation for the week, in time for Vespers.
There were 13 delegates from Benedictine Abbeys around the U.K. and 160
fellow oblates from around the world including Korean, Brazilian, Australian
and Nigerian, to name just a few, mostly Catholic but also brother Benedictines
from Anglican communities.
The Theme of this Congress was “Obsculta” –
the Oblate listening in the world. This is the first word of the Rule,
meaning listen (and obey), which reminds us that from the very beginning the
Rule puts into place the dynamic of listening and obedience.
Listening there was aplenty during the week
including keynote speeches from Sr. Mary John Mananzan O.S.B., who reminded us
of Pope Francis’ call to alleviate poverty in the world, Abbot Primate Wolf OSB
and Fr. Michael Casey OCist whose address was, for me, the highlight of the
week. One of his memorable remarks concerned Faith. “Faith comes
from hearing, from receiving the Word. This fundamental gift of grace
passes through five stages before it becomes complete - experience,
enlightenment, assent, practice and perseverance.” He also spoke
wonderfully on Lectio Divina. Some Oblates were unaware of Lectio Divina
so an additional workshop was hastily organised. Who among we oblates
carry out this as a norm in our daily lives?
Should you wish to read Fr Michael’s speech
in full please use the following link
http://www.benedictine-oblates.org/2013/txt/txt-03-en.pdf I promise you
will be very glad you did.
From first light until usually 10 pm each
day we explored a number of topics in breakout workshops which included that of
Kenosis – emptying ourselves so we may be truly able to Listen. Lauds,
Mass, Vespers and Compline were sung in the Church’s universal language of
Latin which was a boon in such a diverse lingual gathering.
It was not all lectures, workshops and
study, very profitable though they most certainly were. Trips were
organised to Subiaco, Sant’Anselmo, Saint Peter’s for the Sunday Angelus, and
Monte Cassino. We were privileged to be given true Benedictine
hospitality from the Abbot Primate Fr Wolf OSB who treated us not only to
supper at Sant’Anselmo but also to a musical evening at Sant’Anselmo.
The most evocative image I retain from our
trips was seeing one of our American spiritual directors, Fr Paschal Morlino
OSB, kneeling at the foot of the statue of St Benedict in the grotto of
Subiaco. His visage filled with humble piety, love, devotion and prayer
to our Holy Father St Benedict was a sight I shall not forget.
In his closing remarks the Abbot Primate
indicated that there will indeed by a 4th World Congress. I would
encourage you to put yourself forward without any hesitation. Only one
word of caution – do not fly Alitalia; our journey home was even more
adventurous than our outward journey. They too should perhaps “Listen”.
Oblate Lenten Retreat Programme starting Friday,
7th March -arrivals for Vespers; Saturday--10.30
am 1st retreat talk Abbot Anselm, Saturday afternoon 2.30-4.00 confession/talk
with priest St Benedict's, ground floor and confessional box in the Church; Sunday homily at 10.00 am Mass Abbot
Anselm, 2.00 pm-4.00 pm silent Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, 7.00
pm 2nd retreat talk Abbot Anselm; Monday,
10th March final Mass at 9.00 am and renewal of oblation, departures following.
In general we follow the timetable of the Divine Office and Holy Mass for the
weekend apart from the additional items specified-- if commuting in then please bring your own flasks and
sandwiches!( It is Lent!!)
Blessings
on your Lenten Preparation Fr.
Martin PAX