September 12, 2010 Gathering

After Praise, Mass, and Brunch, we began our meeting with centering music and prayer.  Coming soon is our Oblate Retreat Day.  On October 2, 2010,

Rev. Norman Carroll will lead us in a conference and discussion of the Rule of Benedict.  We will begin at 9:30 a.m.

Also, both of the following (copied from http://www.naabod.org/ ) were discussed.  A van(s) will be available for the Regional Retreat in Bristow on October 30, 2010.  Let Sister Roni know soon if you will attend.  Also, give Sister Roni your name for the raffle for two oblates to attend the July, 2011 Biennial Conference with Sister:

• The communities of Emmanuel Monastery in Baltimore, St. Gertrude Monastery in Ridgely, MD, St. Benedict Parish in Baltimore, St. Benedict Monastery in Bristow, VA and St. Anselm’s Monastery in Washington, D.C. are having a Regional Oblate Retreat day at St. Benedict Monastery in Bristow, VA.  The speaker is Sr. Cecilia Dwyer, Prioress of the Bristow monastery.  Sr. Cecilia will share the presentation that she gave at the NAABOD gathering in Latrobe, PA last year.  There will be a panel of Oblates sharing on their commitment in the afternoon.  The date is October 30, 2010.  This is their third regional retreat gathering which happens biannually.
• Speakers have been confirmed for the 2011 biennial conference that will meet at St. Meinrad, IN July 1-6, 2011.  The theme is “Embracing Creation with Reverence and Hospitality:  Listening to Scripture and Rule Speak”.  Sr. Kathryn Huber of Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, IN will speak on Saturday, July 2; Kyle Kramer, Director of Lay Degree Program at Saint Meinrad will speak on Monday, July 4; and Sr. Sheila Marie Fitzpatrick of Our Lady of Grace Monastery in Beech Grove, IN will speak on Tuesday, July 5.  Pictures of the speakers and more bio information will be included soon in the link on our web site, “Biennial Meeting.”

We then proceeded to learn more about and practice Lectio Divina.  Find a time, a place or a space to quietly be filled with the Spirit.  Listen to centering music, read the scripture for the day, or a similar reading that speaks to you – try Isaiah, Wisdom, or Proverbs.  Read…what speaks to you?  Read again…what word speaks to you?  Read again…what does God want you to take away?  And, don’t worry if you don’t gather a word or a thought, sometimes you may not, just open yourself again tomorrow for ….the still small voice.

Pam McElwee gave a wonderful talk of her trip to the Holy Lands.  She shared photographs, the places she visited, and the feelings they invoked.  She said in Egypt there were stones, hills, mountains, rocks, and not much green, except St. Catherine’s Monastery at Mount Sinai where the monastery was said to be built around the site where Moses saw the burning bush.

Pam noted that the weather was extremely hot, 114 degrees F.  In the Holy Lands, the priest who was on the trip made sure that they saw everything there was to see; but consequently, they did not have the time to meditate or really experience each area.  Happily they did have time to be re-baptized in the Jordan and they did take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.  Pam was blessed to be the lector when they visited the site of the Incarnation.  She also showed us a picture of Deacon Hal and Margaret Jopp.  Hal had been installed as a Knight of the Holy Sepulcher and this was Margaret’s installation as a Lady of the Holy Sepulcher.  In attendance and in the picture was also the Patriarch of Cypress, Jordan and Israel, along with Pam, Linda Ruskin, and Father Klevance.  The married couples in the group renewed their wedding vows at Cana and there was Exposition at the Garden of Gethsemane.  All in all it sounded like a wonderful trip and when Pam finished we all felt as if we had been there with her.

Housekeeping –

·        An updated copy of the 2010-2011 Meeting Schedule is attached – please mark your personal calendar to hold those days open for oblates so that we may all be blessed with the community of our group this year.

·        Gather any of your friends who have expressed an interest in oblates, or anyone you feel might be happy to learn about St. Benedict’s Rule, and bring them to our November 14, 2010 Open House gathering.

·        Sister Roni would like to include more of us in the presentation of topics throughout the year. Please consider speaking on one of our topics this year - the Rule, Lectio, or the Saints then give Sister Roni a call.

¹A brother may be assigned a burdensome task or something he cannot do. If so, he should, with complete gentleness and obedience, accept the order given him. ²Should he see, however, that the weight of the burden is altogether too much for his strength, then he should choose the appropriate moment and explain patiently to his superior the reasons why he cannot perform the task. ³This he ought to do without pride, obstinacy or refusal. ⁴If after the explanation the superior is still determined to hold to his original order, then the junior must recognize that this is best for him. ⁵Trusting in God's help, he must in love obey.