The Cincinnati Chapter of Benedictine Oblates of St. Meinrad
Archabbey
Meeting Minutes, November 23, 2014
Attendance of oblates and
guests:
Rosemary Conrad, Pat Dorn,
Clyde Dorn, Ursula Hassel, Kathy Gloeckner, Nick McCarroll, Linda McCarroll, Ron
DeMarco, Linda Faulhaber, Karin Mendoza, Mary Louise Reed, Peyton Reed,
Margaret Sherlock, Stephen Drees, Kim Palacio, Ron Lillie, Sr. Betty Jane
Lillie, SC, Eric Kenny, Shelly Pharo, Barb Hanlon, Tim Grant, Br. Francis de
Sales Wagner, OSB.
The meeting was
opened by Rosemary Conrad with the reading of the Mission Statement
and introductions. Second Vespers were prayed using The Liturgy of the
Hours for Benedictine Oblates.
Our Lectio Divina was based
on Sunday's Gospel (Matthew 25: 31-46).
Treasurer’s Report:
Nick McCarroll reported that after
a meeting minutes mailings cost of $36.75 we have a balance of $117.00 in our
treasury. We will give $75.00 to Br.
Francis de Sales Wagner, OSB, today for his much welcomed trip to see us and be
our speaker today.
Old/New Business
The minutes were approved from our
last regular meeting held on October 26, 2014.
Ron Lillie made his final oblation
as an oblate of Saint Meinrad Archabbey.
Br. Francis DeSales, OSB, accepted Ron’s oblation on behalf of oblate
director Fr. Meinrad Brune.
Laurie Wallhauser is reported to be
progressing in her healing, with improved ability to articulate her speech in
conversation. We keep her in our prayers.
Peyton Reed mentioned that he has
discs of psalm tones for those who wish to hear them and practice for our
singing of psalms during our meetings.
Program
Br. Francis
de Sales Wagner, OSB, was our guest speaker. His presentation was on
"Being with God in Prayer." Br. Francis began by first talking about
God's presence within us emphasizing that His presence is key to our life as
oblates: “When I was told that the general theme for this year's oblate
conference was 'The Presence of God in the Life of the Oblate.' I thought to
myself: the presence of God IS the life of the oblate. Our lives as human beings-- whether
or not we're aware of it or acknowledge it-- are intimately bound together
within the presence of God. Our mere existence is a manifestation of the divine
presence, since it is God who creates all things, and gives life to all being."
After citing many references in scripture and the Rule supporting God's presence with us and that God's divine presence is everywhere, Br. Francis went on to show how prayer is the principal means by which we are invited to immerse ourselves in this Divine Presence. It begins with God calling us first. “In prayer, the faithful God's initiative of love always comes first; our own first step is always a response (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2567)." Prayer is God's invitation to dedicate our time and being to a fuller appreciation of the divine so that our vision broadens and our hearts expand through Love. In prayer, we listen for the invitation, for that "tiny whispering sound" in our hearts that draws us toward God.
And as Benedictines, Br. Francis reminds us that the form of prayer that is dear to our hearts is the regular praying of the psalms--commonly referred to as the Liturgy of the Hours or the Divine Office. Here, Christ is truly present as Jesus tells us "Where two or three are gathered, there I am among them. Together, animated by the Holy Spirit, our voices become one with Christ's in praying to God the Father on behalf of the church and the world. Br. Francis makes a point that whether we are praying together or alone, we pray in Spirit with Christ, in one voice, and as Christ, to God the Father for the salvation of all! He then quoted Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton who had beautiful things to say on this subject: We all have our problems and troubles, and yet we all sing (psalms) together: 'O God hear my cry, hearken to my prayer. ...Our vision goes out to embrace the whole Mystical Body, in all its scattered members in every part of the world. Where ever they may be, we are with them, because we are all One in Christ. Wherever two or three are gathered in His name, Christ, in the midst of them, imparts to them his identity. He becomes the 'I' who sings and prays and praises in us all."
I have to add one last comment that Br. Francis said which, to me, really hits home about during our day our praying the Office with the monks of St. Meinrad. At the monastery during the reciting of the Divine Office, there are two opposing choirs of monks who alternate the singing of verses of the psalms. As this is happening, Br. Francis looks up and sees on one side of the church the painting of Christ, on another wall, the Holy Spirit, and on another God the Father. It is a true vision of the Holy Trinity conversing with each other in prayer, with the monks singing, and with us at home praying the same psalms, we all partake of this glorious feast to become One with the Trinity, One voice!
After citing many references in scripture and the Rule supporting God's presence with us and that God's divine presence is everywhere, Br. Francis went on to show how prayer is the principal means by which we are invited to immerse ourselves in this Divine Presence. It begins with God calling us first. “In prayer, the faithful God's initiative of love always comes first; our own first step is always a response (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2567)." Prayer is God's invitation to dedicate our time and being to a fuller appreciation of the divine so that our vision broadens and our hearts expand through Love. In prayer, we listen for the invitation, for that "tiny whispering sound" in our hearts that draws us toward God.
And as Benedictines, Br. Francis reminds us that the form of prayer that is dear to our hearts is the regular praying of the psalms--commonly referred to as the Liturgy of the Hours or the Divine Office. Here, Christ is truly present as Jesus tells us "Where two or three are gathered, there I am among them. Together, animated by the Holy Spirit, our voices become one with Christ's in praying to God the Father on behalf of the church and the world. Br. Francis makes a point that whether we are praying together or alone, we pray in Spirit with Christ, in one voice, and as Christ, to God the Father for the salvation of all! He then quoted Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton who had beautiful things to say on this subject: We all have our problems and troubles, and yet we all sing (psalms) together: 'O God hear my cry, hearken to my prayer. ...Our vision goes out to embrace the whole Mystical Body, in all its scattered members in every part of the world. Where ever they may be, we are with them, because we are all One in Christ. Wherever two or three are gathered in His name, Christ, in the midst of them, imparts to them his identity. He becomes the 'I' who sings and prays and praises in us all."
I have to add one last comment that Br. Francis said which, to me, really hits home about during our day our praying the Office with the monks of St. Meinrad. At the monastery during the reciting of the Divine Office, there are two opposing choirs of monks who alternate the singing of verses of the psalms. As this is happening, Br. Francis looks up and sees on one side of the church the painting of Christ, on another wall, the Holy Spirit, and on another God the Father. It is a true vision of the Holy Trinity conversing with each other in prayer, with the monks singing, and with us at home praying the same psalms, we all partake of this glorious feast to become One with the Trinity, One voice!
Thank you
Br. Francis!
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