Saturday, October 14, 2017

September 2017 Newsletter

September 17, 2017
by Pat Dorn

Hello, everyone.  We are looking forward to seeing everyone again after the long, and busy summer break.

You will recall that our previous year ended rather sadly with the sudden death of
our co-coordinator Rosemary Conrad, who passed away on May 17, 2017.  Rosemary
made her oblation as an oblate of Saint Meinrad Archabey 29 years ago on July 9,
1988.  Her presence and leadership in our chapter will be greatly missed. 

Ron DeMarco has been appointed to succeed Rosemary as co-coordinator of our
chapter.

Our first meeting for 2017-2018 will be held on Sunday, September 24 at 2:00 p.m.
This meeting will be held at our home in Kenwood rather than at St. Gertrude and will
be followed with a potluck dinner.  Directions are enclosed.  We will provide plates,
napkins, utensils and drinks as well as a meat/cheese tray, bread, etc. Please bring a
side dish, salad, or dessert to share.  If this presents a difficulty for you, do not feel
obligated to bring anything—just come!  We have always had plenty and nobody has ever left hungry.

We are pleased to welcome the newly appointed dean for the Ohio oblate chapters, Br. Francis Wagner, OSB, as our guest speaker for this meeting.  The topic of his talk is:  Be angry but do not sin: How do we resist the “wicked zeal of bitterness” in today’s world.


Br. Francis will also give us a brief explanation of the changes and restructuring of the oblate program at Saint Meinrad that has taken place as a result of Fr. Meinrad’s retirement as oblate director.


2017/2018 Meeting Dates
Please Note:   All meetings are held on  a Sunday at 2:00 p.m.

2017
September 24 (Br. Francis Wagner, OSB)
October 22 – (Program to be determined.)
November 19 (Br. Peduru Fonseka, OSB)  


2018
January 28 (Program to be determined.)
February 25 (Program to be determined)
March 25 (Program to be determined)
April 22 (Br. Francis Wagner, OSB)

Other Important Dates
June 2 — Day of Recollection hosted by Columbus Chapter

April 2017 Meeting Minutes

Cincinnati Oblate Chapter Minutes
April 23, 2017

Attendance: 
Beverly Winner, Peyton and Mary Louise Reed, Linda Faulhaber, Kathy Gloeckner, Chris and Lori Wallhaussen, John Campbell, Nick and Linda McCarroll, Clyde and Pat Dorn, Fr. Luke Waugh, OSB, Susan Anderson.

Introductions and reading of the Mission Statement opened our meeting.  Second Sunday Vespers of Week Two was prayed together.  Lectio Divina was shared together using John 20:19-31.  Minutes of  the March meeting were not available and will be included with the Sept. agenda.  Nick reported that our treasury balance as of today is $86.00.

New/Old Business: 
The Cincinnati chapter will host the Ohio Day of Recollection on May 20.  Linda McCarroll  has the list for signup for items to bring for May 20 refreshments.  Nick gave the check total to Fr. Meinrad from our chapter gift to him for his service as Oblate director.


Presentation by Fr. Luke Waugh, OSB:  Humility, a Benedictine Spirituality

The Rule Prologue reads to listen carefully with the ear of the heart to be vulnerable to being permeated with Christ.  Chapter 7 reads to give your will up to God so that God’s will be done in us. We need to empty self of our own notions so God can permeate our being to become who we really are.

Fr. Luke told the journey of recently deceased Fr. Rupert who died at 95 and was confessor to many monks.  Fr. Rupert had a mind for details and accepted the Abbot’s direction to be monastery treasurer and Abbey Press manager for many years.  He helped the Abbey through rough financial times and he loved the Office.  In choir, he opened himself up to: Lord, here I am.  I’ve come to do your will.

How can we as Oblate Christians be obedient to the voice of God?  Chapter 7 last paragraph reminds us that perfect love casts out fear.  Our Pope Francis accepted humility of political tensions and understanding of different personalities in Argentina.  We need to empty self  to Christ because Christ became full to reconcile us in sacrifice.  We listen to see the current of God in each life as mirror images of Christ for us and to see the glory of obedience to God’s will.


Submitted by Susan Anderson

March 2017 Meeting Minutes

Cincinnati Oblate Chapter Minutes
March 26, 2017

Attendance:
Clyde Dorn, Pat Dorn, Rosemary Conrad, Ron DeMarco, John Campbell, Peyton Reed, Mary Louise Reed, Susan Anderson, Linda Faulhaber, Kathy Gloeckner, Beverly Winner, Nick McCarroll, Linda McCarroll, Barb Hanlon.

Introductions and reading of the Mission Statement opened our meeting. Second Sunday Vespers of Week Four was prayed together.

Lectio Divina was shared together using John 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 24-38.The Minutes of February 2017 were approved. Nick McCarroll reported that our treasury balance as of today is $117.00, after Pat was paid for mailings expenses of $21.56 for October through March.

New/Old Business:
The Cincinnati chapter will be hosting in May the Ohio day of Recollection. The charge for the day will be $30 per person. It will be at the Milford Spiritual Center in the Pavilion. Nick McCarroll. Pat will send out a note on how to register and pay for the day.

Video Presentation by Fr. Jeremy King, OSB, on Praying and Singing the Psalms.

Fr. Jeremy began by saying that first we need to recite the psalms before singing them to understand the pacing and rhythm. Psalms are poetry. These are the prayers of the church, so they are our prayers as part of the Liturgy.

There is no wrong way to pray the Liturgy of the Hours, so do not be a slave to “one way” to pray. Just pray! In the psalms we are praying other people’s prayers so we are participating in tradition to hand on from one generation to another generation the prayers. “The Bible is a shared memory of a grateful people for the experience of God.” In the Archabbey Church we use the Grail Psalter from the 1960’s.

The purpose to pray together, and as St. Augustine said, to sing is to pray twice. Let’s start by reciting the psalm first. Saying a word involves more of our physiology and is better than just reading it on a page. Be sure to say the word out loud.  Look at the accents on the words of the psalm. The accents set the pulse and rhythm of the reading. Be aware of others praying with you and do not be in a hurry to say the words. We will continue this lesson at a later meeting.



Submitted by Ron DeMarco

April 2017 Newsletter

By Pat Dorn April 15, 2017

Our April meeting will be held next Sunday, April 23, in the St. Joseph Room of the St. Gertrude Parish Centet at 2:00 p.m. Fr. Luke Waugh, OSB, will be the guest speaker for this meeting. His topic is “Humility, a Benedictine Spirituality.” This will be our last chapter meeting until September.

As you know, our chapter is hosting the Ohio Day of Recollection on Saturday, May 20 at the Milford Spiritual Center, and we hope many of you will be able to be there. Br. Francis Wagner, OSB, will be the presenter for the day, and the theme is “The Heart of Benedictine Spirituality.”

Our beloved, retiring oblate director, Fr. Meinrad Brune, will also be present, along with our new oblate director Janis Dopp. This will give us all a chance to thank Fr. Meinrad for all he has done for us over the many years he has been our director, and to also welcome our new director Janis Dopp.

Registration forms were emailed to those on our email list a couple of weeks ago and copies will be available at the meeting. They have also been mailed to those not on our email list. The cost of the retreat is $30, and the deadline for reservations is May 3. A continental breakfast and lunch is included. Please contact Pat Dorn (513-791-0988) with any questions or for additional information.

March 2017 Newsletter

March 18, 2017 By Pat Dorn

The March meeting will be held on Sunday, March 26, at 2:00 p.m. in the St. Joseph Room of the St. Gertrude Parish Center. We will, among other things, be discussing plans for the upcoming Ohio Day of Recollection on May 20.

Our program for this meeting will be a continuation of Fr. Harry Hagen’s Video Conference #3, Praying the Psalms. We will pick up from where we left off at the January 16 meeting.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS and plan to attend the May 20 Ohio Day of Recollection at the Milford Spiritual Center.

REMINDER: On Tuesday, March 21, we celebrate one of the two feast days honoring St. Benedict—the Passing of Blessed Father Benedict. (The second—Our Blessed Father Benedict—is held on July 11.)

Oblates have an opportunity to earn a Plenary Indulgence on these days by fulfilling the following conditions: 1) Confession, 2) Receiving Holy Communion, and 3) Praying for the intentions of the Holy Father. In addition, oblates should renew, at least privately, their promise to faithfully observe the promise of their way of life.

February 2017 Meeting Minutes

Cincinnati Oblate Chapter Minutes February 26, 2017

Attendance: Margaret Sherlock, Clyde Dorn, Pat Dorn, Rosemary Conrad, Ron DeMarco, John Campbell, Peyton Reed, Mary Louise Reed, Susan Anderson, John Rashe, Linda Faulhaber, Kathy Gloeckner, Beverly Winner, Nick McCarroll, Linda McCarroll, Jerry Etienne, Ron Lillie, Joan Hilton, Lori Wallhausser, Chris Wallhausser, Janis Dopp, Fr. Meinrad Brune, OSB.

Introductions and reading of the Mission Statement opened our meeting. Second Sunday Vespers of Week Four was prayed together. Lectio Divina was shared together using Matthew 6:24-34.

The Minutes of January 2017 were approved and noted to correct the spelling of the name John Cassian. Nick McCarroll reported that our treasury balance as of today is $126.00.

 New/Old Business: The Cincinnati chapter will host the Ohio Day of Recollection in May. Nick McCarroll has notes from what we did when we hasted this event in 2014, and asks anyone interested in helping to sign up with him. There will also be an opportunity to sign up at the March 26 meeting.

Fr. Meinrad spoke of his leaving the role as Oblate Director, which he has enjoyed, but told Fr. Abbot that it was time to step down as director. Fr. Meinrad helped facilitate the appointment of a lay person as his replacement through his encouragement of oblates to take on roles in the community. Fr. Abbot feels it is a good thing to set an example for other monasteries to have a lay person as director of oblates. Fr. Meinrad will be taking a four-month sabbatical and will use some of that time to travel within Indiana. Fr. Meinrad introduced the new oblate director, Janis Dopp. Janis let us know how excited she is to be doing this, and that this move shows how Saint Meinrad is a “visionary house.” Janis who has many years as an oblate and chair of the oblate advisory council asks, “Where will oblate spirituality be in 100 years, and how can we start that spirituality today?”

Presentation by Fr. Meinrad Brune, OSB. Holiness and Benedictine Spirituality. Often we think that holiness is not for ordinary people. We do good because we are holy. We avoid evil because we are holy. In fact, we are holy first and then able to pray. The call to holiness is difficult for each of us. We are becoming holy. Holy works come about by being in union with God. Holiness is union with God. We receive this as a call to community. As oblates it is in our community as true and real prayer in service, deeds of love and active evangelization. Christian values are being attacked today. We all receive the call to holiness. No matter your daily life, you are becoming holy.

There are 4 stages of becoming holy:
1. Baptism, so that we too may live a new life- new birth;
2. this new Christ’s life from Baptism we live right now in our laughter, works at home, in service to God and one another even though ordinary. In this we grow. St. Paul said, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”;
3. This life of Christ calls for our being crucified. Obedient unto death. Dying to self to serve the community. Our share in being Christlike;
4. New life/ Christ life/ crucified life does not die with death! For us, life has changed and Christ calls us home, calls us personally! “I live and you shall live.” Why be an oblate?

We are searching for meaning. But me holy? Hardly. But just loving and serving God by living our ordinary life, in just doing ordinary things we will grow in holiness if we accept them in faith of the hand of God. Holy in our own way we have been called. We fall and get up doing the ordinary things. Being in community as an oblate helps us live out the stages of life. The community gives us support to live our lives.

Submitted by Ron DeMarco