February 2010
Vol. XXXI, No. 2
Dear Oblates and Friends of Portsmouth,
In each of the cycles for the scriptural readings, the incident of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness is used for the First Sunday of Lent, setting the tone for the season when we are called to reflect on how closely we are patterning our life on that of Jesus. Are we merely lip-servers, or are we truly committed Christians, willing to accept the call to sacrifice, forbearance and hardship in the practice of our faith when these are called for? And on the positive side, how willing are we to extend the helping hand to the needy when it is in our power to do so? Is this call to express our love of neighbor something thrust upon us, or do we seek opportunities and go out of our way to show our concern and support for those listed in the corporal works of mercy: the poor, the naked, the sick, the hungry, those in prison, those without shelter? To what degree are we aware of the possibilities available to us or that lie within us to be of service to others, as ways of showing our love of God through imitation of His Son? During the 40-day period of His retreat in the desert, in preparation for His three-year ministry, Jesus was beset with temptations. And even though he, being divine, could not succumb, yet as a human, he had to undergo the same spiritual and physical difficulties experienced by every human being. At the end of his sojourn in the desert, Luke speaks of the threefold temptations of the devil, when Jesus was seemingly most vulnerable, but we know from the Evangelist, that Jesus is filled with the Holy Spirit who has led him into the desert for this very encounter. This is a means of showing us that the devil must be faced, but can always be defeated through faith in God, the power of the Spirit, and the Word of Scripture. Despite his subtle use of Scripture, especially in Matthew's account of this incident, Satan is easily outmaneuvered by Jesus, who defeats him on his own ground, quoting scripture back to him and concluding the "trial" with the unanswerable assertion that God must "not be put to the test." Luke tells us that the devil will wait for another opportunity, a reminder to us that temptations will dog us throughout our lives, just as they did Jesus, despite his being the Son of God. The greatest of Jesus' temptations was to occur at the very end of his life, as he was dying on the cross, seemingly abandoned by the Father, and challenged by his adversaries to prove his claims by saving himself. In the final moments of his life, Jesus again relies on a Psalm, not as a cry of despair, but as the beginning of a prayer which begins in desolation but ends on a note of triumph and trust.
The incident of Jesus' 40-day period of fasting and temptation in the desert is a deliberate echo of the 40-year period of trial that the Jews underwent as they made their way from Egypt to the Promised Land through the wilderness. Frequently, they fell victim to temptation, but they were always forgiven by a merciful God and finally led back as a people to the land they had been promised of old. In contrast to them, Jesus was tested, but filled with the Spirit, his victory was never in doubt. Here it is relevant to consider the principal means by which he triumphed. Both Matthew and Luke emphasize Jesus' use of Scripture, and in particular, the Book of Psalms. The Psalter is the prayer book of the Jews, just as it is for Christians, and most especially, for priests and those in religious orders, for whom the Psalter is the source of the Church's official daily prayer. The Book of Psalms was, and perhaps still is, the section of the Bible most frequently used in Protestant services. In colonial America, The Bay Psalm Book was the best seller of its time, and the first book to be published in the original colonies. Increasingly, Catholics are turning to this form of prayer, especially since encouraged to do so by the Second Vatican Council. This might be something to implement in our own daily prayer, if it is not already being done. The psalms have the advantage of being brief for the most part and consequently easily accessible for use, whatever the time or place. They are varied, addressing all moods and occasions, trenchant and direct in their expression and at the same time extraordinarily moving and memorable as poetry. Lent is a perfect opportunity in making or renewing our acquaintance with this form of prayer, which, to use Augustine's phrase, is ever ancient, ever new. When we pray the psalms, we are experiencing the easiest and most appropriate way of imitating Christ in his official prayer to the Father on behalf of Himself and on behalf of all creation.
Liturgical Calendar for February
Cycle of Prayer for Lent: Women; the Needy; the Hungry of the World
Candidates for the Sacraments; Penitents and Wanderers
2 Presentation of the Lord
3 St. Blaise, Bishop & Martyr
St. Agatha, Martyr
6 St. Paul Miki & Companions
7 SUNDAY V OF THE YEAR
10 St. Scholastica, Sister of Saint Benedict
11 St. Benedict of Aniane, Abbot
Our Lady of Lourdes
14 SUNDAY VI OF THE YEAR
16 Shrove Tuesday
St. Bernadette (in France)
17 Ash Wednesday
21 SUNDAY I OF LENT
(Omit St. Peter Damian, Bishop & Doctor)
22 See of St. Peter, Apostle
23 St. Polycarp, Bishop & Martyr
28 SUNDAY II OF LENT
(March 7: Sunday III of Lent: Oblate Day of Recollection)
Monastery Notes
Abbot Caedmon and Dom Gregory traveled to a Convocation in honor of the 9th Centenary of the death of Saint Anselm held at Saint Anselm's College in New Hampshire in November. The Abbot Primate, Notger Wolf, was present and will come to Portsmouth in May to preside at our School Commencement Exercises.
Later, in January, they journeyed to Orlando, Florida, to participate in the Focus National Conference 2010. A Fellowship of Catholic University Students, the aim is "to invite university students to examine the meaning and purpose of their lives" in a new evangelization outreach. About four thousand students were present at the three day meeting, which included as a principal speaker, Father Benedict Groeschel, a long-time friend of Portsmouth. The organization was founded in 1998 and serves 45 college campuses in 25 states.
Dom Gregory has recently been appointed Novice Master in place of Dom Matthew Stark, former Abbot.
Abbot Caedmon also attended the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Abbot Boniface Wimmer, who introduced the Benedictine Order into the United States with the establishment of Saint Vincent's monastery (now an archabbey) in Pennsylvania in 1846 at, or in the vicinity of, land which Bishop John Carroll had hoped for a foundation by the English Congregation. Abbot Wimmer had the financial backing and strong encouragement of Ludwig I, King of Bavaria, a descendant of whom was present at the occasion in December. A memorable feature was the performance of Mozart's Coronation Mass.
The Benedictine tradition that Wimmer brought with him on his mission to American in 1846 was founded on such values as a firm and practical faith, a deep respect for history and tradition, a sense of community, and life-long commitment to hard work and frequent prayer ...;...;.In a letter to King Ludwig, he expressed his determination that Benedictine monasteries should not be simply schools for religion and learning, but should also serve as custodians of the fine arts and thus foster greater appreciation for culture, and protect our fellow countrymen from the mercenary spirit of the Americans who can think of nothing but how to make a living. (from the Introduction to BONIFACE WIMMER, Letters of an American Abbot).
Joseph Healey, Class of 1956, a Maryknoll priest who lives and works in Tanzania, has sent us a copy of a second printing of his popular book, African Stories, for Preachers and Teachers, which he compiled from legends, proverbs, poems, parables and folklore during his missionary labors in Kenya and Tanzania.
The Newport Collaborative Architectural Firm has been awarded a special citation for its outstanding achievement in the year-long restoration of the Abbey Church completed in 2009. An article by Kim A. O'Connell in the December issue of Traditional Building describes in detail with illustrations in color the immensity of the task and the myriad problems identified and solved.
Dom Paschal has contributed three articles to the Supplement of the most recent edition of The Catholic Encyclopedia: an updating of previous articles on the Boston Archdiocese, the Catholic Church in Rhode Island and The Catholic Church in Massachusetts.
At a recent ceremony held in Providence, Dom Julian accepted on behalf of the community a citation naming Dom Hugh Diman to the Rhode Island Hall of Fame. He was given this award in recognition of his being Founder of three schools: Portsmouth Priory, Saint George's, and Diman Vocational in Fall River.
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