k ansas
monks
I have m ade vows to you, God; with offerings I will fulfill them. - Psalm 61
Society of St. Benedict
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Ora
Labora
6 - Remembering Fr. Bruce
4 - From the Abbot
We look back at the life of Fr. Bruce Swift, one of the great confessors in the history of the Abbey.
8 - Wake Up
Br. Leven Harton offers an in depth look at our heart’s deepest desire – Christ.
12 - Remembering Fr. Gerard We look back at the life of Fr. Gerard Senecal, the first President of Benedictine College and longtime Pastor of the Atchison parishes.
Abbot James reflects on the beginnings of his own monastic journey and explain what it means to live the consecrated life well.
10 - Celebrating Wisdom
Father Meinrad Miller reflects on the lives of Fr. Benedict Groeschel and Msgr. Lorenzo Albecete and gives 6 tips for the new year.
22 - Lumen Vitae
Honoring the service of Archbishop Emeritus James P. Keleher and Curtis Martin, founder of FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students.
26 - Running on the Path
Father Daniel McCarthy looks at the path of monastic life.
13 - Choosing to Serve
We sit down with the four men who have consecrated their lives to Christ.
in the next Kansas Monks • A b b o t ’s Ta b l e E v e n t R e c a p • D o m i n u s P r o v i d e b i t : T h e L o r d Wi l l P r o v i d e • O n t h e c o v e r : T h e n e w e s t m e m b e r s o f S t . B e n e d i c t’s Ab b e y – w e r e c e i v e d a n o v e r w h e l m i n g r e s p o n s e t o o u r p o l l t o c h o o s e t h e c o v e r. T h a n k y o u t o e v e r y o n e w h o p a r t i c i p a t e d .
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SACRIFICE Let it be. A s t h e a n g e l c o n v e y e d G o d ’s i n t e n t i o n s t o M a r y, h e r r e s p o n s e w a s s i m p l e , “ l e t i t b e d o n e t o m e a c c o r d i n g t o y o u r w o r d .” ( L u k e 1 : 3 8 ) When the monks of the Abbey heard the call of the Lord, they responded in a similar fashion consecrating their lives to Christ, p r o m i s i n g s t a b i l i t y, f i d e l i t y t o t h e m o n a s t i c l i f e , a n d o b e d i e n c e . T h e m o n k s , l i k e t h e B l e s s e d Vi r g i n , o p e n t h e i r h e a r t s t o “ p r e f e r n o t h i n g t o t h e l o v e o f C h r i s t .” A n d i n t h i s y e a r o f C o n s e c r a t e d L i f e , t h e s e m e n a r e c a l l e d t o “ w a k e u p t h e w o r l d ,” b u t t h e y h a v e a l r e a d y b e e n w o r k i n g t o s h a r e C h r i s t ’s l o v e f o r g e n e r a t i o n s . I have seen these monks comfort and anoint the dying . I have seen these monks baptize children. These monks taught me my faith, they have given me counsel, they witnessed the marriage of my wife and me. These experiences are not unique; the monks have touched c o u n t l e s s l i v e s f o r m o r e t h a n o n e h u n d r e d f i f t y y e a r s . Fo r t h e n e x t y e a r, a s t h e s e m o n k s w o r k t o “ w a k e u p ” o u r w o r l d , l e t u s d o a l l w e c a n t o a s s i s t t h e m . I e n c o u r a g e y o u t o v i s i t t h e a b b e y, t e l l your friends and family about the good works of these Kansas monks, and support them in all they do. - J . D. B e n n i n g E d i t o r, K a n s a s M o n k s , B C ’ 0 8 p . s . D o n’ t f o r g e t t o a t t e n d t h e A b b o t ’s Ta b l e o n A p r i l 1 8 .
PREFER NOTHING TO THE LOVE OF CHRIST - R U L E O F S T. B E N E D I C T
Society of St. Benedict
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From the Abbot
Wak in g up
Receive me, Lord, as you have promised and I shall live; do not disappoint me in my hope. - s u s c i p e , p r a y e r s u n g at p r o f e s s i o n
Nineteen years have flown by, and I still remember it like it was yesterday.
From the first weekend of August 1995, in two short months, I quit my job, sublet my apartment, sold my truck, and here it was Saturday, October 7, 1995, the Feast of the Holy Rosary. My parents dropped me off at the Abbey to begin my life as a monk. I remember very distinctly walking into the Abbey Church that evening and being shown my choir stall next to Fr. Augustine Rottering, who had been my parish priest at St. Benedict’s, Bendena, Kan., for 14 years. Fr. Augustine, just shy of 91 at that time, stood up and said to me, “I’ve been praying for this a long time.” Pope Francis, in laying out this Year of Consecrated Life (November 30, 2014 – February 2, 2016), noted that, “The witness that can really attract is that associated with attitudes that are uncommon: generosity, detachment, sacrifice, self-forgetfulness in order to care for others. This is the witness, the ‘martyrdom’ of life.” What Pope Francis is saying to us as religious is that the fruit of our witness is our lives lived well – generously, detached, sacrificially – in a manner that is attractive to others. Our monastic lives call us to live in such a way that others are drawn to Christ through us, whether these are people we encounter in our labor or ministry, lay or religious searching for respite on retreat, or men seeking membership. I think of the theme that so many have drawn from Pope Francis’ writings on this Year for Consecrated Life – Wake up the World – and I consider how Fr. Augustine did this from the small parish of St. Benedict’s, Bendena. I’m guessing that a majority of our readers couldn’t tell you where Bendena, Kan., is, let alone give directions to the Catholic church that rests four miles outside of town. The church is literally located in the middle of a corn field, yet it was in this location that God called Fr. Augustine to service, and it was from this small community, this 70-family parish, that he was asked to wake up the world. Fr. Augustine’s example of life, the community that was created in the parish, along with parents who supported the idea of a religious vocation, allowed me to consider the monastic life as a possibility. I want to make note of my choice of words there. All those individuals – Fr. Augustine, the parishioners and my parents – allowed me to consider this way of life. All of us, lay and religious, must remember that the fruit of
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crux sacr a sit mihi lux nunqua m dr aco sit mihi dux
Heavenly Father, You sent your Spirit and inspired St. Benedict to build a school for your service. We praise and thank you for the gift of monastic life in the Church and for the gift of St. Benedict’s Abbey. We ask you to send many young men to join the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey in their common search for Christ and service to the Church. Bless the monks as they run the path of holiness, pursuing the love that casts out fear and fills the heart with inexpressible delight. Help me to see you at the center of my life and vocation, and to help others do the same, even if it means sacrificing what I desire for them or for myself. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. we encourage you to recite this prayer often, in the hope that more men will join us in our monastic life.
our individual vocation will almost always have as its foundation a support structure that is encouraging to the possibility of the given vocation. In the context of a religious vocation, young people can find it very difficult to take the path of a vocation in the Church if they feel the support isn’t there, or they aren’t allowed to consider it. Vocations must be encouraged, and religious must live their lives in a way that is attractive. We, as monks, must remind ourselves that our lives need to be an avenue for others to find Christ. And we need to be reminded by you that our witness is necessary. So as we all consider how we might celebrate this Year of Consecrated Life, I first of all ask you to be that reminder to us that our witness is necessary to the world. We ask for your prayers that other men will join us as monks in our community, and that we live up to our call as monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey and sons of St. Benedict, to be expressions of God’s divine love through love of him and of neighbor. Secondly, we ask you to come visit us. Join us for Sunday Mass and lunch, or dinner and Vespers some evening. Contact us and let us know if you would like to make such a visit: info@kansasmonks.org. There is a plenary indulgence being offered this year for those who visit a religious community, pray with them, and fulfill the other requirements. Lastly, accept our prayers that we offer each day for you, the Church and the world. This is the main purpose of our vocation. It is our gift of praise and thanksgiving to God for the opportunity to serve him and you in our vocation. May these prayers be a pulse that does indeed wake up the world. In Christ,
Abbot James Albers, OSB
Society of St. Benedict
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Eternal rest grant unto him Fat he r Br u ce Sw i ft
Born • December 17, 1932 Profe ssed • July 11, 1955 Ordained • M ay 26, 1960 Died • December 25, 2014 •
Requiescat in Pace
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Fr. Bruce Swift, died on December 25, 2014, as he was preparing to join the monks for Morning Prayer on Christmas. Abbot James was able to anoint him and give him the Apostolic pardon, as he was surrounded by his brothers in prayer. Robert Lee Swift was born on December 17, 1932, one of triplet boys born to William and Loretta Swift, near Springfield, Mo. He attended grade school and high school at St. Agnes in Springfield, Mo., and spent the fall semester of 1950 at Drury College before transferring to St. Benedict’s College. Upon graduating from college in 1954, he entered the novitiate of St. Benedict’s Abbey, receiving the religious name, Bruce. He professed vows on July 11, 1955. After completing priesthood studies at the Abbey School of Theology, he was ordained by Archbishop Edward Hunkeler on May 26, 1960. Fr. Bruce’s monastic life was punctuated with a willing obedience to his superiors. His college degree was in biology, but when he discussed future studies with Abbot Thomas Hartman, the Abbot asked him to study French. He received a Masters Degree in French from Assumption College, Worcester, Mass., and spent four summers studying in France. For the past 13 years, Fr. Bruce spent much of his time ministering to the imprisoned.
From 1960 to 1983 Fr. Bruce served in many roles at Maur Hill Prep, the Abbey’s high school. He taught English, drama, biology, chemistry, and French, and served as cafeteria manager from 1961-1971, as maintenance director from 1970-1980, and as chaplain from 19801983. He would return to teach religion in 1992-1993.
Abbot Ralph Koehler asked Fr. Bruce to become the postulant director in 1983, and in 1984 he also was assigned the duty of vocation director. Many vocation visitors came on his regular “Come and See” weekends to explore monastic life here at the Abbey. Abbot Owen Purcell assigned Fr. Bruce to serve as pastor of Sacred Heart in Conway, Mo., and St. William in Buffalo, Mo., from 1993 to 2000. During the great Jubilee Year of 2000-2001, called by St. John Paul II, Fr. Bruce served as a confessor at St. Paul’s Outside the Walls in Rome, where he heard confessions of pilgrims in English and French.
Fr. Bruce (at right) spent 24 years at Maur Hill Prep School along with many other monks like Abbot Owen Purcell (left).
Abbot Barnabas Senecal asked Fr. Bruce to come back and serve as the novice master, a job he held from 2001 until 2011. His wisdom was valuable in helping novices cultivate a monastic spirit. He also served as Catholic chaplain to the prisoners at the State Penitentiary in Lansing, Kan., from 2001 until 2013. Since 2001, he was best known as a faithful confessor. At scheduled hours, or when called at any hour of the day or night, he was a faithful minister of the mercy of God in the Sacrament of Penance to all who presented themselves. Fr. Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, and three brothers, William, James, and Fred. He is survived by three sisters, Jeannine Solar, Patricia Garton, and Rosie Fritz, and a brother, Paul. We commend our brother, Fr. Bruce, to your prayers. 6
Kansas Monks
Join the Monks
J o i n A b b o t J a m e s a n d t h e m o n k s o f S t . B e n e d i c t ’s A b b e y f o r a pilgrimage to Germany and Poland. We w i l l v i s i t B e n e d i c t i n e s i t e s a n d e x p l o r e t h e l i v e s o f S t . M a x i m i l i a n Ko l b e , S t . Fa u s t i n a , a n d S t . J o h n P a u l I I . Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a c t o u r D i r e c t o r o f A d v a n c e m e n t Matt Kemnitz • info@kansasmonks.org • 913.360.7897
for the journey of a lifetime
Society of St. Benedict
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WAKE UP THE WORLD
A reminder of what we most desire
When I a m in vited to present
to theology classes at Benedictine College, I routinely begin my words about monastic life by recounting a movie in which four individuals ruin their lives with drugs. This beginning, which serves as a jumping-off point for the rest of the talk, is often so unexpected for the students, such a startling sucker-punch, that they actually listen to what I say about religious life! By surprising them, I help them suspend their preconceived notions and cast aside their textbook answers about the religious vocation. Pope Francis is asking something similar in this Year of Consecrated Life, to examine again, anew, what is at the heart of consecrated life as a vocational path in the Church and why it is such a gift! By designating an entire year to meditating on this aspect of our lives as Catholics, the Pope is making a statement that religious life is a topic for everyone’s consideration. But why is it important for a layperson to reflect on consecrated life? What good is promised thereby? The movie does a remarkable job of showing the devastating effects of suffering an addiction to narcotics. If this movie demonstrates the horrifying level of destruction that drug addiction can generate, it also shows the viewer the tremendous motivation that impels the characters of the movie to begin using drugs. Each of the characters and their various motives for using (boredom, loneliness, pain, etc.) point toward a basic quality of our humanity: that we live expecting something from life, seeking a real satisfaction! When these characters’ various situations fail to meet their expectations, fail to bring them joy, they (tragically) settle for the escape of drugs. So disappointed are they with what they believe life offers that they choose to live as 8
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b y B r. L e v e n H a r t o n
Ab b e y Vo c a t i o n s D i r e c t o r
much of their time as possible in a state of alienation from reality. What they are really trying to escape, however, is the cry of the human heart to meet its Creator! Numbing this desire, these characters become ever-more deformed as they race to destruction. The consecrated life, by contrast, exists to draw the religious into an ever-deeper awareness of this expectation that marks our human experience. It is a calling to live, in a sense, “haunted” by our deep need, unwilling to compromise our tremendous hope by numbing it with substitutes. By taking on the regiment of a rule, the obligation of obedience, the sacrifice of celibacy, and the detachment of poverty, the religious agitates his/her deepest expectation: the desire for God! The various aspects of our lives as consecrated men and women that make it different from the lay state serve to remind us of Jesus’ nearness to us, and his desire to answer our expectation. So whatever works or apostolates that might be maintained by a religious community, the center of life is the seeking of Christ. We seek to find a correspondence to our deep hope by the encounter with Jesus! Of course, religious are not the only persons who seek Christ; nor are they the only ones who find Him! The desire for God is felt by everyone. Pope Francis has expressed this in a beautiful, simple manner: “despite our imperfections [Jesus] offers us his closeness. . . In your hearts you
Lord, open my lips and let my mouth declare your praise. - Opening versicle of vigils
know that it is not the same to live without Him” (Evangelium Gaudium). Living with Jesus does make a difference! The encounter with Christ is decisive for our lives as human persons; we are unfulfilled until we meet Him! The Consecrated Life, as a vocation, manifests in the clearest form the undivided seeking of Christ, which is the highest calling for us all. Of course, not everyone has the religious vocation, but everyone is summoned to seek Him by the restlessness that God has placed at our core. The religious vocation itself professes this fact about our humanity, displays for the Church and for the world persons who have given everything to this fact. The consecrated life lived well puts on display the deepest longing of every human person! And this, perhaps, is why Pope Francis has designated this time in the Church as the Year of Consecrated Life, to remind us all of what we most desire. In our era we are told by many voices what it is that we should want; we are presented a multitude of movements or messages. But none of these things is Christ himself. Pope Francis would have us act with a deeper humanity, summoning greater engagement of our freedom. He has put it succinctly when he has asked men and women religious to “wake up the world,” to be provo-
cations working against the dulling influence of societal pressures. The response to God cannot come from a shallow place; it can only come from our heart of hearts. And to get to this level, we must move deeper and penetrate more clearly into our most compelling desires. This is where we find that our heart seeks Christ. We have the opportunity then, in this period of reflection on consecrated life, to do some work of true religious devotion. We can begin to ask ourselves, “What do I seek? To what am I giving myself? Is it making me happy? What more is out there for me? How do I see Christ? Have I followed the real desires of my heart?” These types of questions, engaged with confident and patient honesty, will help us dig into the depths of our person and come to an understanding of ourselves. They will also help us recognize the presence of Christ in our lives. Perhaps looking at the life of an inspiring religious that we know personally or to whom we have a devotion can help us make this examination. For all of us, the gift of consecrated life as a witness to the untiring desire of the human heart for God should be a great rousing, a rousing to live a life that is more fulfilled, more beautiful, more free— all through the encounter with Jesus!
Society of St. Benedict
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Celebrating Wisdom
r e m e m b e r i n g F r. B e n e d i c t G r o e s c h e l a n d M s g r. L o r e n z o A l b a c e t e
by Fr. Me inra d Mil l e r
Two nationally known priests died in October: Fr. Benedict Groeschel,
CFR, died on October 3. Then three weeks later Msgr. Lorezno Albacete died on October 24. Both of these men visited the Abbey on several occasions, and helped me to see the value of my own spirituality as a Benedictine monk.
Fr. Meinrad and Fr. Benedict Groeschel with Benedictine College FOCUS leaders in October 2007.
Fr. Benedict did doctoral studies in Freudian psychoanalysis at Columbia University. He spent his life helping the poor, both those materially poor and the spiritually poor. A friend of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta, Fr. Benedict used his training as a psychologist to help countless people grow in their spiritual lives. He helped co-found the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, an order that strives to live authentic Gospel lives. He made three visits to the Abbey and college, always encouraging me in my own Benedictine life.
Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete, a native of Puerto Rico, did advanced studies in aerospace engineering and worked as a scientist before following his vocation to the priesthood. He later would receive a Doctorate in Theology, and become close personal friends with Saint John Paul II. Msgr. visited our campus six times between 2002-2006. In all of those visits I was encouraged by his words. He had discovered and become involved with Communion and Liberation (CL), the Italian Catholic group founded by Msgr. Luigi Giussani, whose co-patron is Saint Benedict.
Fr. Meinrad and Msgr. Albacete with Benedictine College students at a CL meeting in Mineapolis, Minn. in January 2004.
In becoming friends with these two men, and hosting them on their visits to our Abbey, I came to realize an important lesson. They broadened my horizons in regard to the larger church, but they also deeply respected the wisdom of St. Benedict. Both of these men had a great love of humanity, of Christ, and of the Church. And they both had a wonderful sense of humor. St. Benedict himself, I am sure, would be delighted to use the wisdom of these two. The very last chapter of his Rule basically tells us to not become satisfied with the bare minimum, but to allow the whole tradition of the church to guide us. In that chapter St. Benedict encourages those interested in growing in their spiritual journey to not just read the Rule, but also Scriptures, the Church Fathers, and other monks. I think if St. Benedict were alive he would also include in that list Fr. Benedict Groeschel, and Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete.
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6 tips
for the year of c on s e c r at e d l i f e A s you j our ne y w ith C h r i st th ro ug h th i s Ye a r o f Co ns e c rate d L ife, consider adding th e fo l l o w i ng a c t i o ns to yo ur d a i l y rout ine.
Be mindful every day of God’s work in your life. Take time to examine your conscience to see both the blessings in your life, and areas where you can request God’s light and grace.
Participate in the Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours. It is not what we do, but what God does in us in the liturgy. The monks take time in our Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours to pray slowly and allow the Word of God to reach deep into our hearts. Read. The final chapter of St. Benedict’s Rule is all about reading the Scriptures, the Church Fathers, the early Monks. People often tell me that reading good material helps their spiritual life. I highly recommend the works of Msgr. Lorenzo Albacete and Fr. Benedict Groeschel. Work on doing good deeds (RB 4) in humility (RB 7) and with Good Zeal (RB 73). These chapters really define “fidelity to the monastic life,” one of the vows of Benedictine monks. When we do good deeds in humility and with good zeal, then we are no longer lukewarm. Take time for silence. Our noisy world would have us plugged in for hours with the outside world. Take time to be silent, and to just be.
Always see Christ in those around you. Blessed Mother Teresa spoke of the five-finger Gospel: You did it to me. Do not be afraid to allow God to work through you to bring His divine mercy to the world. Society of St. Benedict
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Eternal rest grant unto him Fat he r G e rar d Se ne c al
B orn • July 27, 1929 Profe ssed • July 11, 1949 Ordained • M ay 29, 1954 Died • January 19, 2015 •
Requiescat in Pace
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Fr. Gerard Senecal, (July 27, 1929-January 19, 2015) died on January 19 fortified by the Sacraments. His brother, Abbot Barnabas Senecal, was with him for a few hours prior to and at the moment of his death. John Carl Senecal was the oldest of seven children born to Lionel John and Clara (Strecker) Senecal. As a youth John served daily Mass at his home parish in Atwood, Kan. John enrolled at Maur Hill Prep as a priesthood student in 1943 with plans to join his uncle, Fr. Lucien Senecal, who was a monk of St. Benedict’s Abbey. He graduated from Maur Hill in 1947, then enrolling at St. Benedict’s College to study mathematics. At the age of 18, he entered the novitiate as a Benedictine monk, receiving the name Gerard. He professed vows one year later on July 11, 1949. In May 1951 he graduated with a degree in mathematics, and professed solemn vows on July 11, 1952. He studied for the priesthood at the Abbey School of Theology and was ordained on May 29, 1954 by Archbishop Edward Hunkeler. In the summer of 1955 he studied chemistry at Creighton University, and that fall he enrolled at the University of Michigan, where he received his M.A. in physics in 1958. From 1958 until 1963 he studied physics at Kansas State University, completing his Ph.D. in 1963. Fr. Gerard was committed to higher education, serving as a Professor of Physics and later President of Benedictine College.
In 1962 Fr. Gerard returned to teach physics and be a dorm director at St. Benedict’s College. A love of learning and a desire for God compelled him to continue his studies. He studied at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland; the Atomic Energy Commission, Oak Ridge, Tenn.; Texas A&M University; and a National Science Foundation post-doctoral year, 1970-71, at the University of California at Berkeley.
In 1970 Fr. Gerard was on the Merger Committee for St. Benedict’s and Mount St. Scholastica Colleges. On February 14, 1972, he became President of Benedictine College. Over the next 15 years he would bring his enthusiasm for learning and faith into all he did as President. He was particularly proud of the fact that he brought football back to the college, and hired current coach Larry Wilcox. After leaving the presidency of the college, Fr. Gerard worked at Maur Hill from 1987 until 1993, followed by one year, 1993-1994, as the Development Director of the Abbey, where he established the Friends of St. Benedict’s Abbey, a group that is still key to our success. In 1994 Fr. Gerard began a new phase of life as a parish priest, serving as Pastor of St. Joseph’s and St. Patrick’s Churches, Atchison (1994-1998); Pastor of St. Benedict’s and Sacred Heart Churches, Atchison (1998-2013); and Administrator of Immaculate Conception, St. Marys, Kan., and St. Stanislaus, Rossville, Kan. (2013-2014). He was known for his pastoral care of the sick and elderly, and helping people to come to appreciate the Sacramental life.
Fr. Gerard left an indelible mark on the Atchison parishes, serving as Pastor for 19 years.
Upon returning to the Abbey in August 2014, Fr. Gerard was faithful to prayer and community life, attending monastic community events and keeping in touch with his many friends in the local community. He was one of those towering figures who trusted in Christ and remained faithful in good times and in bad. Fr. Gerard was preceded in death by his parents, John and Clara, and by his brothers, William and Richard. He is survived by his two sisters Clare Kearney (Peter), Fredericksburg, Va; Mary Hansen (Ron), Kansas City, Mo; and two brothers: Abbot Barnabas, Atchison; and Nicholas, Hyde Park, Mass.
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I lift up my e yes to the mountains; fr om where shall come my help? My help shall come fr om the Lord, who m ade heaven and earth.
CHOOSING TO SERVE - p s alm 121
L i f e i s a j o ur n e y . Though these four men took very different paths, they shared a common destination. On the following pages they recount the steps that them led to St. Benedict’s Abbey.
photo by Alex Vu
Society of St. Benedict
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finding
brother placidus lee Tell me about your journey from being a college student at Benedictine College to becoming a monk at St. Benedict’s Abbey. When I graduated from Benedictine I had thought about religious life, but I was ready to be done with college and the college experience. I wanted to go out into the real world for a little while. So I set aside thoughts of seminary or religious life and tried to find employment. I didn’t find what I was looking for back home in Alabama, so I found a job teaching junior high religion in Wichita, which was providential because if I had gone back home I probably wouldn’t have stayed in contact with the Abbey. During that time I made a lot of good friends, but moving into a town where I didn’t know anyone, I really began learning about myself. I tried to rely on God the entire time. In some ways, it was kind of a desert experience in which I learned that nothing in the outside world would be enough for me in my spiritual life.
What is your favorite part about community life? The best part for me is that the community becomes your family. You come together several times a day to catch up and see how other people’s days are going. You get to pray with each other several times a day, help each other through big struggles that might be going on in their lives, and you really do get to know what and who has gone before you in the family. We get the chance to sit around and tell the family stories about the monks from the past, impersonating them and emphasizing their eccentricities. It’s just a lot of fun! As novices we did a project where we spent several months doing research. I did mine on the construction of the current Abbey building and during that time it was really nice to see more of the back story of some of the monks about whom we still hear stories. It’s really enjoyable for me to learn about all these people who have made this place what it is today and start to connect with those guys and put a story to the name on the gravestone or on the necrology board, and to really know what built this place.
What is it like being at an abbey that shares its land with a college campus? Some abbeys are more cut off from the outside world than we are. Being attached to such a strongly faithful college and a group of students who are so passionate about their faith keeps us more connected to the outside Church than we would if we were out in the middle of the country on our own. That connection emphasizes the fact that we are part of the greater Body of Christ. And we want the students to know that they are always welcome at our Liturgy of the Hours. Our interaction with the students re-emphasizes the greater body every time we have that interaction with them.
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Br. Placidus Lee Age: 28 Hometown: Mobile, Alabama “Set out for loftier summits...and under God’s protection you will reach them.” -RB 73:9 Society of St. Benedict
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beyond my
brother benedict mary geist Tell me about your life before you entered St. Benedict’s Abbey. Before I entered the abbey, I studied theology and philosophy at Benedictine College. I was involved with the Legion of Mary and the altar servers, and just kind of hung around with the monks a little more often than most. When I chose to come to Benedictine College, becoming a monk was not on the horizon. I was trying to get into the seminary at Conception and my mom said, “Hey, we’re this far east, let’s just visit Benedictine while we’re out here.” So I took the tour and by the end of it I knew I was supposed to be here. But, I didn’t know exactly why I was supposed to be here yet.
When did monastic life enter your horizon? I began thinking more and more about the abbey the summer after my sophomore year when I was teaching Totus Tuus. I remember being struck by the life of prayer that Totus Tuus provided for its teachers, and I began to really think about monastic life. I made a retreat but afterward I didn’t really feel called that strongly toward it, so I started dating a girl. When my senior year rolled around I took Fr. Meinrad’s Benedictine Spirituality class. It woke me up to the fact that I hadn’t truly discerned away from monastic life, I had just kind of pushed it into the corner. I began to consider it, and the more I considered it, the stronger the call became. I realized that I was no longer discerning marriage as an end, but I was discerning monastic life. I began moving towards the monastery and doing retreats, and I soon asked for an application.
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned throughout this first year of monastic life? I’ve learned that I’m not nearly as perfect as I thought I was. There are times when I startle myself. But also, how great God’s mercy is despite all that. It’s helped me to see that he’s willing to keep putting all that aside out of love. That’s been something that’s been very profound for me this last year. It brings me a lot of joy, waking up every morning, and being surprised at where I am, but happy. If you would have told me two years ago that I would be a monk, I probably would have believed it, but I would have probably freaked out as well. I have the sense that everyday is a new opportunity to seek God and you never quite know exactly how God is going to work in your day.
What are you most looking forward to about after first profession? I’m really excited about just giving over everything. It’s so easy to hold things back when you don’t have your mind made up or when you don’t know what your future holds. And I don’t really know what my future holds, but it’s just that surrender – letting everything go, so that God can do it. This year has taught me to trust that He’s got better plans than I do, and He’s been working under the surface in so many ways. Just surrendering myself to that, I especially look forward to.
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Br. Benedict Mary Geist Age: 24 Hometown: Goodland, Kansas “Never lose hope in God’s Mercy.” -RB 4:24
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Fr. Jay Kythe Age: 45 Hometown: New Orleans, Louisiana “Armed with the strong and noble weapons of obedience...do battle for the true king, Christ the Lord.� -RB Prologue:3
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finding my
fathe r jay ky the Tell me about your journey from Hinduism to Catholicism. I converted to Catholicism in 1990. I grew up in a Hindu household speaking Hindi. As I grew up, I found myself searching quite a bit, just really for meaning and purpose in my life. I was going through a rather dark period when I became friends with a Catholic and saw the great joy in his life; a joy I lacked. I found out the source of his joy was his Catholic faith. So I asked him if I could go to Mass with him; there I had a powerful experience of God’s love and mercy. So I just had to keep coming back. That, in a nutshell, is how it all got started. I’ll publish my confessions after I die! I’m the only Catholic in the family. My parents — they took it hard. I really wanted them to know that I’m still their son and I love them very much, and that’s never going to change. In fact, my faith makes me love them even more than I did before. I let a supernatural grace into my natural love that I have for them.
Was it a difficult transition, going from being a diocesan priest into monastic life? After serving as a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis for twelve years, my bishop gave me permission to join the monastery in 2012. I knew there were many things I would miss. I don’t miss the administrative side of things. I have a deep desire for ministry and preaching and the sacraments, but the administrative duties were very challenging. I miss the connection with families, doing First Holy Communion, weddings, funerals, everything. So coming here was certainly a big transition. I think the biggest change for me was, being a pastor for eight years, I was in charge of everything – making a lot of decisions. When I came here, I became the last in the community. St. Benedict talks about in his Rule, in the chapter about priests, that they really have to be tested in humility – and it makes a lot of sense. To be a priest working in a parish, there is a certain sense of pride, a good sense. That has to be stripped away as you enter monastic life and you have to allow yourself to be led by others. Even in formation, I mean, I’m taking classes that I could probably teach and to be in the posture of humility means to realize that, even now, I can certainly learn something. That is something I’ve had to remind myself many times.
Why did you keep your given name when you became a novice? I kept my name, partly because my dad didn’t want me to change it, so I wanted to honor him in that. Also, my name, Jay, has a very special significance to me. I was born two months premature and I almost died, and so the word Jay in Hindi means victory. So my parents named me Jay in the sense that I was victorious for my life. I’ve always tied in that Christ has been victorious in me. Christ on the cross is my victory. Lastly, I’m working on becoming St. Jay. There needs to be a St. Jay. But I have a long, long way to go.
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brother karel soukup
Tell me about your journey to, from, and back to the abbey. I entered the novitiate here in 2007 with Br. Leven, and was here for a year before I went to study in a diocesan seminary for a while. It’s interesting, because looking back, thinking about the reasons I came and left the first time, they are very indistinct in my head right now. And the things I can remember don’t really seem like valid reasons. I think a lot of it boils down to impatience and not seeing the growth in myself that I wanted to. Part of it also is just stubbornness and wanting to do things my way. When I got out into the world and was able to do things my way, I realized that I could do it, but I decided that it wasn’t all that much fun. I was missing that fraternal life.
What role did your upbringing have in your journey to monastic life? Church was a big part of our life growing up in a lot of ways. Socially, it was a big part. A lot of people in our town were Catholic. My parents always encouraged us to participate in our faith and to take it seriously. They were always very supportive of my decisions and they never set any sort of road blocks for the decisions I made.
What part of monastic life brings you the most joy? A lot of it is the solitude. Having the time to take experiences from work and community life to reflect on those allows me to offer them to God. I realize that at the end of the day, that God’s plan is being worked out. In my free time, I make books. I love bookbinding and I love reading. I also enjoy working in the gardens. I am looking forward to doing more interesting work in the future; I am going to be working in the library in the rare book room and helping Br. Joe with the grounds and the gardens.
Tell me about your name. The reason that it’s spelled sort of funny is because it’s the Czech spelling; my dad’s family is Czech. I took my name after two people. First is Charlemagne. He used to have a feast day celebrated by our congregation of monks, which happened to fall on my birthday. He was a big promoter of monasticism and the Benedictine Rule within his empire. But my primary patron is Blessed Charles of Austria. He was the last emperor of the Austrian-Hungarian empire and he came into power after the start of World War I. It’s kind of odd because the Austrians and Hungarians were enemies in World War I. It struck me as sort of odd that their leader would be recognized as blessed by the Church. So, I started doing research and what happened was that he came to power after the war started and he tried to put an end to the war. Because of that, he was exiled from Austria. He died in exile and abject poverty. He gave up everything that he had to try to bring peace to the world. I thought it was just an amazing example of self-sacrifice for higher ideals.
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Br. Karel Soukup Age: 28 Hometown: Lakin, Kansas “To you, therefore, my speech is now turned, who having given up your own will, do battle for the true king, Christ the Lord.� -RB 4:24
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lumen
vitae
Light
of Life by Rachel Lanz BC ’15 & Camille Pickhinke BC ’12
Honoring ser vice to Christ and his Church
Archbishop James Keleher His ardent love for God and care for people inspired the monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey to honor Archbishop Emeritus James Keleher with the Lumen Vitae award. Archbishop Keleher came to the Archdiocese in 1993, beginning his twelve year tenure as the third Archbishop of Kansas City in Kan. Prior to his appointment he served as the Bishop of Belleville, Ill. Completing studies in philosophy and theology at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein, Ill., he was ordained in 1958, and obtained a Doctorate in Sacred Theology in 1962. He began his life as a priest as an associate pastor in Chicago. He went on to hold positions at Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary and Niles College, Chicago, in which he was instrumental in the formation of seminarians. In 1978, he was named president and rector of Mundelein Seminary, where he served as an associate professor of systematic theology. According to Fr. Meinrad Miller, Keleher was able to integrate the new and old qualities of Church doctrine during this time. “He embraced the wisdom of the Second Vatican Council, while also recognizing that the Council did not set out to destroy what was there before. Rather, to allow the light of Jesus Christ to shine even more brightly in our modern world.” The monks have always felt Archibishop Keleher’s friendship and support for the Abbey, “He possesses great charisma. People want to be near him, to listen to him, to follow him in following Christ,” Prior Jeremy Heppler said. “Part of that charisma is also his charm and authenticity. He inspires through his teaching and preaching, but even more powerfully by how he lives his life.” Fr. Meinrad had the good fortune of being Chaplain of Benedictine College during much of the time he was Archbishop. “Like past Archbishops and Archbishop Naumann, he had a love for the Atchison Benedictines and Benedictine College. I found his homilies to be very moving; he integrated humor, but always began by challenging young people and people of every age to a deeper faith in Jesus and our beautiful Catholic faith.” He was helpful when Benedictine College brought in FOCUS and Communion and Liberation, and increased their participation in the pro-life movement and Eucharistic Adoration. “We wanted to show our appreciation for his kindness to the Abbey and Benedictine College. He was always encouraging new vocations here,” Fr. Meinrad continued.
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“One of the most impressive things that I believe Archbishop Keleher has done and continues to do is his ministry to the person. What I mean by that is his attention to the individual and his or her relationship with Christ,” said Abbot James Albers. “I think Archbishop Keleher understands that the Church is built through relationships, one living stone at a time.” He regularly visits the prisons in the Archdiocese and continues to work with seminarians, the future priests of the Church, through teaching and spiritual direction. Jerry Kuckelman, Sr., also believes he has been a great leader in the Archdiocese. “Even in retirement he continues to be an active example to us. My wife, Virginia, and I were honored that he joined our family to celebrate our fiftieth wedding anniversary. He has a constant presence in that way with many families in the Archdiocese and for that we are very grateful and congratulate him on his wellearned honor.” His encouragement of Catholic education during his time as Archbishop also inspired many people in their faith. “Archbishop Keleher is a true visionary. He led the Archdiocese through love and a dedication to the Church. One of his lasting contributions to the Archdiocese is his commitment to Catholic education,” said Steve Minnis, President of Benedictine College. During his tenure as Archbishop he opened new schools when many dioceses were moving forward to close them. He promoted the education of young adults at Newman Centers throughout the Archdiocese, as well as through Benedictine College’s own apostolate. He directed the Archdiocese in a new direction that led to new programs and an increase in seminarians. Today his joy continues to inspire. “Archbishop Keleher loves life and is not afraid to show it,” said Prior Jeremy. “That joy overflows into how he strives to live out his faith. It comes through in his worship of God and in how he treats those God has placed in his life.” Continued on Page 25
A r c hbi sh o p K el eher h a s been a stro n g influenc e i n my l ife. He w a s one of the f irst A rchb i sho p s to e mbr ace F O C US and I fo u nd hi s enco u ra ge m e nt v e r y h el pf ul . The w orld ne e d s g re at f athe r f ig u re s , an d w e are al l for tu nate to hav e su ch a g re at o ne i n Arch bi sh o p Keleher. - Cu r t i s Mar ti n
the
Honorees
Archbishop James P. Keleher Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas 1993-2005
Curtis Martin Founder of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students
the
Aw a r d
The Lumen Vitae (Light of Life) award is presented by the monks to recognize those who have followed Christ in service to his people and the Church. In his Rule, St. Benedict hands on Jesus’ encouragement from the Gospel of John to “Run while you have the light of life, that the darkness of death may not over take you.” (RB Prol:13; John 12:35). Nominees for the award are to be interested in the support of charitable institutions, support of institutions of higher learning and/or to have performed outstanding service to the Church. This includes service in a parish or at the diocesan, national, or international level. They should show distinguished service in his/ her business, profession, or vocation. Their lives should also demonstrate compliance with the mission, vision and values of St. Benedict’s Abbey.
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Le a v e a l a s t ing le g ac y for
St. Benedict’s Abbey Have you considered leaving the monks in your will or estate plans?
- A p l a n n e d g i f t t o t h e m o n k s o f S t . B e n e d i c t ’s Ab b e y c r e a t e s a lasting legacy that will allow them to continue their mission of prayer and work for the sanctification of the world. Fo r m o r e i n f o r m a t i o n c o n t a c t o u r Director of Advancement Matt Kemnitz
info@kansasmonk s.org - or - 913.360.7897
-If you have alre ady included St . Benedict’s Abbe y in your will or if you have any questions, please contact our Advancement Office. 24
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Be who God meant to be and you will set the world on fire. - S t. C atherine o f Siena
C uf r tis M artin ounder o f f o c us Since 1998 the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS) has been the running with the light of life and equipping others to do the same. The visionary behind the apostolate is founder and CEO, Curtis Martin. A man of great passion and zeal for Christ and the Church, Martin put his thoughts and dreams into action and with a small group of friends launched FOCUS. FOCUS strives to bring students into a relationship with Christ and the Church. Missionaries, rooted in the Gospel way of evangelization, are trained and sent out with the main goal of inviting students to grow in their faith, inspiring and equipping them for a lifetime of Christ-centered evangelization, discipleship, and friendship. This mission grew out of Martin’s own journey back to the Catholic Church. In his 20s he experienced a renewed passion for Christ and the Church, after he had spent years away. It was in his encounter with evangelical Protestant students on his university campus that Martin’s zeal for the Catholic Church began to grow. His dream of spreading Catholic evangelization to college campuses, both secular and Catholic, and transform the world peaked in a meeting with, then, Bishop Charles Chaput who was influential in paving the way to make Martin’s dream a reality. Meanwhile, in the fall of 1997 Dr. Edward Sri joined the theology department at Benedictine College. He was warmly greeted by Fr. Denis Meade, Fr. Meinrad Miller and, then, Br. Brendan Rolling among other monks of St. Benedict’s Abbey. Sri convinced Martin to launch a FOCUS pilot program in the spring of 1998 at Benedictine College. To a crowd of 25-30 students Martin and Sri unveiled the vision of FOCUS, and encouraged the students to commit their lives to Christ. The launch was a success and several Bible study groups were initiated on the campus. Building momentum, FOCUS hired its first two missionaries and in 1998, with the help of two Benedictine College students, FOCUS was established. Dr. Joe Wurtz, Dean of Students at Benedictine College, was one of the two students who joined the first team, “Curtis’ vision, passion, and drive to set the world on fire for Christ have been evident from day one. Moreover Curtis’ integrity ought to be commended.” The apostolate has now grown to over 400 missionaries serving 99 campuses in 35 states across the nation.
This expansion is attributed to Martin’s life rooted in prayer,. “He reminds us that prayer is in the center of all we do, and there is nothing that Curtis does before taking it to prayer,” said Dominic Paolucci, 2010 graduate of Benedictine College and Operations Manager for FOCUS Missions. Though he is the commited leader of FOCUS, Martin identifies his primary vocation as being a husband and father. He lives in Colorado with his wife, Michaelann, and their nine children. Dr. Wurtz notes that not only is he a model of what it means to be a disciple of Christ, but also a husband and father. “My wife and I were witness to the love Curtis and Michaelann shared for each other and for their children. The Martin’s domestic church became a model for our own family life, but not just ours. Curtis and Michaelann have inspired a new generation of families to live intentionally for the Lord in every aspect of their lives. This legacy will continue to bear fruit for the Church in America and beyond.” Martin has been recognized for his leadership in the New Evangelization. In 2011, he was one of two Americans appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to serve as a Consulter to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization. Martin accepted and joined Pope Benedict XVI (lower left) and Church leaders in Rome, where they jointly dialogued about evangelization efforts in the world. Martin has embraced the evangelical mission of the Church and has discerned how the apostolate fits the Church’s invitation to the laity. “Light shines brightest in the darkness,” commented Grace DelNero, Senior Director of Planned Giving for FOCUS, “and what FOCUS is doing is sending people out to bring light into that darkness.” Martin authored a best-selling book, Made for More and is co-host of the EWTN program Crossing the Goal. Martin embodies the Benedictine mission of work and prayer. Sam Mazzarelli remarked, “I think that it is very fitting that Curtis is being recognized by the Abbey because Benedictine monks have evangelized the world through their apostolate and commitment to Christ and it’s fitting that Benedictine College is where FOCUS began. I think that those two dovetail very closely together to continue in bringing the light of life in the world and so it’s exciting to work in line with the monks at the Abbey and just the Benedictine way.” “The light of Christ gives him life,” commented Paolucci. “His life is based on the Gospel and in sharing his light and life with others.”
Curtis Martin is one of the real heroes of the Catholic Church in America. Through his willingness to be guided by the Holy Spirit and to employ his gifts & talents to strengthen the Church’s ministry to college students, tens of thousands of young adults have developed a friendship with Jesus & a passionate love for the Catholic Church. Curtis has help to form a generation of what Pope Francis has called missionary disciples who are eager to help renew the Church and change the world! Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann, D.D.
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Running on the Path by Fr. Daniel McCarthy
The monastic community welcomed Matthew Rich to begin the postulancy in November and he will soon begin his novitiate year. He stood with the officials in the hallway outside the church, where there are three emblems inlaid into the floor: a cross representing faith, an anchor representing hope, and a heart representing love. Enter the monastery and walk down the hallway to see these emblems, cross, anchor, heart, in the same order as in the Gospel: faith, hope, and love. Continue walking beyond the building, and you come to our cemetery, suggesting that these three virtues accompany us monks from the time we enter the door and begin the postulancy until we are laid to rest.
Faith = Trust
The novitiate is one of the freest times in a monk’s life, with little to do other than to learn the daily routine and annual seasons of this community. There are morning lessons and afternoon manual labor. A more important task is intended to take place during this time. This period of getting to know one another is intended to establish a foundation of trust between the novice and members of the community. Our word faith comes from the Latin word meaning trust. So, this first emblem, the cross representing faith also represents trust and suggests that the foundation of trust is established at the beginning of monastic life.
This past December four novices professed their vows as monks. Each one comes to us at a different time in his life, yet he has developed a sense of hope for his own future with this community. Living in hope these men have begun to commit their lives and their more distant futures to our common future, founded as it must be upon a mutual trust in one another. Each one of us will answer somewhat differently where we place our hope, and so our mutual respect for our differences begins to grow even as we join more closely together with one another.
hope
Initiative The several years in simple vows are often a time of developing initiative. These stirrings of initiative will prove their value time and again whenever the Spirit moves afresh and the community is inspired to live anew according to its monastic charism. Learning to take initiatives in a community involves testing, cooperation with others, and living in hope based on trust in one another. 26
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Competence As these monks advance they may find the need to gain greater competence in a particular area of expertise through reflecting on experiences or studying and integrating greater knowledge. As they approach mid-life, monks often find the need to withdraw further, to reflect more so that they emerge with a renewed contribution for the second half of life. Rather than conforming to an institutional mold, each monk makes a contribution that shapes the contours of the monastic community and its presence in the world.
Fidelity As a monk explores how to make his own contribution at each stage of life, thereby shaping the identity of the community over its history, monks practice fidelity in our relationships to one another and to our entourage of friends. Fidelity is seen especially when monks overcome obstacles, as each one struggles to remain true to his hope and to our common bond based on trust.
Love
The mystery of love may discover us earlier or later in life, this opening of my heart and horizon to other persons in their differences from me. Love moves a monk beyond himself to appreciate others in their unique gifts. Love need not be equal to be mutual, reciprocal. So love is practiced in many ways among the generations. Leadership is a communal form of love, when person centered and so based on service to each unique brother. The greatest of these is love, which respects our personal differences in a bond of love based on trust in one another.
Books by Fr. Daniel
these and more available at:
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Winter/Spring 2015 | Volume 10 | Number 1
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