Lectio Divina: Prayerful Reading of Scripture Part Two

Joanne Kollasch, OSBBenedictine Reflections 1 Comment

As we choose spiritual practices for Lent, we might consider the practice of lectio divina, the prayerful reading of Scripture. (See part 1) This slow reflective reading may be done alone or within a group. The method of lectio divina is often referred to as fourfold: lectio (reading the text), meditatio (reflecting and meditating on the text), oratio (praying from the text) and contemplatio (deep contemplation of the text). “Reading as it were, puts food whole into the mouth, meditation chews it and breaks it up, prayer extracts its flavor, contemplation is the sweetness itself which gladdens and refreshes.” (Guigo …

Lectio Divina: Prayerful Reading of Scripture Part One 

Joanne Kollasch, OSBBenedictine Reflections 2 Comments

During Lent it may help to have a prayer in your pocket. One that you can pull out on a moment’s notice.  A prayer I keep close at hand, and “at heart” is Psalm 23, “A Prayer of David,” commonly called “The Good Shepherd Psalm.” This psalm can become a spiritual resource especially if it arises from the practice of lectio divina.  Lectio divina literally means divine or holy reading. This is a way of putting on the mind of God. By absorbing the Word of God we let the divine scripture penetrate deeply so that we may be transformed by divine …

A Day Away

Car McGinley Leave a Comment

A Day Away retreat— Balance Led by Oblates Camille Banks and Mary Hoddy Saturday, March 2, 2019 9:30 am-5:00 pm $50 for the day including lunch All women welcome You are always invited to extend your retreat. Contact Amanda Conwayto check room availability. Are you dissatisfied with the things that seem to consume your energy and time? We’ll provide a spacious day to consider how to focus on the essentials of life.  Join us as we explore the Benedictine value of balance. Retreat leaders Camille Banks has been an Oblate since 2005 and a Spiritual Formation Specialist for InterVarsity in Lakes and Plains …

A Day Away

Car McGinley Leave a Comment

A Day Away retreat— Balance Led by Oblates Camille Banks and Mary Hoddy Saturday, March 2, 2019 9:30 am-5:00 pm $50 for the day including lunch All women welcome You are always invited to extend your retreat. Contact Amanda Conwayto check room availability. Are you dissatisfied with the things that seem to consume your energy and time? We’ll provide a spacious day to consider how to focus on the essentials of life.  Join us as we explore the Benedictine value of balance. Retreat leaders Camille Banks has been an Oblate since 2005 and a Spiritual Formation Specialist for InterVarsity in Lakes and Plains …

Serving others, being served

Lynne Smith, OSBLiving in Community 2 Comments

A couple weeks ago when we had snow on a Sunday morning, I got up early to plow the driveways at home. The snow blower on the tractor wasn’t working properly so it took longer than usual. I saw the problem, but couldn’t fix it myself especially in single digit temperatures in the dark of pre-dawn. I made a mental note to contact Paul, our groundskeeper, to see if he could fix the trouble on Monday so it would be ready for the next snow. Later that morning at the monastery, before Sunday Assembly, someone told me of a friend …

Oblates gathering in community

What is community?

Lynne Smith, OSBBuilding Community, Living in Community Leave a Comment

People often come to the monastery looking for community. Community is a slippery word that is used with a wide range of meanings and lots of unspoken expectations. We talk about community around the monastery because community is central to Benedictine life. But the question remains: what is community? We probably each have different understandings and expectations of what it means. I recently came across one definition that seems simple and helpful. It doesn’t say everything, yet it is a place to start. Charles Vogl, in his article, “Behind every strong leader is a strong community,” defines community as: “a …

Dear Mr. President - a letter from religious leaders

Leadership for these times

Lynne Smith, OSBBuilding Community, Living in Community Leave a Comment

What kind of leadership is called for in these times? Several recent experiences come together to shape an answer to this question: The uneasy transition to new national leadership in our country A book shared by Maureen Van Dinter, a member of our Benedictine Women of Madison Board of Directors at a recent board meeting, titled The Servant Leader, by Blanchard and Hodges The recent publication of a Joint Letter to President Trump from the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) and the Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) The recent Statement by Major Christian Organizations on President-Elect Trump’s …

The creative tension of opposites

Lynne Smith, OSBBuilding Community, Living in Community Leave a Comment

I recently read a quotation on creative tension that has me intrigued. It was entitled: The Tension of Opposites and the Power of Love: “… all our lives we are faced with the task of reconciling opposites which, in logical thought, cannot be reconciled… How can one reconcile the demands of freedom and discipline in education? Countless mothers and teachers, in fact, do it, but no one can write down a solution. They do it by bringing into the situation a force that belongs to a higher level where opposites are transcended—the power of love… Divergent problems, as it were, …

4 sisters gathered around deep dish pizza

Milestones

Rosy Kandathil, OSBLetters home, Living in Community 13 Comments

I was turning 40. There was no avoiding it, but for the weeks leading up to my birthday I tried not to indulge a creeping sense of dread. Although I could laugh over the prospect of having to check the “40 and over” survey box, I also felt anxious about crossing a threshold into middle age. There is something about milestones that force reflection, self-assessment, and in my case—mild depression. What had I accomplished with my life? I would be turning 40 at a monastery, with nothing to my name. All the accomplishments of a legal career built during my …