Abbey News
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Desert Fathers and Mothers Revisited
Bradley Nassif, an Eastern Orthodox theologian, introduces the wisdom of the desert fathers and mothers to the readership of Christianity Today a magazine of evangelical conviction. In his article, The Poverty of Love, the author suggests how one element of the rich Orthodox heritage, namely, the Desert Fathers and Mothers might help reconvert all of us to the person and mission of Jesus Christ. Written from an Orthodox perspective his article is challenging to all serious Christians. It can be found at The Poverty of Love.
International Lay Cistercians
Currently there is a meeting of the International Lay Cistercians from May 30th to June 7th at our monastery of Santa Maria de Huerta in Spain. Representing our own Genesee Lay Cistercians are Mary McNiff, Margy Radell and Fr. Marcellus. Below are the goals and objectives of the meeting.
- With all Lay Communities present, mutually develop a document that answers the question "What is the identity of lay individuals and lay communities associated with Cistercian monasteries?"
- Determine the juridical relationship of Lay Cistercian Communities to the Cistercian Orders and Congregations. (Note that there are 15 Congregations within the Cistercian Family-OCSO is one of these Congregations.)
- Organize an Association of Lay Cistercian Communities that reflects the second goal above.
You'll find more information about the meeting and the Lay Cistercians in general on their web site at Lay Cistercians.
More Meetings
On Wednesday of this week Abbot John and I will depart for the OCSO Regional Meeting of Abbesses and Abbots to be held at our monastery of Snowmass, Colorado. Abbot John will be there for the entire meeting, returning June 12th while I will return to Genesee late June 7th after giving a report on my duties as Regional Secretary of Formation.
Then on the 9th I'll be off again to our monastery of Tre Fontane in Rome, Italy for a meeting of all of the Order's Regional Secretaries of Formation. The primary purpose of this meeting, which will run from June 10th to the 19th, is to discuss the impact the Order's Guidelines on Formation known, as the Ratio Institutionis, has had on formation in the various regions of the Order.
NOTE: Because I'll be away at these meetings the next Abbey News Update will be sometime around the 4th week of June. See you then, God willing!
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