The Road to Solemn Vows

BenedictinePerspectives: Scholarship and theBenedictine Tradition

Cover: Br. Dominic Warnecke preparesthe incense for Mass.

MONK LIFEFrom the Vocations Office of Saint Meinrad Archabbey Summer 2014 • No. 2

Vocation Narration:Fr. Christian Raab

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On the cover: Br. Dominic Warnecke, OSB,prepares the incense for Mass.

FEATURES2.....................................................From the Vocation Director

3...............................................................The Road to Solemn Vows

5-6......................................................................Vocation Narration

7-8......................................................Benedictine Perspectives

9 ......................................................................Monk Spotlight

10 ................................................................Ministry Spotlight

Produced by the Vocations Office and the Communications Office of SaintMeinrad Archabbey.

Vocations Office, Saint Meinrad Archabbey100 Hill Drive, St. Meinrad, IN 47577vocations@saintmeinrad.org, www.saintmeinrad.org(812) 357-6318

© 2014

Happy Easter! Ican’t remember ayear when wewere more eagerfor spring toarrive, and Iimagine that wasthe sentiment ofso many around

the country. In fact, I think the monkswere even looking forward to Lent –as it was at least a sign of warmerthings to come (not to mention theResurrection!).

But now spring and Easter have trulyarrived, and we are all the moregrateful for the changing of seasonsand the beauty and meaning thatcome with the gift of time.

This May, we received two newcandidates and we are planning forthree or four more in October. Wetake men twice a year, and this year

we are excited by the many fineyoung men who are interested injoining us on this inward adventureof the monastic life.

Of course, it is more accurate tosay that these young men arejoining us to further explore and testtheir monastic calling, becausediscernment is not over once a manenters the monastic formationprogram. I am fond of saying thatformation is just as much aboutdiscernment, because the goal ofthe beginnings of monastic life issimply to try it on, so to speak –like a coat or a pair of slacks (or ahabit) to see how it fits.

In the monastery, we expect all mento grow. It’s impossible not to growin monastic formation. Some willfind themselves growing into thislife; others might find themselvesgrowing, but in other directions.

Either way, at the end of eachstage of formation – candidacy,novitiate, temporary vows – menarrive at a certain clarity aboutwhether this life is still for them. Theclues are whether monastic life hasproven its capacity for conversionin their lives and whether it holdspromise for greater conversion inthe future.

In the months ahead, I invite you topray for the men who have enteredformation and who are consideringjumping into this beautiful butchallenging way of life. Formationis hard, but good, work. Thenagain, following Christ andcontinuing to be formed in Hisimage is always hard, but good,work. The best work! �

From the Vocation DirectorBr. John Mark Falkenhain, OSB

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MONK LIFE

Monastic formation can bechallenging and rewarding. It’s atime to learn about being a monkand it’s a time to learn more aboutyourself. It’s rewarding when youdevelop friendships with othermonks and draw closer to Christthrough prayer. The challenges cantake the rough edges off and theself-knowledge can help make youa better person.

One of the biggest challenges I hadto face was my work assignment. Inthe middle of my novitiate year, Iwas assigned to work in our musicoffice. All of our chant music is in adatabase. Since I have abackground in IT, mysuperiors thought I’d do agood job.

Unfortunately, I don’t knowanything about music. Ididn’t understand theelements within thedatabase and how they allfit together. It didn’t makesense to me. And therewasn’t anyone who couldshow me how things weresupposed to work. I wasreally frustrated. This wasone of the most difficultexperiences of mynovitiate.

Eventually, I was assigneda different job, and in theprocess I learned quite abit about myself. I realizedthat in my old IT job, Imissed the people aspects

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The day of my solemn vows hasfinally arrived. In the middle of along, tiresome winter that seemedto throw every conceivable weathercondition at us, I am preparing tomake my solemn vows. This is thebiggest day in a monk’s life, theday he becomes permanently“wedded” to this way of life andthis community. It has certainly beenan adventure, an adventure thatstarted long before I actuallyentered Saint Meinrad.

Several years before entering themonastery, I had undergone amajor conversion. I returned to thefaith after several years of beingaway from the Church. It wasduring this time that I started todiscern a call to monastic life.

I was drawn to the monastic lifewith its set times of prayerthroughout the day. This was theone thing missing from my life. Iwas fairly regular at praying in themornings, but my life was so hecticthat I seldom prayed at any othertime of the day. Any time I visited amonastery, the monks would stopwhat they were doing when the bellrang and go to prayer.

My spiritual director was a big helpin my discernment, and it was hewho originally suggested that I lookat Saint Meinrad. So I visited themonastery and thoroughly enjoyedit. After visiting again on an official“Come and See” weekend, Ieventually applied, and entered themonastery in the fall of 2008.

of the job. I enjoyed working withpeople to solve problems. Problemswere like puzzles with severalpeople working together to solvethe puzzle. No single individualhad the total answer, but was partof the solution.

With this knowledge of myself, I’vebeen asked to work more withguests. I give tours and help leadthe devotions during May andOctober at Monte Cassino, ourMarian shrine. I’ve also used this

The Road to Solemn Vows:Making my commitment to monastic lifeBy Br. Luke Waugh, OSB

Br. Luke Waugh, OSB, prepares to singduring communion after making hissolemn profession on January 25.

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knowledge to discern a possible callto priesthood. What started as a bigchallenge has turned into a blessing.

My private prayer has also been ablessing for me. Time for privateprayer is worked into the monasticschedule. It is a force that keeps megoing throughout the day. My privateprayer has been enhanced by takingclasses in our Seminary and School ofTheology.

All of the monks in formation areencouraged to take classes as part oftheir formation. The classes on humanformation, psalms, Scripture and someof the electives, such as a class onone of the mystics, have enhanced myprayer life.

After five years of living the monasticlife, I am ready to fully commit myselfto persevere in this life. As I wait forthe Mass where I will make my solemnprofession to begin, I hear all six bellsringing and I remember ringing thosebells for other monks when they madetheir solemn vows. I consider thosemonks good friends.

I think about the monks still information, all good men learningthe monastic way of life. And I thinkabout the monks who have livedthis life for 60 and 70 years. Allhave had an influence on mymonastic call, and I appreciateeach one.

Waiting for the bells to finishringing, I stand in line ready toenter the Archabbey Church. Myhair is cut with the monastic

corona. I hold in my hand my vowchart, which I will chant in front ofmy abbot and place on the altarduring Mass. It is symbolic ofplacing myself on the altar.

Soon I will sing, “Uphold me, OGod, according to your promiseand I shall live. And do notconfound me in my expectation.”May God bring to completion whatHe has begun in me. �

Br. Luke Waugh’s vow chart rests on the altar during his solemn profession.

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Br. Luke Waugh, OSB, processes into church with his brother monks. For more images, visit saint-meinrad.smugmug.comR

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Even from anearly age, Ientertainedthoughts aboutbecoming apriest. But thething about highschool is that it’sa time in your life

where all possible futures are openand you don’t really need to decideon anything. Next to a burgeoningdream of being a priest, I alsodreamed of being an anthropologist,a doctor, a politician and a rock star.I also had a girlfriend, about whomI was very serious. So, there was thatdream, too – the dream of being ahusband and father.

During my first two years of college,I drifted away from the Church andfrom a good moral life. I wasdirectionless and considerablyunhappy. At the end of sophomoreyear, I started to pray. It was differentfrom the rote prayers I had learned asa child. I began to speak honestly tothe Lord about all the confusions in mylife. Through the conversation, I wasgiven the gift of hope. I started to goto Mass again and to surround myselfmore with people who would supportme in positive decisions.

In fall semester of junior year, I wenton a Newman Center-sponsoredretreat at Saint Meinrad Archabbey.By then, the choice of what I wassupposed to do with my life feltpressing. During one of the liturgies, Ihad an overwhelming sense of peaceand freedom as I contemplated the

possibility of giving my life to Godand becoming a priest.

First Things FirstAs powerful as that feeling was, Iwas not quite ready to do anythingabout it. The truth is I was ratherfrightened of what it all meant. I wasafraid of being alone (unmarried),and of what my friends and familywould think. Fortunately, I met agood spiritual director. Heencouraged me to concern myselffirst with becoming a good disciple– praying, frequenting thesacraments, doing service, livingwell. He said that if I gave goodtime to these things, I wouldeventually gain the strength to dowhat God was calling me to do,whatever that may be. He was right.

After college, I got a job teachingat St. Benedict High School inChicago. I stayed in that positionfor four years. I liked it very muchand loved my students, but I hadthe sense that, if I stayed there foranother 20 years, I would ultimatelybe disappointed with my lifechoice. Something was missing. Mythoughts and feelings aboutpriesthood kept resurfacing.

By now, I was in a stronger positionin my relation with God and willingto take the risks that I had earlierfelt unable to take. I had continuedto meet with my spiritual director,and we agreed that it was time forme to do some exploring. When Ishared the news with my friendsand family that I was looking into

priesthood, I discovered that fewwere surprised and almost all weresupportive. I was happy to hear mydad say: “I’ve always thought thisis what you should be doing.”

Finding the Right FitI now had the support from othersand personal willingness to becomea priest, but the question was:“where?” Thus began what I callmy “Goldilocks and the ThreeBears” experience of discerning areligious community. Interestingly,the notion of being a monk wasrather far from my mind. I thought Iwas called to be a missionary,which seemed to me the opposite ofbeing a monk.

I was taking graduate courses atLoyola University Chicago and somade some visits to the Jesuitcommunity there. I liked theirintellectual life and their focus ontransforming secular culture.However, I found I had a hard timeclicking with the individuals, and Ifound myself longing for a moretranscendent sense of beauty in theliturgy.

I visited a few other religiouscommunities – Franciscans,Carmelites – but just didn’t feel Iwas a good fit for them. I knew Ineeded space and time to read andwork on creative projects, but stillwanted to actively engage in someexternal apostolates.

I attended a discernment group withthe Chicago Archdiocese, but, as

VOCATION NARRATIONFr. Christian Raab, OSB

much as I respected it, parishpriesthood had never reallycaptured my imagination. At thispoint, my spiritual director saidsomething to the effect of: “Surelythere has to be some place that youfeel would be right for you. I simplydon’t believe God has never shownyou.” At these words, I realized Iwas comparing everything to SaintMeinrad. He encouraged me tomake another visit there. I did andmy feelings of peace and freedomcame back. Two weeks later, Imoved into the monastery.

What Attracted MeIn hindsight, the things that attractedme to Saint Meinrad were: thebeauty of the place, especially itsliturgy; its tangible connection to thepastoral work of the Church; andthe community life. I had initiallywanted to be a missionary, but, as Icame to know monasticism, Irealized that the monastery actuallyhas a strong evangelizing aspect.The monastic way of evangelizationis to build a sacred space withinthe world to which people arewelcomed and where they areinvited to encounter God.

I often think of life at Saint Meinradas a living out of Isaiah 2 or Mark1:45: “He remained outside indeserted places, and people keptcoming to him from all around.” Intruth, non-Christians are far morelikely to visit the monastery thanthey are to show up at St. Mary’sparish down the block. The placehas a transformative effect onpeople. They see the beautifulwitness of a community centered onChrist, and they participate in

prayer, and they are changed by it. Inthe words of an Eastern monk,“People come to the monastery astourists, but they leave as pilgrims.”

Saint Meinrad also has a tangibleconnection to the pastoral work of theChurch. Through the Seminary andSchool of Theology, the abbey has aripple effect through the priests,deacons and lay people who areeducated and formed there. Theabbey also takes care of a couple ofparishes and ministry at a nearbyprison. Many monks lead retreats onor off the Hill.

Stability at Saint Meinrad could becompared to an aircraft carrier. Theplanes are often taking off and goingon missions, but then they return tohome base. This is not foreign to St.Benedict’s Rule (See RB 50 and 67). Iliked it then that there were thesegreat opportunities to minister, and Ilove it now that I am able tocontribute.

Finally, there is the community. VisitingSaint Meinrad, I was moved by the

humility and joy of the brethren,especially the older ones. Theywere friendly and funny. It seemedto me that, on a natural level, Ishared their wiring, and that if Igave my life to the same projectthey had, in time, the Holy Spiritmight make me similarly humbleand joyful. I like to think I amgetting there. �

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Fr. Christian Raab, OSB, on the campus ofThe Catholic University of America inWashington, DC, where he is studyingsacred theology.

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BENEDICTINEHILLSPILGRIMAGEBENEDICTINEHILLSPILGRIMAGEBENEDICTINEHILLSPILGRIMAGEBENEDICTINEHILLSPILGRIMAGEBENEDICTINEHILLSPILGRIMAGEBENEDICTINEHILLSPILGRIMAGEBENEDICTINEHILLSPILGRIMAGEBENEDICTINEOCTOBER 18, 2014

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In the late 17thcentury, twoFrench monks,Jean Mabillonand Armand-Jeande Rancé,engaged in aheated debateabout the role of

scholarly studies in the monastic life.Rancé, the founder of the Trappistorder, favored a literal reading of theRule of St. Benedict and believed thatmanual labor was the only properactivity for monks apart from prayer.

Mabillon, a traditional Benedictinewho is also widely considered thefather of modern historical studies,argued that serious scholarship hadlong been a part of the monastictradition and, even more, wasfoundational to its spirituality focusedas it is on a devotion to the Word ofGod.

As a Benedictine and a prospectivescholar, I am inclined to side withMabillon on this one. In fact, I find thepursuit of scholarship to be an integraland essential part of my own monasticvocation.

Rancé based his position on St.Benedict’s statement in the Ruleconcerning manual labor: “When theylive by the work of their own hands,just as our fathers and the apostlesdid, then they are truly monks” (RB48). While this sounds verystraightforward, in reality it is notquite so simple. Two things need to beborne in mind when reading thispassage.

In the first place, scholarship in theage of St. Benedict and all throughthe Middle Ages was as much aphysical activity as it was anintellectual one. Commentatorsoften assume that in this passageBenedict is referring to agriculturalwork in the fields, but we mustremember that work in the monasticscriptorium would equally havebeen considered manual labor.

Medieval monasteries in need ofbooks had to produce themthemselves; there were no printingpresses or any book dealers tospeak of. Not only did the monkshave to copy them out by hand –no easy task – but they had tomanufacture their own material fordoing so: parchment produced fromanimal hides, pens from thefeathers of birds, and ink from avariety of plants and minerals arejust a few of the tiresome jobs thathad to be performed before studyand scholarship were evenpossible.

While scholars today have theluxury, not only of printed books,but of the Internet and otherelectronic resources as well, thereremains a physical, material aspectto serious scholarship that remainsmy favorite part, be it the acquiringand organization of researchmaterial, the handling of an ancientmanuscript or the exploration ofdusty archives.

A second consideration forunderstanding Benedict’s attitudetoward proper monastic activitymust also be taken into account. For

medieval monks, every written text,particularly a religious text like theholy Rule, had potentially two levelsof meaning: a literal and aspiritual.

From the literal point of view, thispassage means exactly what itsays: the ideal monk should earnhis living from his own labor,whether that be working in thefields, copying manuscripts orwhatever else circumstances callfor.

On the spiritual level, however,read from the perspective of amonk’s broader life of prayer andseeking God, the agriculturalcontext of this passage might call tomind the words of Christ: “Onedoes not live by bread alone, butby every word that comes forthfrom the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4).Just as the provision for ourphysical nourishment entails hardwork, sweat and cultivation, so toodoes our spiritual nourishmentrequire sustained effort anddiscipline.

The two basic practices of thisBenedictine spirituality are liturgicalprayer and lectio divina (sacredreading). Both are founded on thesacred Scriptures and are intendedto integrate the spirit of theseScriptures deeply into the characterof the monk and the monasticcommunity. This Word of God,which is the focus of our devotion,has been preserved for us in writtentexts, composed in languages thatare quite foreign to our own.

Benedictine Perspectives:Scholarship and the Benedictine TraditionBy Br. Matthew Mattingly, OSB

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Likewise, it has been handed down tous through traditions and institutionswhose initial establishment is equallydistant. Unless we make a constanteffort to re-interpret and re-translatethis Word into current modes ofthought, unless we are able to re-contextualize the ancient andvenerable institutions that preserve itto meet our own experience, then werun the risk of these texts losing theirmeaning and our traditions becomingdead and lifeless.

This task, I believe, is the role of theChristian scholar, and it is one of theparticular callings (though certainlynot the only one) of Benedictine monks.

Scholarship – be it study of the Bible,of theology, of history, of language, orof any other discipline engaged inunderstanding the human experience– can be a great and holy endeavor.Saint Meinrad Archabbey has a longtradition of promoting learning andscholarly studies, and it remains animportant part of the individualvocation of many of our monks, myselfincluded. �

Fr. Mark O’Keefe, OSB, is a moral theology professor and the author of nine books.R

Twitter:@SMAVocations

Fr. Harry Hagan, OSB, teaches a weekend course on “Prophets and Poetry.”R

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Q. Where and when were youborn? Where did you grow up?

A. I was born in 1959 in Peoria, IL,and grew up there, and thenMetamora, IL, followed byBloomington, IL.

Q. What is your prior work/lifeexperience?

A. I obtained a Bachelor of Sciencedegree in international businessfrom Quincy University, and workedat a bank for five years. I workedin the loan department and likedmy job and the people with whom Iworked, but I wanted to explore theseminary possibility.

When I was growing up, I was analtar boy and had been impressedby the priests for whom I served. Iwas attracted to the priesthood andwanted to be a priest, and myparents encouraged me. I used to“play Mass” using grape juice andbread. With the open end of adrinking glass, I could cut out of aslice of bread a perfectly round host.

As I went into high school andcollege, the attraction to priesthoodwaned and I found other interests.Working at the bank was good, butI did not feel fulfilled. The possibilityof priesthood was still in the backof my mind, so I decided that it wastime to try the seminary and

enrolled at Saint Meinrad Seminaryand School of Theology.

After studying for the priesthood atSaint Meinrad, I was ordained apriest for the Diocese of Peoria. Iwas assistant pastor at St. Pius XParish in Rock Island, IL, for threeyears. I was then pastor at SacredHeart Parish in Annawan, IL, forfour years.

I enjoyed the diocesan priesthood,but I was looking for a deeperprayer life and a community to livewith. I asked my bishop if I couldtry the monastic life at Saint MeinradArchabbey, and he said “Yes.”

I then entered Saint Meinrad in1997 and professed solemn vowsin 2001. As a junior monk, I beganto work in the Archabbey Libraryand studied library science atIndiana University, where I receiveda master’s degree.

Q. Describe your current work forthe monastery.

A. I work in the library withcataloging, library software andreference. Additionally, I am thesecretary for the ArchabbeyChapter and the Archabbot’sCouncil. I also work as the assistant

MONKSPOTLIGHT

oblate director, and occasionally doweekend parish work and giveretreats and parish missions.

Q. What attracted you to monastic life?

A. A scheduled day with prayer asthe most important parts of the day,a balanced approach to prayerand work, the long history andtradition (more than 1,700 years)of Christian monasticism.

When I was in the School ofTheology, I was inspired by theprayerfulness and dedication of themonks who were my teachers;living in a community of peoplewith the common purpose ofseeking God; good liturgy andmusic; an environment infused withculture, art and learning; and theBenedictine habit.

Q. What advice would you give tothose considering a monasticvocation?

A. Pray about it and be open towhere God may be leading you.Visit Saint Meinrad Archabbey or amonastery near you and get toknow some of the monks. Each daypray, “Oh Lord, help me to be whatyou want me to be.” �

Fr. Joseph Cox, OSB

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Interestingly,for a monkwith a vow ofstability, I amwriting thiscolumn fromRome in earlyApril. I am inRome with a

group of our seminary Overseerswho are enjoying (and praying) apilgrimage to the holy places of theEternal City. All of this is part of myministry as president-rector of ourseminary.

When I became rector six yearsago, I was a bit familiar to the jobbut I had no idea what it reallymeant. I knew that I had theresponsibility of overseeing theprograms of our school, to care forthe seminarians, the lay studentsand our permanent deaconcandidates in our formal programs.

I knew that I also had theresponsibility of overseeing thereputation of the school in otherquarters as well, with our externalboard of overseers, with bishopsand with those in dioceses chargedwith preparing lay ministers anddeacon candidates.

I knew that, as president-rector, Iwas responsible for looking at thereputation of our school amongbenefactors and this includedraising money to keep ourprograms going. I knew all of this,but I was not prepared for what itreally meant. I discovered that it

was all true, but there was anothercomponent – the human and divinefactor.

As I moved forward as rector, Idiscovered that all of those“seminarians” that I had charge ofwere real men, from real families,each having real needs that precludedthem being lumped into the genericcategory of seminarians.

I learned that our lay degree studentswere also real folks with real jobs andfamilies who made real sacrifices tobe with us at Saint Meinrad for verylively events. I learned that ourdeacon candidates in far-flung placeslike Louisiana and Wyoming andBahamas were also men who had realneeds, with real folks alreadydependent upon them long beforetheir ordinations.

All of this is not to mention ouroverseers, benefactors, alumni, friends

and those who just make their wayto Saint Meinrad for a weekend, avisit, a tour, a retreat. All of this isalso not to mention our faculty, ourstaff, our loyal co-workers, all ofwhom have fully devoted their livesto the service of this call.

As president-rector, I have a veryfull schedule, which includes a lotof traveling (to Rome, for example).I often find, however, that theschedule is interrupted by this orthat one who needs a little extraguidance, a little extra support, alittle extra prayer. Flexibility isdefinitely a benefit of being rector,some days more than others.

In the past six years, my job hasbecome much more. It has becomea real ministry, a wonderfulopportunity to spread the Gospel ofChrist in a remote, yet veryuniversal place called SaintMeinrad. �

Ministry Spotlight:Saint Meinrad Seminary and School of Theology

By Fr. Denis Robinson, OSB, President-Rector

Fr. Denis Robinson, OSB, teaches class in the Seminary and School of Theology.

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A S I PRAY,

REveal to me

your way for me

to you, lord god.

Amen

Interested in the Monastic Life at Saint Meinrad Archabbey?

Contact Us:vocations@saintmeinrad.org

www.saintmeinrad.org