News - The Bridge Life Vows Photo Journal Reflection On The Taking Of Solemn Vows, by Br. Raymond, OSB So, Do You Feel Different? by Br. Chad-Anselm, OSB A Welcome, by Sr. Mary Francis, p/OSB What’s in a Name? by Sr. Teresa, Obl/OSB Goings-On at the Abbey National recognition of the Companions of St. Luke press release. Archived articles: Life Vows Photo Journal 
Brother Raymond and Brother Chad-Anselm lie under a pall (loaned by
Conception Abbey) to signify
their death to the world. 
Brother Raymond and Brother Chad-Anselm make their vows to the Abbot before the Community. 
(l. to r.) The Abbot, Brother Raymond, Brother Chad-Anselm, Bishop Visitor Dean Wolfe, Community Chaplain Father Wayne Kamm. (top) Reflection On The Taking Of Solemn Vows by Brother Raymond When entering Religious Life, five and one half years seems like a long time, but now as I look back it seems like yesterday even though I am very much aware of how much has happened in the interim. At times it seems as if nothing has changed over these years, but then all of a sudden something happens to reinforce that yes, I have changed and continue to change in this journey to God.
On the morning of October 25, I awoke before my alarm with Jesus’ words on the cross going through my mind: “I thirst.” This may seem unusual on a day that should be one of those “mountaintop experiences”, but I think that it really reflects and summarizes much of what the formation process is about, at least for me. My journey through monastic formation has reinforced just how little I really know. I have not “arrived” spiritually. If anything, I am even more aware now of how much I have sinned and fallen away from God – how I keep falling on the path. I realize how much more healing needs to occur within me so that I can become one with my Savior. I realize how imperfect my love for Jesus is and yet how much I yearn to love him more. I am ever more aware of how much more I want to grow both in knowledge of my Lord and Savior and of His Kingdom. In other words, I just want to know Jesus, to be united with him and to have him live within me. I know that this will not be totally accomplished until I leave this world and I am finally united with him for eternity. Until then, “I thirst.” (top) So, Do You Feel Different? by Br. Chad-Anselm, OSB When I returned home after the October CSL Convocation, I was scheduled to be the Lay Eucharistic Minister for the early service at St. Christopher’s Church. I saw many of the people who were part of the blessing I received from the community two weeks previously, and one of the common questions was: “Do you feel different?” This question was a bit unexpected, so all I could mumble was “Yeah, a little.”
I’ve been thinking a lot about that question lately and I can now answer emphatically “YES and NO!” Yes, I’ve been changed because through my vows, I have a unique and personal relationship with Christ and His community of Christians, a relationship built on a foundation of Love. When I went on retreat last month my spiritual advisor helped me discern that the taking of life vows was a kind of betrothal service. There resides, in both the Marriage Service and the service of Taking Life Vows the Benedictine vows of conversion of life, obedience, and stability. When Ann and I were married in the 1960’s, we made vows to each other to forsake others, to love and honor each other (conversion of life), and obey (listen and respond) for the rest of our lives (stability). In the service of Taking Life Vows, I accepted and promised to live out the vows of conversion of life, obedience, and stability, for the rest of my life. Which meant that I would live a life where I will forego the demands of the world so that I will be able to love Christ freely, to intentionally offer everything I do to Christ in love, and to see Christ in others and act accordingly. Finally, and most importantly, to listen to His voice and respond out of love. The questions that were asked at this service, and my responses were no different that what I had heard and said many times before. But each situation was very different, because they were tentative, trial expressions of living this life in Christ. I could at any time say this is not for me, and move on. But this was different. I am committed to live a life with Christ; there is no turning back. And because of this, I am changed.
On another level, I was not changed, because I have been going through a process of change for almost 10 years, with intense formation for over five. This meant I was going through the process of conversion of life (ie. change), before I ever came to convocation and went to that service. I was changed when I realized that Christ wanted me for something and I responded and took the step to enroll in the Education for Ministry program to help me discern what I was called to. I was changed when at the end of EFM, I figured out that I was called to religious life and Christ seemed to say to me “There, you finally got it.” I was changed when after two false starts, I found the Companions of St. Luke, and I continued to change as I went through the application process. This process of conversion of life continued as I went through Postulancy and Novitiate as I read and learned from the Rule of St. Benedict, set roots from the readings and reports, and grew in the prayers. My life began to truly be Christ centered. I stopped thinking about the church and began to think about being a religious and then began to think of Christ all the time. For me, this is no different from when I fell in love with my wife – I couldn’t get her out of my mind. So when I began my “engagement,” that is Annual Vows, I was able to continue to grow, to move more confidently from spiritual milk to spiritual meat because I was sure that this was the path for me. As the time got closer to making my life vows, I went on retreat; I took advantage of other times to be alone, and spent time the night before in prayer to review in my mind and heart if I was ready. In the end, “I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’” And I said: “Here am I; send me!” (Isaiah.6:8) (top) A Welcome by Sr. Mary Francis, p/OSB “All guests who present themselves are to be welcomed as Christ” (RB 53) I thought I knew what those words meant. After all, for five years I have been answering the phone and welcoming members and strangers to the church office in Abilene; handing out food to the hungry and homeless from our pantry and escorting visitors on tours of our gothic buildings or to a quiet place for prayer.
I began to find out just how little I know about “welcoming” the day Abba accepted my application. E-mails began arriving from every corner of the nation. At one point, my inbox resembled fast moving credits at the end of a movie. Each one included some personal note of encouragement. A few included useful tips on preparing for the trip to convocation. Some described the memory of their own special day, expressing exactly how I felt at the moment: excited, terrified, joyful, and thankfully blessed.
When Abbot Michael John had spoken with me earlier by phone, he had asked if there was anything that might prevent my coming to convocation. I told him it would be getting my feet on an airplane (I really do hate to fly). He quietly told me not to worry: “We will find someone to hold your hand.” It was many weeks later when we all discovered that Sister Anna Grace and I had booked the same flights from Dallas to Kansas City and back again. I was so relieved when I spotted her at DFW wearing a beautiful black habit. When we landed in Missouri among the Companions of St. Luke, each opened arms and hearts to make a short, introverted, Texas grandma feel right at home. There truly is something different about Benedictine hospitality. Now I know what it feels like “to be welcomed as Christ.” This is a grace-filled place to begin my postulancy. (top) What’s in a Name? by Sr. Teresa, Obl/OSB Postulants to the vowed life receive religious names as soon as they are received into the community. Novice Oblates get a whole year to think (and pray) about it. I have had my baptismal name for 50 years. On my mother’s side of the family there had been a number of women with double names that included “Jane” as the second name: Zilpha Jane (my favorite), Prudence Jane (heaven forefend), Cemantha Jane, and Emma Jane. I was almost named Rebecca Jane but there was another little girl who was going to be christened at the same time whose name was to be Rebecca. So my parents named me plain Jane. (My mother’s name was Joan so it was kind of for her as well). So I have had a special attachment to my name – in spite of the annoying “Dick and Jane” references or “Me Tarzan, you Jane.”
Changing my name seemed quite a step to take. One of my problems was that two of my favorite women in the Bible do not have their names mentioned: the Shunammite woman and the Samaritan woman at the well. “Sister The Shunammite Woman” seemed kind of awkward! I also struggled with what having a new name would mean for me. Was I taking the name of a saint or biblical figure because I already had an affinity with that person? Did I want to be somehow imbued with the qualities of that person? I prayed to hear by what name God was calling me. I have always loved the stories in which someone hears his name being called in the night. Once I heard this name, could I say, “Here I am?”
One of the first names mentioned to me was Elizabeth. This seemed good: mother of John, cousin and dear friend of Mary. Brother Daniel-Joseph told me the name Elizabeth means “place of song” in Hebrew. Miriam, sister of Aaron, seemed good also. She was a prophet and a singer.
During one of the pivotal conversations I had with my Rector, Rob, before finally writing to Abba, Father Rob asked me, “What do you want?” I found this question startling because I had been focusing on what I “should” do. I said that basically I wanted to sit at Jesus’ feet, have a conversation, and learn like Mary of Bethany. I love Martha and Lazarus, too. Choosing the name Bethany seemed to incorporate the whole family as special friends of our Lord.
Teresa as a name kind of snuck up on me mysteriously. I am not sure where or when I began thinking of it. Even the weekend before Convocation I was still not sure. I attended a parish retreat during that weekend and had an opportunity to walk an outdoor labyrinth. Earlier in the afternoon one of the presenters at the retreat mentioned that her daughter’s name is Teresa. At the airport on the way to Kansas City the woman boarding us all on the plane said, “Good morning, my name is Teresa, and we will begin boarding with our first class passengers…”
Now that I have this name it has been interesting to me how St. Teresa of Avila seems to be trying to engage my attention. I had not thought in terms of having a living relationship with the person for whom I am named – but it seems to happening. I need and want to find out more about her, certainly, but she seems to want to have an ongoing dialogue as well. Do not fear, I am not hearing voices exactly – nor have I begun to levitate as she did. I am going to do what I can to welcome her into my life. We will see how this turns out. (top) Goings on at the Abbey  | The Abbot, Brother Paul of the Desert and Sister Mary Catherine attended the Diocese of Iowa's Annual Convention. This year the technology worked and we were able to bring pictures of our last Convocation to the conventioneers. In addition old brochures were updated and new ones created that speak of the Abbey as a resource. About half of the brochures (now in color) ended up in peoples' hands. Already we are seeing a response! | | While at Convention the Abbot ran into Abbot Simeon of St. Isaac of Syria Skete from Wisconsin. During our conversation (not knowing at the time where he was from) the Abbot mentioned that near the founding date of CSL three icons where given to us from a Skete in Wisconsin. Lo and behold, it was his community that produced them. As part of their exhibition they had a very large icon of Christ giving a blessing and holding in his other hand Holy Scripture. Over the years the Abbot has been collecting faceted stones, some of which was cut by his father when he was in high school. These have been handed over to Sister Clare-Benedicta who has imbedded them in the icon. Gold foil of various colors has been added to the nimbus. The icon stands in front of the lectern reminding us: "Those who hear me, hears the Father that sent me." |  |  | With the increased number of people visiting the Abbey, the dining room of the Abbey has been upgraded to accommodate a larger number of people. Gifts of stain-glass now hang in the picture windows looking south onto lawn, creek and pasture. | | | | (top) Click here to send us your prayer requests The Bridge is published by the Companions of St. Luke, Donnellson, Iowa. © 2006. All rights reserved. Publisher: Abbot Michael-John OSB
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