www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Holy Resurrection Monastery changing ???

David,

I too feel sadness that it came to be necessary to move jurisdictions. On the other hand I feel a gladness that now Holy Resurrection Monastery might be able to grow.

May God grant them Many Years! (and many vocations!)

Steve,
I'd like to send a PM. Can you make some space in your mailbox.

In the east, is it tradition for communities to form around monasteries so as to avail themselves of spiritual direction from the monks?

If so, is it possible that this may happen with HRM?

DJS,

I cleared some space for PM's. I hadn't noticed how many were in my box!

Made for Communion,

Actually there is a strong 'parish'community presence at HRM. This community is, I think, a great help in preparations for their annual pilgrimage in October. HRM provides spiritual direction for those 'regular' parishioners with Sunday teaching after the Divine Liturgy as well as showing to many the full daily liturgical cycle of prayer.

I wish I could make more trips there during the year beside the October pilgrimage.

Steve

Man, it would be awesome if there was a monastery close to my house. I'll have to make that pilgrimage next October, I'll be married by then so I wont need to pay for two rooms.

To follow on from the Fr Deacon's earlier comments about the monks at Butler. St Benedict did not found an Order. He wrote a Rule for the monastery he lived in. He did not even start the community. He was professed by another monk form the area he was living in himself. He joined a pre-excisting group of small monasteries near Subiaco in central italy. He only moved to Monte Casino after one of the monks tried to kill him. He put together a Rule that is deeply rooted in Rules for monks already in place and well known. That is why scholars have detected segments of the Rule of the Master in the text. In the very last few lines of the Rule Bendict advised the reader to look to the writing of our holy Father Basil and the Fathers. The Italian penninsula was very Byzantine and lacking the lines historians would draw later like a barrier between east and west. Bendict remember is an Orthodox saint and highly regarded with many Hierarchs taking the name.

If you wanted to put a gun to a monks head and said take me to Benedictine HQ. There would be a problem as there is no such thing. For some time the church has encouraged croups of monasteries to group together as congregations. These being formed at different times and in different places never seem to have lost the old monastic ideal that monks make profession to the monastery and not to the congregation it belongs to. OSB monks will tell you what monastery they are from before they tell more of who they are. In the late 19 century the Popes wanted many older orders to form larger associations or mergers to happen. The Benedictines independant monasteries and excisting Congregations formed a confederation with a head (Abbot Primate) with no power for the Pope to talk to. This kept the monks and Popes happy. So as in Orthodox monastercism the benedictines have kept the traditional stucture of the monastery being the centre of the life of the monk. Butler performs that function within the Byzantine rite but as it is directly under the Pope like nearly all OSBs instead of local bishops, as are the Franciscans.

Fr. Deacon Lance,

Thank you. I stayed at the Butler monastery in the past and found the monks wonderful.

It seems that none of our monasteries get any press. Why do you think that is?

Joe

God bless and good luck. Marriage is a pilgrimage too.

Joe

Steve,

this comment of yours is somewhat presumptous. Your sentiment is certainly not found in the announcement on the HRM website, nor is this found in any communique from the Eparch of Van Nuys. One needs to be a bit more prudent with speculative comments.

Perhaps I was presumptous, however the word heirarchy does not mean a singular person. when there is little information offered to us laity regarding such matters one may be led to assume or presume.

My apologies to our heirarchy including our Eparch for being presumptous regarding the matter of the transfer of jurisdiction of HRM.

Since my post cannot be edited other than through moderators, then I would request that my post regarding the particular comment be excised from this thread.


Steve

Steve,

IMHO, no apology is necessary. You spoke about appearances, and that is perfectly within your right as a lay observer of events and certainly within the bounds of Christian charity. I disagree with Deacon John's assertion on this. Had you asserted it as fact, however, then I might be more sympathetic to his point. But by all appearances, a reasonable person might say that it "seems" as though there is a lack of sympathy on the part of some hierarchs for a self-governing monastery here in the US.

Gordo

I will just refrain from futher posts on this subject. I seem to have too strong an opinion regarding what I see as an unfortunate situation. In the long run it may well be best for both sides.

Steve

I agree there is no apology necessary (none was asked), but just so we are on the same page, Fr Maximos did offer this post in this thread:

So straight from the monk's computer to our forum, he cautions against speculation. So although you are certainly at liberty to disagree with me, I would ask that you heed Fr Maximos' counsel.

Fater Deacon John,

One can certainly infer what you do from the good Father Maximos' quote. But remember that a monastery belongs to the whole Church (aka the people), not just to the bishop. While they have not been lost to the broader Catholic communion, it is, as has been said, of concern that they have been lost to our Metropolia. One can speculate all day as to the reasons why, and it is ultimately an unfruitful exercise - spiritually speaking. But I guarantee you that there are many who will watch with greater diligence when the next monastic community appears within our jurisdictional borders to see that no reason is given for them to leave...from any source.

Gordo