Sr. Mildred's Favorite Benedictine Quote

In this post Sr. Mildred shares her favorite Benedictine quote, "The love of Christ must come before all else" and how it has related to her entire Monastic life.

60+ years in the Monastic life I find myself thinking more often of the place Christ takes in my life. There have been many challenges as well as many blessings in my years. But it seems that always I am reminded that Christ is the Center of whatever I do. If it is teaching in the classroom, it is His message I bring. Working with people in Formation I felt I needed to let them know the importance of Christ in their lives. Leadership showed loud and clear that He and I had to be partners. Parish work was simply working as His messenger. Now that I am retired I have more time to think of Christ in my daily life. My values have narrowed and I can honestly say they focus on what Christ wants. Really nothing else matters. I know that, not too long in the future, I will finally meet Christ face to face and my greatest joy will be that He is no stranger to me. For all eternity I will enjoy knowing more of His relationship in the Trinity and being a part of that mystery. St. Benedict has much in his Rule about Christ for each of us and this statement seems to sum it up:

"The love of Christ must come before all else."

The “Little Way” of Therese of Lisieux

Sr. Kathy Smolik, OSB will periodically post teachings of St. Therese. This is her first post.

A Way of Love:
“'Here is the teacher whom I am giving you; he will teach you everything that you must do. I want to make you read in the book of life, wherein is contained the science of LOVE.’ (St. Margaret Mary) The science of Love, ah, yes, this word resounds sweetly in the ear of my soul, and I desire only this science. Having given all my riches for it, I esteem it as having given nothing as did the bride in the sacred Canticles. I understand so well that it is only love that makes us acceptable to God, that this love is the only good I ambition. Jesus deigned to show me the road that leads to this Divine Furnace, and this road is the surrender of the little child who sleeps without fear in its Father’s arms. ‘Whoever is a little one, let him come to me.’” Therese of Lisieux

These words of Therese come from “Manuscript B” of Story of a Soul, her autobiography. This manuscript is her masterpiece and gift to us as we learn her “Little Way.”

What was Therese about? What is she trying to teach us? Therese discovered that the only thing to live for and by is LOVE. Everything she teaches is for our instruction on how to love.

Start where you are. Great deeds are not necessary. Her way is a “little way.” Small acts of kindness are done with great love and attention to Jesus, our Beloved. Therese once exclaimed, “To pick up a pin with love can save a soul…what a mystery!”

Whoever you are, and whatever your circumstances in life, begin now. God’s Mercy is greater than His Judgment. He is waiting for you to return to Him by love, and Therese will teach you how to do this.

Jesus is our real Teacher on this path. However, we often need help along the way when we can’t see. Sometimes God sends people to help us. We can also pray to Therese to teach us how to be a “little child” who abandons herself to God. Pray to her, ask her for help and intercession to Jesus, and she will teach you the “little way.”

Fr. Matthias Neuman's homily for the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time

7th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Feb 22, 2009

Readings: Is 43:18-25; 2 Cor 1:18-22; Mk 2:1-12

1. One of the things that has always struck me about this gospel story is the phrase, "When Jesus saw their faith." He was deliberately including at least some of the men who were lowering the paralytic through the roof. But I’ve always wondered if he was referring primarily to them; we never know the paralytic’s thoughts or feelings—he never speaks. Perhaps over time he had become a very bitter man, afflicted as he was with this debilitating condition. It does happen. But his friends didn’t give up. They were willing to make the effort to bring him to Jesus and try to save their friend. Perhaps it was mainly their faith that Jesus saw, that persuaded Jesus to work the miracle of healing on the paralytic.

2. How much that has been a part of our Catholic tradition—that we help others and pray for others. We pray for others at all times, but especially in their moments of great weakness. To me one of the most beautiful expressions of that comes in John Henry Newman’s long poem, "The Dream of Gerontius." It’s an imaginative account of what’s going through a person’s mind as they approach very closely the moment of death, indeed, what it’s like to go through the act of dying. The poem begins: "Jesu, Maria—I am near to death, and Thou art calling me; I know it now—not by the token of this faltering breath, this chill at heart, this dampness on my brow, (Jesus, have mercy! Mary, pray for me!") .... O horror! This it is, my dearest, this; So pray for me, my friends, I who have not strength to pray." (Pp. 25-26) It’s the community of prayer that we rely on in our moment of weakness. It’s one of the strongest expression of the "communion of saints" that we believe in.

3. One of the first ways that the early Christians were recognized by Roman authorities was not as a religion, but as a "burial society." They were known as a group of people who took care of the sick and the dying and the burials afterwards. And they prayed during this time of tending to the dying. It was one of the places where the sense of "community" was so strong among the early Christians. And burial societies have continued though the centuries in the Catholic tradition. We still see that so often in obituary notices today when it will say: "The Rosary will be prayed by the Christian Mothers or the Daughters of Isabella or the Holy Name Society" at such and such a time.

4. Of course, we all know that well in our monastic communities. Gathering around the dying person and praying for that individual is a regular practice of monastic houses. To announce over the PA that a sister is going to be anointed will bring an instant crowd to that sister’s room—as has happened many times in the nine years that I have been here. It amazes me how quickly people congregate. In those moments I like to think of today’s gospel, "When Jesus saw their faith," we trust that Jesus "heals" that person into heaven.

5. But we also pray for those who seem hopeless—maybe like today’s paralytic---who have given up on faith. How many of us know some member or members of our family who have fallen away from the practice of faith. We can be sorry for them, but we don’t stop praying for that person. We trust that the strength of our prayer will help our relative. We trust that Jesus, seeing our faith, might heal that person into heaven. That’s a very important part of our Catholic belief in the communion of saints. Let’s take a moment right now and each of us pray for just such a member of our own families.

A Commentary for the 7th Sunday of Ordinary Time by Sr. Mildred Wannemuehler, OSB

In reading Mark's Gospel today, many thoughts came across my mind.  Two thoughts stood out and I'd like to reflect on them with you.

1.  In the story in Mark's Gospel, the friends of the paralytic brought him to Jesus.  Jesus saw THEIR FAITH.  Because of THEIR FAITH, He cured the man.  I find myself thinking about all the people I (or we) pray for each day.  How much faith is behind those prayers?  Do we really believe that God will cure those we pray for?  I'm not sure I think of my faith as that important.  Maybe I need to work on my faith. We recall the value of faith, hope and love we professed at our Baptism.  Maybe it is awareness or being awake that I need to focus on.  How many times we hear Jesus say, "Your faith has saved you."  My faith will also save others.  With Lent coming, a season of springtime growth will be a good time for us to work on our soil...renew our faith.  Thus we will be able to bring many to Christ to be cured.

2.  The other words in today's Gospel that struck me were Jesus' words:  "What is easier to say, 'Your sins are forgiven' or to say 'Rise, pick up your mat and walk?'  This is a message that is easy to forget.  God's forgiveness is so freeing and powerful that it truly can be experienced as a healing.  We read a similar theme in Isaiah's, the first reading.  There are many times that we witness forgiving as a healing for the individual in daily life.  I think this Gospel is a good one for us to reflect on.

Sr. Renee Wargel's Vocation Story

From early childhood, I dreamed about playing in a symphony orchestra, helping poor people and being like my Benedictine teachers at St. Philip School.

Upon graduating from St. Philip, I attended Academy Immaculate Conception, and then entered the Ferdinand community. My first missions were teaching music at Christ the King, St. Pius X, St. Paul, Tell City, while getting my Masters in Music at Butler University. I next taught music at Our Lady of Grace Academy and Latin School.

In 1971, I received an MA in Religious Studies at Mundelein College, Chicago, taught Religion at Immaculata HS, music at Carmel, and Guerin High Schools. Peace and Justice issues beckoned me to work during the summers with blind children in Lewistown, Pennsylvania. , Hispanic children in Los Angeles, California. and a Chicago food pantry. I was privileged to sing with the Apollo Chorus and Chicago Symphony.

In 1980, the community gave “The Sound of Music” at Beech Grove HS where I was English and Drama teacher.

In 1996, I became SSD at Hermitage Healthcare Center, caring for 52 terminally ill patients, plus music at St. Thomas Aquinas. I love working here. Our residents are treasures. Heaven will be better when they arrive. In 1997, I left St. Thomas to be Liturgy/Music coordinator at the monastery, and continued working at St. Paul Hermitage.

I am beginning my 34th year singing- first with Chicago Apollo Chorus, Liberty-Fremont Concert Choir, Evansville Philharmonic, and Indianapolis Symphonic Choir.

For Benedictine life, music, and opportunities to serve those in need, I thank God and my Benedictine Community.

Fr. Matthias's homily for the 6th Sunday of Ordinary Time

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Feb 15, 2009 (OLG)

Readings: Lev 13:1-2,44-46; 1 Cor 10;31-11:1; Mk 1:40-45



1. We live in a country today that has become obsessed with health, disease and medical issues—probably more than any other country in human history. It’s almost like "staying healthy" is equal to being on the way to salvation—indeed, it IS salvation. Our whole communal mind-set is shaped by medical issues. But actually the image of "being healthy" is not just about feeling good; it’s also about looking good and being able to achieve a lot and enjoy many things. And sometimes staying healthy and seeing the doctor is just about receiving the attention we crave.



2. Recently there has been some disturbing news about "public health issues." Namely, that drug companies have spent big, big money to raise public awareness about particular diseases and the drugs needed to control them....when in fact there may not even be a disease at all. In my reading this past week I’ve learned a new phrase, "disease mongering." Disease mongering is the devious attempt to raise public awareness of some potential disease or illness precisely to encourage people to buy specific drugs that would control or alleviate that illness....when, in fact, there may not be any illness at all or that it’s not nearly as widespread as the medical companies would like people to think. Disease mongering is part of the general "medicalizing of life" that is a part of our current American culture.



3. There’s also a lot about disease, sickness and healing in the bible, but not much about the medical profession. Two of our readings today are about disease and healing. The first reading from the book of Leviticus concerns leprosy. (We should be aware that "leprosy" in the bible is not the same as the modern disease we know as leprosy. Biblical "leprosy" is a generic term that covers a wide variety of skin afflictions, many of which could be healed over time.) Our passage today is about how the priests are to determine leprosy and how the afflicted one should ritually separate himself or herself from the rest of the community. But, notice, there isn’t any judgment about one who develops leprosy; it just happens to some people. You deal with it as best you can. Period. The gospel passage shows Jesus healing a leper who asks him for a cure. And Jesus cures him. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the story is Jesus reaching out and touching the man (which technically made Jesus impure). It shows that the sick are not to be ostracized from the community, but cared for. And sometimes they are healed.



4. Perhaps the key that unites both of these texts can be found in that short second reading from 1st Corinthians where Paul asserts: "Whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God." So, if you get sick, you accept it as part of God’s plan and deal with it as best you can. Don’t be making any judgments about "why" this happened. Here’s where we need a good dose of that spiritual humility that I spoke about last Sunday. No, we just give glory to God. And when someone does receive healing, the same action follows: give glory to God.



5. I think one of the most remarkable examples of that is the famous Jewish prayer, the Kaddish. This prayer is the only one you pray when someone close to you dies. I’d like to read it: "Let the glory of God be extolled, let His great name be hallowed, in the world whose creation He willed. May His Kingdom soon prevail in our own day, our own lives, and the life of all Israel. Let the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, be glorified, exalted and honored, though He is beyond all the praises, songs and adoration we can utter. For us and for all Israel, may the blessing of peace and the promise of life come true. May he who causes peace to reign in the high heavens, let peace descend on us, on all Israel, and on the whole world. And let us say: Amen." Remarkable! There is no mention that anyone has died. There is no mention of any grief or sorrow. Only the praise of God. As Paul says, "do everything for the glory of God."

A commentary for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time by Sr. Mary Luke Jones, OSB

Mark 1:40-45

A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said,
"If you wish, you can make me clean."
Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, 
touched him, and said to him, 
"I do will it. Be made clean."
The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean.
Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 
He said to him, "See that you tell no one anything,
but go, show yourself to the priest 
and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;
that will be proof for them."
The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter.
He spread the report abroad
so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly.
He remained outside in deserted places,
and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Do you know how hard it is to keep a secret? We are people who like to communicate. We like to spread the news…good or bad. There is something in us that needs to tell somebody…anybody…what we know that they might not. Is it any wonder that the leper couldn’t wait to publicize his cleansing?

What was Jesus thinking…asking him to keep secret the most marvelous thing that had ever happened to him? In Ecclesiastes, we read there “is a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” Distinguishing the two can make a world of difference. Long ago, I read the autobiography of Fritz Lerner of the famous Lerner and Lowe song writing team. He was reflecting on his life and commented that his only regrets were the times he spoke when he should have kept his mouth shut. “I never got in trouble,” he said, “for what I didn’t say.”

There certainly are times when we need to speak…a word of hope and encouragement, a word of compassion, a word of praise. Most of you remember our dear Sr. Margaret. This is one of the many things I admired about her. She was full of compliments but that was never enough. She always made sure other people were within earshot when she paid one. Not only did you feel good but the bystanders also got to enter into your good fortune.

I suppose that is how the leper felt in today’s reading. He was cured. He knew who cured him. He wanted everyone to know and enter into his good fortune. I can only think he spent the rest of his life telling the story of the rabbi who took pity on him and made him clean. No secrets there just glory and praise.

As followers of Jesus who have also been redeemed, let’s not keep it a secret either.