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Tuesday, May 17, 2005
New Lay Monasticism: Schools for Conversion
Here is an interesting article from the Houston Catholic Worker Newspaper. How does this relate to secular institutes (i.e. Community of St. John ~ Balthasar & Speyr) and movements in the Church?
David, Also see Communio 2002 Summer, especially the article by Antonio Maria Sicari, which addresses the question raised by "third orders": a seeming contradiction, "inasmuch as the order . . . considers itself the true bearer of the charism, while regarding the laity as an appendage" (291). There's also an article by Juan Sera in the same issue on Secular Institutes.
Okay, what do they mean by: 2)Relocation to the abandoned places of Empire. I have too many guesses to begin listing them.
Maybe we could summarize the virtues of such an idea - Humility, charity, and generosity... humility in lifestyle and generosity in hospitality would be prioritized. I would think one wold have to consider the Franciscan and I believe monastic attitudes towards having possessions, such as poverty that is consistent with one's vocation. Maybe even a radical call to a more localized community distant from the rat race of the everyday consumer society.
One difficult thing to define: 7)Peacemaking in the midst of violence and conflict resolution within communities along the lines of Matthew 18. "peacemaking" on a city street where agressiveness dominates. Even non-vioence would necessitate the forceful, and some say typically violent, intercession of law enforcement officials.
And, of course, a litugical prayerlife would be necessary.
one question for all of you on this article. What about the use of "monasticism" in the name of this "movement." It does serve to recognze the inspiration of the movement. However, in the long run doesn't the use of the term monasticism for a lay vocation in the world contradict the very notion of monasticism. For ex. The New Advent Encyclopedia says "The basic idea of monasticism in all its varieties is seclusion or withdrawal from the world or society."
It clearly is a lay contemplative life inspired by the monastic life. We may need a new Benedict, but we also need a new source of inspiration and I think a new name... maybe we can look to modern examples. My first thoughts aren't lay folk, such as Card Bergoglio... may the Lord provide an answer.
Regarding the relationship between monks and laity, see the Sicari article linked above.
I think that two aspects are crucial: 1. the devotion to a life of prayer that underlies and precedes service (Danielou's book, Prayer the Mission of the Church); 2. hospitality, the welcoming of the other into your home.
I think that peacemaking can range from the nonviolent means of Ghandi and Walter Wink to that of the reluctant use of limited violence under certain conditions. Also, the root causes of violence must be addressed.
The first monks were simply trying to live out the Christian vocation and the Gospel counsels in a radical way. They weren't trying to invent a new lifestyle.
Fred
relocation - sounds like the role of the Benedictines following the Fall of the Roman Empire. By analogy then, to seek out places like the inner city that the middle classes have fled.
Sicari refers to the suggestion by religious orders that their lay members are not "lay religous" but 'lay people who live out the charism of the religious order in a lay context.' So, the lay vocation participates in the spirit and charism of a monastery, usually one near by, but do not live as monastics. This speaks to my concern that the way of life proposed in the Houston CW article is monastic in inspiration but not a "new monasticism." I also think it requires a spiritual center, such as a monastery or parish or parish run by a religious order.
I think you are right about the 'abandoned places of the empire, they are the inner city. That is where I look to live this lifestyle, but in the modern consumer culture a new inspiration and rule of life is needed to truly accomplish this lay contemplative life.
7 comments:
ahem. Adrienne von Speyr and Balthasar founded the Community of St. John, a secular institute. The Society of St. John is something else entirely.
David,
Also see Communio 2002 Summer, especially the article by Antonio Maria Sicari, which addresses the question raised by "third orders": a seeming contradiction, "inasmuch as the order . . . considers itself the true bearer of the charism, while regarding the laity as an appendage" (291). There's also an article by Juan Sera in the same issue on Secular Institutes.
Thank you for the correction. I got confused, which happens quite regularly. It's fixed on the main post.
The whole idea behind the Society of St. John is pretty cool by the way regardless of the actions of its former leaders.
Okay, what do they mean by:
2)Relocation to the abandoned places of Empire. I have too many guesses to begin listing them.
Maybe we could summarize the virtues of such an idea - Humility, charity, and generosity... humility in lifestyle and generosity in hospitality would be prioritized. I would think one wold have to consider the Franciscan and I believe monastic attitudes towards having possessions, such as poverty that is consistent with one's vocation. Maybe even a radical call to a more localized community distant from the rat race of the everyday consumer society.
One difficult thing to define: 7)Peacemaking in the midst of violence and conflict resolution within communities along the lines of Matthew 18. "peacemaking" on a city street where agressiveness dominates. Even non-vioence would necessitate the forceful, and some say typically violent, intercession of law enforcement officials.
And, of course, a litugical prayerlife would be necessary.
one question for all of you on this article. What about the use of "monasticism" in the name of this "movement." It does serve to recognze the inspiration of the movement. However, in the long run doesn't the use of the term monasticism for a lay vocation in the world contradict the very notion of monasticism. For ex. The New Advent Encyclopedia says "The basic idea of monasticism in all its varieties is seclusion or withdrawal from the world or society."
It clearly is a lay contemplative life inspired by the monastic life. We may need a new Benedict, but we also need a new source of inspiration and I think a new name... maybe we can look to modern examples. My first thoughts aren't lay folk, such as Card Bergoglio... may the Lord provide an answer.
Michael,
Regarding the relationship between monks and laity, see the Sicari article linked above.
I think that two aspects are crucial: 1. the devotion to a life of prayer that underlies and precedes service (Danielou's book, Prayer the Mission of the Church); 2. hospitality, the welcoming of the other into your home.
I think that peacemaking can range from the nonviolent means of Ghandi and Walter Wink to that of the reluctant use of limited violence under certain conditions. Also, the root causes of violence must be addressed.
The first monks were simply trying to live out the Christian vocation and the Gospel counsels in a radical way. They weren't trying to invent a new lifestyle.
Fred
relocation - sounds like the role of the Benedictines following the Fall of the Roman Empire. By analogy then, to seek out places like the inner city that the middle classes have fled.
Fred,
Sicari refers to the suggestion by religious orders that their lay members are not "lay religous" but 'lay people who live out the charism of the religious order in a lay context.' So, the lay vocation participates in the spirit and charism of a monastery, usually one near by, but do not live as monastics. This speaks to my concern that the way of life proposed in the Houston CW article is monastic in inspiration but not a "new monasticism." I also think it requires a spiritual center, such as a monastery or parish or parish run by a religious order.
I think you are right about the 'abandoned places of the empire, they are the inner city. That is where I look to live this lifestyle, but in the modern consumer culture a new inspiration and rule of life is needed to truly accomplish this lay contemplative life.
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