Echoes from the Bell Tower

"The monastery should, if possible, be so constructed that it has within it all necesseties...then there will be no need for monks to roam outside, because this is not at all good for their souls.”
Rule of Saint Benedict 66:6-7

Modern monks can sometimes live busy lifestyles. Various kinds of work take us “away from the Hill” with some frequency. It could be, for instance, parish ministry, or attending conferences or professional gatherings, graduate studies at another university, preaching retreats or presenting talks, work that entails visiting folks interested in supporting St. Meinrad, or visiting oblate chapters, just to name a few.

It is a myth that Benedictines have always “ stayed put”, holed up in their cloisters, praying all day, practicing silence, and in their secretive ways, staying withdrawn from the world. “Monastic stability”, as we call it, is about rooting oneself in a particular community more than “staying put” physically. Place is important, here in Spencer County we’ve established a presence amidst beautiful rolling hills, forests and streams, farms and pasture lands, and it has been our home since 1854. But “stability” entails more than where we anchor our lives as Benedictines, stability is experienced in a web of relationships - a community.

At the center of this web are our brothers, the monks, who share a house and a rhythm of life that includes times for prayer, study, liturgy, shared meals and recreation. In this “stability in community” monks work to forge unity and harmony by striving to understand and appreciate one another’s difference - we train in humility, practice forgiveness, exercise compassion and cultivate generosity through service.

From that center the web extends to those who share and provide support for our works, our co-workers - an extension of this web of relationships. You and the work you do contributes to our mission to bear witness to Christ and his gospel and support the mission of the Church. Further out, the web also includes relationships with the wider community - local businesses, nearby towns and communities, and their parishes - all of this “home” to us, as it is for you.

The key to Benedictine “stability” is relationships - as is the key to our success. We strive to do the hard work of establishing and sustaining harmony, forge common understanding and generosity, while supporting one another in a shared economy of interests. May God bless you and your families in this season of new life as we celebrate the holy season of Easter!