Thursday in the Third Week of Lent: halfway there!

Pope Felix offers the Basilica of
SS Cosmas and Damian to the saints.

Thursday of the Third Week of Lent is the official half-way point of Lent, though we defer any real celebration of it until the coming Sunday (Laetare).  In fact we are really already past the mid-way point, due to a number of 'get out of Lent' solemnities coming up (St Patrick's Day in many places, St Joseph, St Benedict and the Annunciation).

Nonetheless, the collect of the day is of SS Cosmas and Damian, reflecting the official Station Church in Rome of the day (there is one for each day of Lent where pilgrims are supposed to go, singing the litany of the saints).  Their actual feast day is September 27.

According to Dom Gueranger's Liturgical Year, these saints are thought to have been physicians, and so were deemed particularly suitable to offer their aid to us, fatigued as we must be from fasting...

Regardless of the extent or otherwise of of our fasting, Dom Gueranger urges us to pray to the two martyrs for strength to persevere in our Lenten disciplines.  Sounds like good advice!

St Benedict Novena Day 4: The Monks of Christ in the Desert

Continuing today my series highlighting monasteries around the world and the cause of the revival of Benedictine religious life, I wanted to focus today on the monks of the Monastery of Christ in the Desert.

An intriguing community who share their wisdom...

This is a monastery I find fascinating firstly because it is one of the few thriving Novus Ordo monasteries.  It has continued to attract vocations and grow, and at the same time has a group of about eight other monasteries that are associated with, either as their own foundations, by assisting groups to get started, or helping existing monasteries who are struggling.  Some of these include the relatively new Nuns of Our Lady of the Desert, who are now formally associated with Australia's Jamberoo nuns, and a Vietnamese foundation in the US.

It is intriguing secondly because of the often confrontly honest weekly epistles of its abbot, whose wisdom I've personally learnt a lot from, both from his Abbot's notebook editions, and his commentary on the Rule (also available from their website).

And thirdly because this is a monastery that started out seemingly as a new agey experiment of the kind only too common in recent decades, but has gradually found its way back to the mainstream of Benedictine practice!  Abbot Lawrence has described this process as follows:

"In my early years as a monk in this community, we experimented all the time…At one point we had only Buddhist cushions on the floor of the Church and not a single place to sit, except on the floor. We went through a phase when we sang only four part harmonies as in the Russian Orthodox tradition and we had icons everywhere… We went through a period of trying various practices of the Native Americans. At one time we did not even let the priest presiding at Holy Mass wear vestments... Out of all of that experimentation, slowly our community took shape. We began to make choices that put us into the heart of the Church instead of always on the fringes. For some, those choices made us appear much more traditional and perhaps more rigid."


The monastery eventually adopted traditional habits, rediscovered Gregorian chant and Latin, returned to the use of the full weekly psalter in the Office, and made other changes toward recovery of the tradition.  

Accordingly, this monastery provides hope that the many seemingly lost monasteries out there can yet be reformed and recover the tradition!

The monks are about to put out a new CD of Gregorian Chant, and in the lead up to it, are releasing a series of videos on their home page.  The introductory one can be found below.

Please keep the monks and their associated communities, and their efforts more generally in your prayers.


Novena Prayer

O glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things. May thy blessing be with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin.


Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion, and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to thee. I therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, in the confident hope that thou wilt hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention your intentions here), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare of my soul.

Help me, O great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.

[For the special intention (Magnificat antiphon of the feast): O pattern of heavenly life, our guide and teacher Benedict, whose soul is now rejoicing with Christ in heaven: protect thy flock, dear shepherd, and by thy holy prayer support them; and with thyself as leader showing that brightened way, make them enter the heavens.

SS Longinus, Leocritia, Matrona and Louise de Marillac (March 15)

James Tissot, c19th

There are a few saints of particular interest in the martyrology today.

A very early convert indeed...

"At Caesarea in Cappadocia, the martyrdom of St. Longinus, the soldier who is said to have pierced our Lord's side with a lance."

Victims of persecution

Many of the saints in the martyrology were victims of the pagan persecutions of the early years of the Church.  But it is also important to remember the victims of Jewish and Islamic persecution, both recent and not so recent, such as these:

"At Cordova in Spain, St. Leocritia, virgin and martyr.  She suffered various cruel tortures and was beheaded for the faith of Christ during the Arabian persecution."

and

"At Thessalonica, St. Matrona, servant of a Jewess, who, worshipping Christ secretly, and stealing away daily to pray in the church, was detected by her mistress and subjected to many trials.  Being at last beaten to death with large clubs, she gave up her pure soul to God in confessing Christ."

St Louise de Marillac, co-founder of the Daughters of Charity

"At Paris, the birthday of St. Louise de Marillac, a widow of Le Gras, co-founder with St. Vincent de Paul of the Society of the Daughters of Charity.  Outstanding for her virtues and miracles, her name was inscribed on the roll of the saints by Pope Pius XI."

St Benedict Novena Day 3 (March 14): Monasteries of the United Kingdom and Ireland

I want to continue today, promoting my intention of praying this novena for the restoration of traditional Benedictine religious life by asking for your prayers for the United Kingdom and Ireland, a country in dire need of the restoration of religious life!

Traditionalist monasteries

These countries have but one Benedictine monastery using the traditional missal as far as I know - and that the very recently arrived indeed Monastery of Our Lady of the Cenacle, highlighted by a commenter yesterday, which until a few weeks ago was based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

The monastery, founded by Vultus Christi blogger, Fr Mark Kirby, is engaging in a bit of reverse missionary effort, and so is especially deserving of our prayers as they settle into their new home.

Traditionally inclined monasteries

The United Kingdom does, though, have a number of monasteries that essentially retain the traditional Benedictine Office, and take a conservative view of monastic life, and I wanted to particularly mention a three monasteries in particular in this category.

The first is the Solesmes Congregation monastery of nuns of Ryde on the Isle of Wight.  This is one of the few communities of women in the UK that has consistently attracted vocations, and for good reasons.  Do take a look at their beautiful website, and if you have a chance to visit them, do so!

The second is the monastery of Pluscarden in Scotland (I'd provide a link to its website, but either it is not working in general, or, as the message I get suggests, for some reason dislikes my computer in particular...).  Pluscarden's former abbot is now Bishop of Aberdeen, an appointment widely applauded, and the monastery is also the motherhouse of the American monastery of Petersham (notable amongst other things for its shared Church and co-location with a monastery of Benedictine nuns).

The third is of course Farnborough Abbey, who have done us such a great service by putting out the Monastic Diurnal!  Farnborough's buildings are a rather splendid mix, including a part replica of Solesmes, reflecting its origin as the foundation of the Empress Eugenie and its origins as a refuge from France's moves to suppress the monasteries (again) in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.  You can follow their doings at their blog.

Traditionalist monks!

None of the monasteries I've mentioned so far however are members of the ancient English Congregation which has played, historically at least, such a key role in the is history of both England itself, directly in countries such as Australia where I live, and indirectly in many others.

Sadly, the English Congregation has suffered badly from its decisions to drop Latin and the traditional form of the Benedictine Office and generally 'update' itself, and continues to suffer a number of scandals.

Yet despite this, there are a number of traditionalist monks (one or two of whom are Australians), in these monasteries who say the EF mass or are strongly sympathetic to it.  So I would particularly ask you to keep these monks of Downside, Douai and Ealing in particular (do add to the list if you know of others) in your prayers, and pray for the restoration of the Congregation to its former fervour more generally.

Novena Prayer

O glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things. May thy blessing be with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin.

Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion, and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to thee. I therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, in the confident hope that thou wilt hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention your intentions here), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare of my soul.

Help me, O great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.

[For the special intention (Magnificat antiphon of the feast): O pattern of heavenly life, our guide and teacher Benedict, whose soul is now rejoicing with Christ in heaven: protect thy flock, dear shepherd, and by thy holy prayer support them; and with thyself as leader showing that brightened way, make them enter the heavens.]

St Matilda (March 14)

From the martyrology:

"At Halberstadt in Germany, the death of blessed Queen Matilda, mother of Emperor Otto I, renowned for humility and patience."

Saint Matilda (877 – 968) was the wife of King Henry I of Germany, the first ruler of the Saxon Ottonian dynasty and Queen from 919 until 936.   Her eldest son Otto succeeded his father as German King and was crowned Holy Roman Emperor in 962.

After her husband died Matilda established Quedlinburg Abbey in his memory, a convent of noble canonesses, where in 966 her granddaughter Matilda became the first abbess.  Renowned for her devotion to prayer and almsgiving, she at first remained at court after the death of her husband, but her charitable activities led to accusations that she was weakening the royal treasury unduly.  After a brief exile at her Westphalian manors at Enger, where she established a college of canons in 947, Matilda was brought back to court at the urging of King Otto's first wife, the Anglo-Saxon princess Edith of Wessex.
Matilda died at Quedlinburg, having outlived her husband by 32 years.

St Benedict Novena Day 2 (March 13): US Women's monasteries

Joseph Ignaz Mildorfer, altar painting

Continuing today, my series highlighting the efforts of some contemporary Benedictine monasteries, I wanted to highlight in particular two relatively new communities, the Oblate sisters of Clear Creek, and the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.

Benedictines nuns follow exactly the same Rule as monks, and feminised versions of the Rule can be found dating back very early indeed.  And because of the link between St Benedict and his twin sister, St Scholastica, abbess of a nearby community to Monte Cassino, the ties between men's and women's monasteries are often very close indeed.

Clear Creek Sisters

The Clear Creek Oblate Sisters are a small emerging community whose Mary, Queen of Angels Convent sits within the grounds of the Monastery of Clear Creek, near Tulsa, Oklahoma.

They were established in 2005 under the authority of the Abbot of Notre-Dame de Fontgombault (France) and the guidance of the Clear Creek Superior, with the blessing of Bishop Slattery of Tulsa.

As such the sisters have the great aid of the spiritual guidance of the monks, and access to the monks' liturgy!

The sisters are strictly contemplative, and support themselves through handcrafted items, religious articles and books and other items.

Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles.

The now Missouri-based Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles started in 1995.  They support themselves through the production of vestments and altar linens.  The sisters have a particular charism of praying and caring for priests.

Please keep these two groups in your prayers, and keep in mind that women's monasteries often find it much harder to survive financially, since they have no mass stipends to fall back on!

Novena Prayer

O glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things. May thy blessing be with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin.


Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion, and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to thee. I therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, in the confident hope that thou wilt hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention your intentions here), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare of my soul.

Help me, O great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.

[For the special intention (Magnificat antiphon of the feast): O pattern of heavenly life, our guide and teacher Benedict, whose soul is now rejoicing with Christ in heaven: protect thy flock, dear shepherd, and by thy holy prayer support them; and with thyself as leader showing that brightened way, make them enter the heavens.]

St Benedict Novena Day 1 (March 12): The monks of Norcia, Italy

Fresco from St Benedict's, Norcia

As flagged yesterday, today is the day to start your Novena to St Benedict! You can find the novena prayer below.

I also invite you to join me through this novena in praying for the restoration of traditional Benedictine religious life, and to that end, want to highlight a few monasteries of particular interest.

And what better place to start than the birthplace of St Benedict himself, where a relatively new foundation of American monks are working for the restoration of monastic life there.

Monastery of St Benedict, Norcia

The monks of Norcia will be familiar to many readers of this blog because of their wonderful service in making their daily EF Mass, Lauds, Vespers and more available online.

This is a monastery that is growing quickly, but needs your help!

First, their Prior, Fr Cassian Folsom who was chosen as Inside the Vatican Magazine's person of the year for 2011, has unfortunately suffered a relapse in the cancer that had been in abeyance since treatment a few years back. Please pray for his recovery.

Secondly, they need help meeting the everyday expenses of the monastery, and their site gives you a number of options to make donations, depending on where you live.

Thirdly, they have purchased a ruined sixteenth century Capuchin Monastery as the site for their future monastery as they expand beyond their current accommodations, and need help to restore and build!

And to learn more about them, do watch the excellent video recently made about them posted below.

The St Benedict Novena Prayer (and the special intention)

O glorious St. Benedict, sublime model of all virtues, pure vessel of God's grace! Behold me, humbly kneeling at thy feet. I implore thy loving heart to pray for me before the throne of God. To thee I have recourse in all the dangers which daily surround me. Shield me against my enemies, inspire me to imitate thee in all things. May thy blessing be with me always, so that I may shun whatever God forbids and avoid the occasions of sin.

Graciously obtain for me from God those favors and graces of which I stand so much in need, in the trials, miseries and afflictions of life. Thy heart was always so full of love, compassion, and mercy toward those who were afflicted or troubled in any way. Thou didst never dismiss without consolation and assistance anyone who had recourse to thee. I therefore invoke thy powerful intercession, in the confident hope that thou wilt hear my prayers and obtain for me the special grace and favor I so earnestly implore (mention your intentions here), if it be for the greater glory of God and the welfare of my soul.

Help me, O great St. Benedict, to live and die as a faithful child of God, to be ever submissive to His holy will, and to attain the eternal happiness of heaven. Amen.

[For the special intention (Magnificat antiphon of the feast): O pattern of heavenly life, our guide and teacher Benedict, whose soul is now rejoicing with Christ in heaven: protect thy flock, dear shepherd, and by thy holy prayer support them; and with thyself as leader showing that brightened way, make them enter the heavens.]

And if you would like to read more about the saint himself, please do take a look at my previous novena series on the saint.