B6 ‘ CASTLEGAR NEWS, June 1, 1983 JOHN CHARTERS’ ‘ Reflections &. _Recollections Seeking God in daily life “I was a stranger and ye took me in,” This is the last in a series of columns on Westminster Abbey. It was begun almost four months ago and delayed for what at the time were felt were more pressing reasons. apologies for the delay. “Father A is on dishes tonight," my informant said smiling gently. “Of course he has his doe! and is an authority on both Platonist and Existentialist philosophy. But he is really a whiz on dishes,” And that brief snippet of conversatio: most insightful introduction inte the But to begin at the beginning. now minster Abbey — which for 28 ‘years has crowned the 200 acres of high hill above Mission City been limited to day or weekend understand an institution which has While I have long cher i is LK My The Benedictine Rule, which, but for minor adj ‘torate in theology n was my first and spirit of the monastery, - with the rished my association n Be ii "y, West- ‘The first Benedictine monastery was established in 530.A.D. almost 1500 years. I was delighted, therefore, though as a Pr teacher not a little apprehensive, when I was asked in late January to honor an earlier offer, for one of the monks who was ill. san The 11-hour bus trip was surprisingly restful. I was met at Mission by the Father Prior, quickly located in‘a small, attractive suite in the guest house and in 16 minutes we were sipping a cup of hot tea in the guest house. kitchenette, After a brief conversation and some necessary instruc- tion on essential routine and arrangements for meeting with Father B. (the man for whom I was teaching), company, for the monks get up early. worship in the church (Lauds) is held daily at 5:15 a.m. The Prior is second in command to the Abbot o ;the — my experience has visits — no way to been vitally alive for St. Benedict of Hursia, the founder of the Benedictine Order and’ the “Father of Western Monasticism,” was born of a prominent Roman family in north Italy in the year 480 A.D. After considerable difficulties and soul: hi eo community and the life of this community is a Uving reflection of. the Rule. LAGER Irie aie > But what of my own'life in tho monastery? When I camo “Thad already dotormined that if] was to get, the full benefit from the experience, I would insofar as possible, follow: the’ maxim of|‘whon in Rome, ‘do asthe Romans do.” Th to, follow (a typical day: eh oN. Up at/6 a.m.. (my normal'time) — already been up for an hoi 5:15 (I know,-I know, board on the “Rome thi established mother house at Monto Cassino, near Rome, in 580 A.D., under the famous “Benedictine Rule.” This first; monastery’ was almost totally destroyed during the Inst .war and has since been restored by the Italian government. The abbey church, consecrated last September, is proud to have one of the original stones incor- Porated into a fountain at, its entrance door. Each y isan ind entity, b; l gleam ofthe tes in white surplices' have’ 1 church, the organist (often uietly at the organ, waiting, id monks in the choir and the and visitors in the t: The quiet is total. an its abbot who is elected for life by the monastic community, Thus, each reflects some of the character and: cultural background of the country in which it is located. Moreover this cultural “flavor” is heightened by the architecture, for, while nearly all Benedictine monasteries are built on a hill or high place, each incorporates the best aspects of the national architecture and are places of beauty. . ‘The Benedictine Rule remains essentially the same... | _ covering every detail of monastic life.’ necessary to meet the demands of changing conditions (the monks now meet for prayers in the church five times a day as when it was first written. Covering every detail of instead of the original eight), remains essentially the same’ At 6:80 the doors of the sacristy open, and the priests in concelebration albs and the acolytes carrying tall candles, move in procession to the altar and then to their places. The organ begins to play softly and the monks to sing, in monastic life, it isa monument to the clear, ized and insightful thinking, as well as to the breadth of under- standing and compassion, of its remarkable author. ° All the monks are enjoined to “seek God” in a daily round of carefully balanced prayer and work (ora et labora) all’are brothers, Here.is an atmosphere of affection and respect, directed to mutual courtesy, loyalty, patience and quickness in helping one another in difficulty or trouble, they are enabled to find Him. 5 “Let the brethren exercise this zeal with the most fervent love,” says the Rule. “Let them, that is, give one another precedence. Let them bear with greatest patience within a community or “family” (Greek: koinonia) in which ‘ Greg chant, the ent antiphon, “Laudi: omnes in Domino” (Let us rejoice-in the Lord). The ‘ritual of the Mass has begun. From here, service: proceeds with the cadence of a'slow, h to the be 1 ‘priest; (the senior mémber controlling the pace of tho meal) it is always amplo, tasty and varied and begins and ends |: with a blessing. With-the exception of the reader who reads |. throughout. the'meal or pn high feast days when conver-\ "sation is permitted, the meal is eaten in silence. I like it, : “When cee the Abbey I had determined to live as ‘much within the framawork of the life of the community a ‘possible, since the Rule says all must be busy and vigorous, had’ asked for some physical work as well as my teaching asaignment.'I. was taken to the woodshed (literally) and . shown a “woody” augerian stable — four years accumulated ' ° disorder in the form of every sizo and shape of sawn-up lum- ber and logs, asked if I could bring order out of chaos. It’s the fourth’week now and that chaos is about to cry “uncle,” and yet it has been no burden. In fact, it has been a “ matter of considerable satisfaction — a physical release, a visible achievement, which followed by the pleasure of a hot bath and a change of clothes at the end of a day, and a brief rest has been_a kind of benediction. Back to the ehurch at 5:30 p.m. for Vesper Service (Evensong) and sypper at 6 p.m. served, as at dinner, with © only. thé voice of the reader heard in the quiet, After supper and before Vigila {Night Prayers) for the monks one or other of their‘number Wwually comes in for a few minutes chat — a most pleasant and informative ‘exchange. The rest of the'evening was spend in lesson preparation, and some reading.and writing — if time pérmits — before 11 bedtime. Time -gasuag ‘too quickly. Weekends, -tHan for one class and “clean-up,” are + relatively frée —4f!me. For the monks, since the number of guests and visitors (and their care), greatly increases — even the Prior has his quota of bathrooms to clean and I have seen the Abbot, a minriirhis 70s, marching out firmly toward the woodlot, an axyramd other tools'in his hand and a deter- mined look in his esw, *Idleness," said St. Benedict, “is the enemy of the soul.” * t 7 a.m. The windows glow in the reds, Mauves, blues ard yellows of dawn. ue ae Poy As usual, I managed to get lost: several times in the order of the ritual, but I wouldn't miss it for the starting of the day. It. recalls an essay written by the Rev. Herbert O'Driscoll, the former dean of Christchurch (Anglican) Cath in Vi and a time speaker in Castle- gar. He says: 2s “We are living in an age in which the tie mbnks take ‘ll of this, as well as calls from the local pariéha& in.their stride while the community operates with the effieiincy of a fine Swiss watch — no fuss, ho muss. It never ceages to surprise me — I will meet a monk who has been working‘on the buildings or the grounds and he will be muddy from:bocts to.eyebrows. The briefest time later he will be in church or at meals immaculate in his clerical robes — cleanliness is indeed next to godliness in the monastery. Ke 4 one another's infirmities, whether of body or ch Let them vie in paying obedience to one another . .. so that no one is vexed in the house of God.” 2 That is, it is an environment, in which men of diverse characters and degrees’ of ability ,and education are ‘intimately united, are all fully employed, all frugal in their tastes and way of life, usually slilent but cheerful, not taking h too seri and to teach for a month we parted Their first service of ver the 70 monks J with 200 acres of fields and orchards and possibly 50 guests, and has many responsibilities and little But first a little background on the order. -a farm’ or more” but unself-c their. work and prayer. And so it wan't their community found them — Thus, when I inquired of one a f his vein-stripped leg he told me that it was doing well but had been more difficult than the previous operation, though the doctor had warned him of this Possibility. “He told me that he had only made three cuts on my left leg but that this time he would have to make at least six or seven, Then he amiled a small mischievous smile. “And Isaid to him, ‘You go right ahead, doctor, make as many cuts as you like, I am no beauty queen.” aes : . What interested measa stranger in the community was the fact that within a. week I had ‘noted. all’ of. thexe characteristics and only in the last.few’ ‘days havo I read any authorities on the Rule or monastic life, In‘ other words the’ Benedictine Rule governs and directs’ the: life of this and make the fabric of human society. and human psyche very fragile. It is i therefc to The tly-dedicated Abbey church —the gem in the -circlet of ‘the monastery — is now both the focal point of affirm... that the universe has order and design... through a liturgy and ritual. (In fact) this pageantry may one day be seen as the'sanest.thing possible.” . "oY possible.” : eh CEO ‘After the. Mass I,make my way ‘through the guest dining room where the visitors are chatting happily, alrénity, starting their 7:10 bi fast with the assi: of th life and the source, with good reason, of quiet but profound community pride. Even a casual visitor should attempt to attend a service there, while anyone interested in ~ fine music in a perfect setting should time his or her visit to coincide with that of a visiting concert. group — already a regular feature of the life of the abbey. Fifteen hundred years ago the Benedictine monasteries | master. — and go on t the monks’ dining ‘room for: the informal, self-serve breakfast, eaten "as ‘always: — in - silence, ‘ . ‘After breakfast there is half an hour to take the ‘bed, clean: up the ‘suite, duplicate, papers or: even Yaké a few minutes’ walk before I spend’a period with ‘my: oral-English ° students — a new Canadian. It is a period I look forward to since it requires little preparation but provides great insight - and und ing in the aesthetics:and co of our 4 were bl: ri in order.that men and women might abandon the worldly life for religious pursuits. In the chaotic Period between the 6th and 10th centuries they became guardians of classical civilization and learning as well as hostels for, the traveller and sanctuaries for the oppressed. Brave candles in a frightening darkness. Today, 1,000 years later in another period of hustle, hassle and violence, they still offer a living example of a visible | alternative — an oasis of quiet and rest, ideas and meditation or islands of sanity in a much-disturbed sea. ;own language. . The: balance of the morning is | spent. in preparation, teaching, marking or writing. At 11:65 the bells in. the Memorial béll tower ring; as they did in the It is quite amazing what one can learn from example, 3 ee Quite coincidentally there appeared in the Sunday ing, for the | midday prayers! finish tip go to the dinner, the main meal of the ‘day. ; members. of the community, and served by a brother and a i of the last. V; Thaveand es articlé on Terry Brock, one of my senior students and a very Prepared: by - Province an ‘fine young man. It gives one a look at life in the Abbey. from the point of view of a senior seminarian, Worth a look. He said it was important to get it there fast. “First-Flight-Out,”’ I said. But always look for a good deal, he advised. Free envelopes. And a charge for the service of ten to twenty dollars, max. Contract ta » KELOWNA (CP) — Nego-” , tiations for. a new contract between the Ok Tho association, which bar- gains collectively on behalf of most from Kam: introduction of second and third-class union member leseitt li gan Main- line Municipal Labor. Rela-. tions. Association and the Canadian’ Union: of . Public Employees have broken down and both sides say ‘there are no signs talks will resume, '- : Union ‘national ‘represen- tative Jim Kelly said Monday the parties reached a stand- : off that will only be resolved ’ “First-Flight-Out,”’ I said again, To save time, we should be able to choose the flight, and have our documents ready for pick-up within thirty minutes of arrival. “First-Flight-Out,” I was beginning to sound like a broken record, He said that maybe I should try Pacific Western’s new document shipping service. The Boss thought it was called First- Flight-Out. “Good idea,” Lexclaimed. A boss has to keep up with what's new, he noted. ARST FUGHT OUT” < Pacific For more information call your local Pacific Western Cargo office at 365-5545, TM Denotes a trademark of Pacific Western Airlines. Western if ‘the municipalities with- draw three major. demands. mI ASG LIVITIRIEIE! lOMTIO) i-(x| iZi- El SABI OPC im. lO TT loops, to. the South Okan- “agan, asked mediator Dave “MclIntyre.on May 26 to book out of 1983 contract nego- tiations, © : More ‘than .1,200 CUPE employees working for more than a dozen communities are involved-in the dispute. The old contract expired Dec. 81, 1982, . _ Kelly said the major. asso- ciation demands involve the ae AlL (DIABESTT ARI INA} U TRe iar (AIM INI CINIEFT IO} ome On i=|1Z1D| Z| a) ic ISIE Answer toSunday, Cryptoquip: BEFORE WEAK BOWLER'S TRUCK HAD FLAT TIRE, HE PICKED UP SPARE. ‘ is ‘Seniority. protection and other benefits, and that the cities have the ‘right to schedule work hours’ and deny grievances not initiated in accordance. to a strict timetable. 2 The union, he said, has countered ‘these offers by saying if these clauses are dropped it will live within B.C. Compensation Stabiliza- tion Board guidelines of three per cent per annum for the Restraint Iks stalled next two years, will agree to contracting out of work if the move saves money, and will drop all demands regarding the setting of strict manage- ment-union staffing ratios, A work stoppage in the Okanagan during ‘the: sum- mer, said Kelly, would likely shatter the fragile economic recovery currently taking place in the area, , Association chairman, Pen- ticton Mayor Ivan Messmer, confirmed: the municipalities have passed a lockout vote and have asked McIntyre to book out ‘of negotiations, program will be extended KELOWNA (CP) — Brit- ish Columbia's 250,000 public’ employees will see their wage increases limited prob- ably for an additional two years but a freeze’ on rate increases for government services likely will not come under the same restraints. Premier Bill Bennett said Monday the compensation stabilization program will be extended beyond the current two-year term, but refused to Provide any details, Tuesday he disclosed that the six-per-cent limit im- Posed on rate increases for services offered by the gov- ernment and Crown corpor- ations has not been discussed during the special three- day cabinet meeting at a re- sort near this central Okan- agan community, “I can't tell what they (the ratés) will be in the coming year,” he told reporters. “I haven't discussed it, and there is no Policy issue on it,” Specially weekend: OUR PR j) ROUND-UP! 0. June 3 and 4 @