Posted on 09/17/2003 3:16:42 PM PDT by Polycarp
-----Original Message-----
From: BenedictineCommunity
Sent: Tuesday, September 16, 2003 7:38 PM
Subject: [Dignity Discussions] The Call to serve Christ
Dear Brothers in Christ:
Have you ever had the desire to serve Christ and His Church in a religious Community? Have you ever felt that because of your sexual orientation that perhaps this desire was not possible within the Roman Church? I am asking you to reconsider this thought. Our Community of Benedictine Monks are searching for religious vocations throughout many sources and , "DIGNITY" certainly has it place in our hearts to search first for those who would like to discover their call to serve Christ and The Church.
If you are between the ages of 21 and 60 and have always felt the desire to be a religious, to live a life deciated to the Gospel with those who are of like minds and hearts and to truly live out the inner call to serve Jesus, then we ask you to visit our main web page at: www.benedictinecommunity.org
Look at our site, come within the song and pictures it presents to you, listen with your hearts, soul and spirtual desire to be a part of a loving community of monks who have one goal and desire, thats is to live the Gospel Message. We then would like to hear from you. Search your hearts and deepest message of the call of Christ over the years. We then invite you to, COME, FOLLOW JESUS WITH US !
Bro Gerald, OSB
Director of Religious
The Community of St Benedict
-----Original Message-----
From: Community of St. Benedict [mailto:benedictinecommunity@yahoo.com]
Sent: Wednesday, September 17, 2003 1:50 PM
To: dignity-l@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Dignity Discussions] A Heart Felt Message
Dear Members of Dignity:
I have been reading the responses to our Community's invitation to visit our website and to also send a very clear message of welcome ,especially to those who might feel the call of Christ to serve.
Let me first say this is not a message of pretense. Those who have visited our website have found that yes we are perhaps under the banner of Rome, but that does not mean we have to follow the directives handed down to religious communities in their accepting of candidates into religious life. We have a very open door policy to Gay men who have shown an interst in religious life. There are also other communities who also have a very liberal outlook on members who come into community and their sexual orientation.Gay men in particular have many gifts that they bring with them into our religious houses. You all know as well as myself that when God chooses someone to follow in His footsteps He does not ask sexual orientation. What is asked by the Gospel is that we have a firm and true commitment to leave all and pick up our cross and come follow Him.
Twenty five years ago I was a member myself of A Dignity Chapter that was closed by the local bishop who thaught he had a real sense that Dignity was not going to exist. Thanks be to God that the group was strong enough to overcome the challenge of this terrible injustice. I must say for me that was a turnning point in my faith and decided that one day if it became possible , That if I were in a religious community the doors of that community would be opened to be inclusive of a Gay man and his orientation. Heaven has not shut its doors on anyone who has decided to follow Christ. Christ is the simple answer to any doubt in your hearts. Yes, a simple response made even more simple. COME FOLLOW JESUS WITH US!
Thank you all for your time.
Visit us at: ww.benedictinecommunity.org
Brother Gerald, OSB
Director of Vocations
The Community of Saint Benedict
Willful ignorance?
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I'm not surprised that such a group exists, however I've never heard of them before. The only two independent Benedictine communities in the US that I know of are Mt. Savior Monastery in Elmira, NY (which is presently petitioning to joining the ***** congregation) and Weston Priory in Weston, VT.
In order for them to get started as a Benedictine house they would have had some initial ties to a community that belonged to one of the recognized congregations or they were a foundation from either Weston or Elmira. Given their ministry (lectors and eucharistic ministers) no one in the community is ordained. My suspicion is that these "monks" are actually Benedictine oblates (third order members).
There is no Independent Benedictine Congregation. If there were, there would be no reason for Mt. Savior Monastery to be required to join an existing congregation. As of now, both Mt. Savior and Weston Priory are under the guidance of the Abbot Primate in Rome.
This whole thing sounds screwy, but that really should surprise either of us!
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I sent a copy of the web link to Br. ***** and we were reviewing it once again this morning. It turns out that the telephone number they have listed is not available through any public directory (even though they claim to be in existence since 1988). Also, their mailing address is a P.O. Box.
There isn't another Benedictine monastery that I have ever heard of that doesn't have an actual street address. My suspicion is that this "monastery" is actually operating out of someone's home and that "they" have an unlisted phone number so they can screen the calls they receive.
The fact of the matter is that the only person listed on the website is Br. Gerald. The pictures that are shown can be from any monastery. In fact, one of the pictures looks like it might be from a Buddhist monastery since the "altar" area doesn't appear to be the least bit Catholic.
Hmmm.... That's nice to know. Whenever I want to "fart in his general direction", I'll know which way to turn. ;=}
Hello, Canticle
I too have wanted to join a traditional Benedictine monastery as an Oblate. Have you heard about the new Fontgombault Abbey (Solesmes Congregation) foundation in Oklahoma?
yours in Christ,
Robert Tetreault
I haven't. Do you have a link?
They had a fundraiser for this monastery almost a year ago in the DC area. I attended, and I won one of the door prizes, which was a nice bottle of wine!
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