THE MINISTRY OF THE MONKS

Summer 2012
THE MINISTRY OF THE MONKS
Summer 2012 • vol. 7/ No. 2
ABBOT
The Rt. Rev.
Austin G. Murphy, O.S.B.
E d i t o r / Director,
Abbey Advancement
St. Procopius Abbey
5601 College Road
Lisle, Illinois 60532-4463
(630) 969-6410
W W W. PROCO PIUS. ORG
Fr. T. Becket A. Franks, O.S.B.
(630) 829-9253
bfranks@procopius.org
D e s i gn
The Editorial Board
Fr. David Turner, O.S.B.
Fr. Philip Timko, O.S.B
Br. Guy Jelinek, O.S.B.
Fr. James Flint, O.S.B.
ADVANCEMENT ASSISTANT
Mrs. Joyce Schultz
(630) 969-6410, ext. 252
Advancement@procopius.org
Wolf Design /Mary Kay Wolf
wolf6259@comcast.net
P h o t o g r ap h e r s
Benedictine University Staff
Fr. Becket Franks, O.S.B.
Peter Hoffman
Br. Guy Jelinek, O.S.B.
Mr. John Kavanaugh
Miller+Miller Photography
Mr. Keith Ward, ROOT studios/
HR Imaging
Mrs. Mary Kay Wolf
from the editor
On July 6, 2012, I received a phone call from the president of the National Catholic
Development Conference informing me that the summer 2011 issue of The Clerestory won an
award for the “Best Publication with a Gift Envelope.” They named the abbey and its designer,
Mary Kay Wolf, as those worthy of this honor. Below is the press release sent to the Abbey
Advancement Office. Rejoice with us!
HEMPSTEAD, NY — The National Catholic Development Conference (NCDC) is proud to
announce the winners of the Seventh Annual Lumen Awards, the only awards program
recognizing excellence within the ministry of fundraising. Twelve first place winners and
five runners up were selected in eight categories, including Best Prospecting Campaign,
Best Donor Renewal, Best Major Donor Appeal, Best Publications With and Without
a Gift Envelope, Best Accountability/Annual Report, and Best Integrated Campaign.
Entries are classified into two divisions based on the gross philanthropic income of the
nonprofit organization submitting the entry. NCDC Lumen Awards are judged based on
a number of factors, including: creativity, copywriting, design, mission loyalty, call to
action, results of the campaign, and overall concept/quality.
The “2012 Best of Show” award will be selected through popular vote at the 2012
NCDC Annual Conference and Exposition at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville,
TN, (September 22-26).
The Lumen Awards were created to acknowledge excellence in the ministry of
fundraising and to enrich the Catholic development community through sharing this
excellence. The Latin term lumen, meaning light, was chosen as the name of the award
to represent the vision and clarity fundraisers must strive for while promoting their
missions. The Lumen Award, a candlestick, celebrates the visible efforts of those doing
God’s work in the world. Those holding the light set an example to follow and enlighten
the Catholic fundraising community through their good works.
Fr. T. Becket A. Franks, O.S.B.
Director, Abbey Advancement
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The Clerestory Magazine of the
Monks of St. Procopius Abbey
You can assist the monks in their great venture of Christian discipleship!
If you are interested in giving to the monastic
community there are many options!
They include:
• Cash gifts — You can make out a check
to St. Procopius Abbey.
• Stock gifts — In making a gift of stock
you may be eligible for a tax benefit.
• Tribute or memorial gifts — These honor loved
ones, living or deceased; their names will be
submitted to the abbey prayer ministry.
• Matching gifts — Many companies
match or even double your charity.
St. Procopius Abbey
5601 College Road, Lisle, IL., 60532-4463
• Planned gifts — You can make a
bequest in your will or trust.
Our (Federal ID#) F.E.I.N. is 36-2169184.
We are a tax-exempt institution and listed in the
Official Catholic Directory under the diocese of
Joliet, Illinois. Bequests, etc., are deductible for
federal estate and gift tax purposes.
• IRA Rollover — A charitable rollover from
your IRA may be a convenient way to
make a gift to the Abbey. Please call
to receive more information about the
potential benefits of this type of giving.
Call the office of Abbey Advancement for
assistance with a donation or for more
information at (630) 829-9253.
Online Giving is now available on the abbey website —www.procopius.org/giving/WaysToGive
T h e R ight R e v e r e n d austi n g . murph y , O . S . B . , A bbot
You came into this world to do your Father’s will, Lord Jesus. Help us to cherish our Abbot who now holds the place of Christ in our community.
Dear Friends
July 4th is not only Independence Day. It is also the feast day of our patron, St. Procopius.
This issue of The Clerestory will reach you after the Fourth of July, but I still want to share
with you the power of this celebration.
St. Procopius is not one of those saints about whom we have many
stories or much detail. The basics of his life are that he lived in the
eleventh century in what is now the Czech Republic. At a certain
point in his adult life he left his family to become a hermit. In
time he founded a monastery, but not a Benedictine one, for he
was of the Eastern Rite and not the Latin Rite. As the abbot of this
monastery, St. Procopius was known for his holiness and he was
dedication to the liturgy and to the poor. This is our saint on whose
heavenly intercession we especially rely.
To the modern mind, the idea of a heavenly intercessor might seem quaint or even
superstitious. But it is neither. We believe in the power of God working through prayer,
for which reason we pray for each other. Scripture tells us, moreover, that the closer we
come to God, the more effective our prayers: “The fervent prayer of a righteous person is
very powerful.” (Jas 5:16) The saints are, of course, close to God — thus, their prayers are
especially powerful.
The life of the saints in heaven is beyond our imagination. Their hearts overflow with a life,
love, joy, and generosity beyond telling. Indeed, they have an abundant share in God’s own
life! To pray from a heart overflowing with this life, that is surely a powerful prayer! And it
is how St. Procopius prays for us. So, we are confident that his intercession will continue to
help the monks of St. Procopius Abbey greatly.
Holy Abbot Procopius, pray for us!
And may he also intercede for all the friends of our abbey!
Peace in Christ,
Abbot Austin G. Murphy, O.S.B.
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Abbot Austin G. Murphy, O.S.B.
The Clerestory • Summer 2012
ONE
Lord, you called us to follow you in the monastic way of life. Let us discover you in our Lectio Divina and in one another.
the ministry of the monks
S t . P rocopius A bb e y
TWO
the ministry of the monks
Committed to the Community and to the Church
I
Conclusion ­— by Fr. Becket
Lord Jesus, clothe us with faith.
O r a e t l a b o r a
In June, 1969, the abbots of the American-Cassinesse Congregation, to which
St. Procopius Abbey belongs, released a statement on Benedictine Monastic Life following
the “aggiornamento,” (a bringing up to date) by the Second Vatican Council. It was entitled,
“Renew and Create.” It named various things belonging to “The Elements of Benedictine Life,”
like prayer, reading, silence community life, conversion, stability, etc. But is also named
specific Benedictine problems, like, how to continue to live a true monastic spirit in a very
busy modern and ever changing world. While this statement is almost fifty years old, the
truth of the document remains relevant as we finish this ongoing magazine feature called,
“The Ministry of the Monks.”
The Clerestory • Summer 2012
THREE
the ministry of the monks
T
You endowed our holy father Benedict with the virtues of simplicity and purity of heart. May monastic men and women practice their virtues in their lives.
“The monastic life strives to achieve a delicate balance that is often difficult to attain. It intends to state and realize
forthrightly an uncompromising hierarchy of values. Within the framework of his primary call—the seeking of God
and the responding to Him in a life of prayer, to which nothing else may be preferred—the monk takes up his daily
work as a task full of hope and promise, a service to his brothers in the community,
in the Church, and in the world at large.
A monastic community is not, by its nature, bound to specific endeavors.
However, work has always been considered essential in the life of the
monk. In fulfillment of this obligation the individual monk always
relates his personal work to the interests of the community, and
is sensitive about sharing the burdens of his fellow monks. Each
monastic community should discover for itself and pursue work which
is consonant with its goals. In each generation it will reflect critically
upon the fittingness of the work in which it is engaged.
The challenges and thrust of the present age, far from rendering the monastic
witness obsolete, make that witness all the more timely and necessary. Monasticism,
indeed, where authentically realized, embodies much that is best in contemporary thought and aspirations:
a spirit of openness to new possibilities, a respect for the dignity and uniqueness of the person, an affirmation
of pluralism, a concern for honesty and authenticity, and a desire for simplicity and straightforwardness of life.
On the other hand, the monastic witness provides precisely what is needed to counter certain deficiencies to
which modern thought and life are prone. For this witness asserts the primacy of God and the things of God,
embodies a heightened sense of, and reverence for, the sacred, a profound awareness of the sense and meaning
of one’s existence and a single-minded orientation toward its achievement, and a strong affirmation of the value
of prayer, silence, community, responsibility, and perseverance...
There are a variety of gifts and of roles in the Church. The call to the monastic way of life is one of many vocations.
Each gift and each role in the Church needs the others—in their pristine integrity and creative fidelity—so that
the living body of Christ may more and more perfectly mirror the marvelous riches of the Word made flesh, to the
glory of God and the salvation of the world.”
from Renew and Create. from the section, “The Elements of Benedictine Life: Work and Witness.”
S t . P rocopius A bb e y
FOUR
Br. Raphael Kozel, O.S.B.
Fr. Philip Timko, O.S.B.
One of the most important ministries of the abbey is
prayer. Established under Br. Columban while he was
prior, the abbey prayer ministry includes many of our
older monks, especially Br. Raphael. Besides working
as our housekeeper, Br. Raphael prays for many of
the intentions and requests received in the mail.
He was born in LaGrange, Texas, on June 26, 1925.
He professed monastic vows on December 8, 1955.
Fr. Philip celebrated his golden anniversary of monastic
vows on June 24, 2012. A professor of theology,
Fr. Philip teaches at Benedictine University and has
been on faculty there for forty-four years. He assists in
University Ministry as a part-time minister, occasionally
celebrating the Sunday night Mass on campus. Most
Sundays throughout the year, Fr. Philip assists at
St. Elizabeth Seton in Naperville. He is a member of the
editorial board of The American Benedictine Review, a
national Benedictine publication, and writes for The
Clerestory, of which he is member of the editorial board.
In his spare time during the summer, Fr. Philip cares
for the cloister courtyard lawn. Born in Joliet, Illinois,
on November 3, 1941, he professed monastic vows on
June 24, 1962. He was ordained on June 26, 1969.
Fr. David Turner, O.S.B.
Fr. David (left)
is the director of
the abbey oblates,
secretary to the
liturgy committee,
and a member
of The Clerestory
editorial board.
He was born
in Chicago on
April 13, 1934,
and professed
monastic vows
on June 24, 1957.
Having been
ordained on May 25, 1963, Fr. David has ministered
most of his life at what is now called Benedictine
University, where he is currently assistant to the
provost. He is also a Mass celebrant when needed and
chaplain to the Knights of Columbus. In addition to all
of his ministries, Fr. David is formator for the Knights
of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem.
You brought salvation to the people of Bohemia through the preaching of the Blessed Abbot Procopius; may we lead others to you.
O r a e t l a b o r a
Fr. Joseph Chang, O.S.B.
Born in Shanghai, China, on November 23, 1926,
Fr. Joseph assists sacramentally in many places
throughout the diocese of Joliet: St. John the Apostle
in Villa Park, the Loretto Convent for the IBVM sisters
in Wheaton, St. Patrick’s Retirement Residence in
Naperville, and the Benedictine Sisters of the Sacred
Heart across the street from the abbey. Fr. Joseph
professed monastic vows on February 28, 1970, having
transferred from the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in the
Philippines where he was ordained on March 18, 1957.
Fr. Anthony Jacob, O.S.B.
“Call Fr. Anthony,” is often the cry when a computer
breaks down. Along with assisting the treasurer and
chairing the abbey’s charities committee, Fr. Anthony
is our computer and telephone “fix-it” manager.
He tutors math students at Benet Academy, assists
as Mass celebrant on weekends at St. Mark’s Parish
in Wheaton, Illinois, and is spiritual director for the
Oblate Sisters of St. Scholastica, some of whom live
across the street from the abbey at Villa St. Benedict. He
was born in Chicago on March 29, 1939. He professed
monastic vows on June 24, 1960, and was ordained on
December 18, 1965.
Fr. Theodore Suchy, O.S.B.
Fr. Theodore (above, right) celebrated his golden anniversary of monastic vows on June 24, 2012. He was born
in Cary, Illinois, in 1940, and was ordained on May 27, 1967. Fr. Theodore is famous for the nurturing of the
museum started at Benedictine University under brother-monks, Frs. Hilary and Edmund Jurica, O.S.B. To honor
Fr. Theodore, who is the curator emeritus, the University changed the name of the museum to The Jurica-Suchy
Nature Museum (www1.ben.edu/museum). At the abbey he is the director of forestry where he inspired the
fundraising program, “Maples on Maple,” where contributers can make tree donations in honor of loved ones and
these trees will act as a living curtain between Maple Avenue and the abbey. Fr. Theodore also cares for the abbey
cloister courtyard—a quiet place filled with ground cover, trees, and flowers.
The Clerestory • Summer 2012
FIVE
Through the intercession of our heavenly patron, St. Procopius, may we live in peace with one another and work for the salvation of the world.
the ministry of the monks
Fr. Julian von Duerbeck, O.S.B.
Br. Charles Hlava, O.S.B.
Fr. Julian is the abbey liturgist and master of
ceremonies in the abbey church. He moderates
Benet Academy’s St. Wenceslaus Servers’ Society, and
organization for high school boys who serve at the
abbey Masses. Fr. Julian assists Fr. David with the
abbey oblates and is the porter of the monastery, who,
according to St. Benedict, is that “sensible old man who
knows how to take a message and deliver a reply, and
whose age keeps him from roaming about.” He teaches
theology classes at Benedictine University and a World
Religions class at Benet Academy. Fr. Julian assists on
weekends at St. Margaret Mary Parish down the street
from the abbey and is a formator of the Knights of the
Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem.
When guests stop in at the abbey front desk, a person
they might meet is Br. Charles, who assists Fr. Julian as
porter during the weekday afternoons. He is a member
of the abbey liturgy committee, as well as an associate
organist at the abbey and at Sacred Heart Monastery.
He teaches two classes of Honors Mathematics at
Benet Academy, is a member of its Board of Directors,
and is a Trustee of Benedictine University. In the
diocese of Joliet, Br. Charles is a member of the board
of conciliation and arbitration when serious matters
involving diocesan personnel need to be discussed.
Br. Guy Jelinek, O.S.B., Prior
Since the death of Br. Columban, Br. Guy (below)
has been our new prior. Br. Guy has big shoes to
fill and many of the monks agree that he was the
obvious choice for this important ministry in the house.
Br. Guy’s stands in community rank (statio) after the
abbot since he is the second in command at the abbey.
As house manager, he schedules the monks for Mass,
reading at the dinner table, and the use of cars. If that
were not enough, Br. Prior is also the abbey business
manager; a member of the abbot’s council; secretary to
the Board of Directors at Benet Academy; an editorial
board member of The Clerestory, to which he donates
many pictures; and the abbey’s official photographer
and florist. During the school day he teaches two
freshman honors biology classes. The cover of the
magazine was taken in Spring 2012 at Benet during
his first period biology lab.
S t . P rocopius A bb e y
SIX
Fr. James Flint, O.S.B.
Since he is the abbey’s Procurator-Treasurer, that is,
the chief financial officer, Fr. James (above) stands in
community (statio) after the Subprior. Besides many
other duties, Fr. James is an elected member of the
abbot’s council; the Vocation Director for the abbey;
the Abbey Librarian, Historian and Archivist; and a
member of The Clerestory editorial board (and popular
contributor). He is an appointed member of the Board
of Directors of Benet Academy and presides at Mass
at Benedictine University some weekdays and Sundays.
Fr. James assists at Mass on the weekends at St. Joseph
Church in Downers Grove, Illinois, and, belongs to
the editorial board of The American Benedictine Review,
a periodical primarily owned and operated by the
Benedictines in the United States.
O r a e t l a b o r a
Since 2008 Fr. Gabriel (right) has
been the pastor of St. Joan of Arc
Parish in Lisle, founded by the
monks in 1924. He represents
the monastic community as a
member of the Joliet Diocesan
Presbyteral Council. Besides his
parish duties, he is working on
a Doctor of Ministry Degree
in Preaching at the Aquinas
Institute in St. Louis.
Fr. Becket Franks, O.S.B.
Having been the director of Abbey Advancement
for seven years, Fr. Becket (above) develops fund
raising programs with the abbot and the advancement
office assistant, Mrs. Joyce Schultz. As editor of The
Clerestory (now an award-winning publication), he
works with other monks and designer Mrs. Mary Kay
Wolf. Fr. Becket is the assistant to the abbot working
on various projects for the community. He is in charge
of collecting the Mass stipends, and arranges for the
many tours that are requested throughout the year. As
chaplain of Sacred Heart Monastery and their senior
living center Villa St. Benedict, he celebrates Mass daily
and on Sundays.
Br. Richard Poro, O.S.B.
Br. Rick (above) is another monk guests might meet
at the front desk, assisting Fr. Julian as porter. He
assists Fr. Tom as guest master and as sacristan, and
is the assistant master of ceremonies. At Benedictine
University, Br. Rick is an associate university minister.
Lord Jesus, you wait for us daily to translate your holy teachings into action, give us joy in doing your will.
Fr. Gabriel Baltes, O.S.B.
Br. Augustine Mallak, O.S.B.
Br. Augustine (above) has been the abbey choir master
and chief organist for more than thirty years. He directs
the abbey schola on Sundays, maintains the Mohler
pipe organ, is a member of the abbey liturgy committee,
and chairs the newly established concerts-in-theabbey-church committee. Br. Augustine is a longstanding adjunct faculty member of the music
department at Benedictine University where he
teaches two music classes.
Br. Pius Chen, O.S.B.
Br. Kevin Coffey, O.S.B.
Br. Kevin (above) manages the abbey kitchen and
works with Fr. James as a member of the vocation team.
He is an elected member of the abbot’s council, the
abbey curator of art, and, at Benet Academy he is the
director of visual arts.
Br. Pius is pursuing a transfer to the Holy Mother
of God Trappist Community in Shuili, Taiwan.
The Clerestory • Summer 2012
SEVEN
The Liturgy After the Liturgy
B
efore the liturgical reforms of the Council, the Mass was all in Latin, and in part
for that reason, the priest took all the parts­— readings, responses, everything.
The laity were reduced to silent spectators who said their private prayers
which mainly consisted of the rosary. This had a damaging effect on peoples’
understanding of the Church. It made it appear that the Church was a hierarchical
institution, rather than the People of God, and that the laity had no role whatsoever in
the mission Christ gave the Church. Everything, it seemed, pertaining to the Church was
the province of the clergy.
Incline our hearts to listen to your Word that brings life to our souls.
Vatican II’s pastoral constitution on the sacred liturgy changed all of that. The document
says that the purpose of the public worship of the Church is the worship of God and
the sanctification of the believers. The worship of God is obvious because we are
privileged to offer to God with ourselves the perfect self-offering of Christ to the Father.
The other part that maybe we don’t think of enough is our training in holiness. The
liturgy is intended to be a formation program: the scriptural readings, the homily, the
Eucharistic prayer, and Communion. We are to become what we receive. In his sermons,
St. Augustine would often bring out the relationship between the Eucharist as the body of
Christ, and the Church as the body of Christ. For example, in one sermon he says: “If you
are the Body of Christ, and his members, it is the mystery of yourselves that is laid upon
the altar. It is the mystery of yourselves that you receive. It is to what you are that you say
‘Amen.’ You are to be taken, blessed, broken, distributed, that the work of the Incarnation
may go forward.”
This is what Orthodox theologians mean by ‘the liturgy after the liturgy.’ It is the
service of God after the service— living according to Christ’s teaching and example,
in perfect obedience to God, and in love and service to one another. We are
to become what we receive: the Body of Christ and his members, his eyes, his
mouth, his hands, his feet. His ministry is to be continued through us.
Vocations Ministry
by Fr. James
The abbey’s friends are thanked for their prayers for an increase in vocations to the monastic life here at St. Procopius.
Please keep up the good work during the coming months!
W
e scheduled another
“Come and See” retreat
for July 13-15. Four
people joined us for
the weekend. Young Catholic men
interested in exploring the possibility
aof monastic life are invited to
contact me at 630-829-9279 or at
vocations@procopius.org.
Some activities of the Vocation Office
during this past year:
• We had two participants in the
April “Come and See” retreat at
the abbey;
• Abbot Austin and I took part in
a vocation fair held at the Newman
Center at the University of Illinois
in Champaign;
S t . P rocopius A bb e y
eight
• I gave vocation talks at weekend
Masses at St. Mary’s Catholic
Church, the campus parish of
Texas A & M in College Station, TX;
• Br. Kevin participated in a vocation
fair at St. Raymond Nonnatus
Cathedral in Joliet;
• I preached at the abbey for the
World Day of Prayer for
Vocations on April 29;
• I have continued to participate in
a discernment group meeting
weekly at the University of Illinois
in Chicago.
As I mentioned last issue, my Facebook
page seeks to provide information of
interest about vocational discernment
and the life of the abbey. Since I’m
rather addicted to the history of the
abbey, items relating to that can also be
found on the page! Even those who are
not members of Facebook can access
this page through the abbey website
(www.procopius.org): simply go down
the column on the right side of the
home page and click where it says
“Abbey Vocations on Facebook.”
Find Us On Facebook
Fr. James Flint, O.S.B.
We live in a culture that is almost
drowning in media, so we can easily forget
how important personal witness is for
acquainting others with Christ and his
Gospel. Here is an example that struck me
very much and has stayed with me. Several
years ago I spoke to an American missionary working in Ghana.
He told how rapidly the faith was spreading and how many
converts of all age were being received into the Catholic Church.
I asked him, what attracted the converts? He said, in Ghana,
printed materials are not readily available and many people
cannot read. So converts will not be drawn by reading. Rather, it
was the committed example of Catholics that drew them. It might
be a student in a high school class, someone in the workforce, or
a woman in the village market. Some people will notice that they
have purpose and direction in their lives, and that they live by
their convictions no matter what others do. Then they will ask,
what is your secret? That overture gives Catholics an opportunity
to tell about the importance of Christ in their lives, and the
strength and meaning their faith gives them.
We see in the Gospels that Jesus first trained those he had called
in discipleship and then sent them out to preach and bear witness.
We gather for the Eucharist in obedience to Christ’s command
to “Do this in remembrance of me.” The liturgy is our principal
school of discipleship. Then having been formed, we are sent
forth to bear witness to Christ by what we say and what we do.
The liturgy after the liturgy is what we are to do from Monday to
Saturday, until we assemble again on Sunday.
Give us the strength to practice the corporal and spiritual works of mercy that build up your body the Church.
by Fr. Philip
(l to r): br. guy, br. joseph, fr. philip, and and
fr. theodore.
Abbey Jubilarians
70 years of Monastic Profession
Br. Joseph Vesely, O.S.B.
November 13, 1942
“Br. Joseph has for seventy years been a model
of prayerful and joyful participation in the
monastic life.”
~Fr. James
50 years of Monastic Profession
Fr. Theodore Suchy, O.S.B.
June 24, 1962
Abbey Prayer & Worship
“Above all, we give thanks for his courage and
strength in face of adversity. He has been a
Christ-like example for all of us. We see the
grace of God working in him.”
~Fr. Thomas
The monks invite you to join them for morning
and evening prayer, especially solemn vespers
at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays. These are the usual
Mass times, please call the abbey switchboard
at (630) 969-6410 to confirm Saturday or
Solemnity times or any other schedules.
Monday thru Friday
Lauds..........................................6:00a.m.
Mid-day Prayer (LC)....................12:00 noon
The Conventual Mass...................4:50p.m.
Vespers.......................................7:00p.m.
Saturday
Lauds..........................................6:25a.m.
The Conventual Mass...................7:00a.m.
Mid-day Prayer (LC)....................12:00 noon
Vespers.......................................5:00p.m.
Compline (LC)..............................7:00p.m.
Sunday
Lauds..........................................6:25 a.m.
The Conventual Mass.................11:00a.m.
Solemn Vespers...........................5:00p.m.
Compline (LC)..............................7:00p.m.
Fr. Philip Timko, O.S.B.
June 24, 1962
“Your love for learning and your fearless
openness to new thoughts, new ways, new
languages, new cultures...[and]...your
remarkable skill to take the most complex
material and articulate it...makes you an
outstanding professor at our university where
you continue to teach after forty years...”
~Fr. Gabriel
40 years of Monastic Profession
Br. Guy Jelinek, O.S.B.
June 24, 1972
“His gifts and talents are not just used here at
the abbey, but he inspires young minds to learn
about, experience, and enjoy the animal and
plant life that God has blessed us with.”
~Abbot Hugh
all comments spoken at the jubilee dinner
Worship will be in the abbey church, unless noted
(LC) indicating the Lady Chapel.
The Clerestory • Summer 2012
nine
The Procopian
Oblate
O
“You’re a what?”
Oblates Answer for Themselves
on the abbey website it reads:
Oblates of St. Benedict are individuals who seek to enrich their Christian lives
through a formal spiritual association with a Benedictine community. While
their prayer and work will generally be in the world rather than within the
walls of a monastery, they attempt to fulfill their proper vocation in a manner
enlightened and guided by St. Benedict’s Rule for Monasteries.
S
The term “oblate” derives from the Latin word for “offering.” At the time of
St. Benedict, parents would sometimes “offer” their children to monasteries
for religious training and education. “Oblate” later came to refer also to those
who wished to join themselves to the work and prayer of a monastic community
without leaving their homes, families, or occupations.
May we not aspire to be called holy before you have completed every good work in us.
“You’re a what?”
That’s usually the response when I tell
someone that I’m a Benedictine Oblate.
I then patiently explain that oblates are
laypeople who strive to live their lives
according to the Rule of St. Benedict and
who have a spiritual affiliation with a
particular monastery.
I was particularly drawn to St. Procopius
Abbey because of shared roots between
the abbey and myself. And, because it is
a Benedictine trait to practice hospitality, the kind monks of the abbey welcome
me like they have many others over their
long history. They allow me to share
in their liturgy, and to a degree, their
conventual life. But there is a distinct
difference between them and me.
Just like the monk in the cloister, I am
trying to find my way to heaven, which
is the path to the knowledge of God, and
His Son, Jesus Christ. As a Benedictine
Oblate, I am invited to walk that path
alongside the monks; they inside the
cloister, and me and my fellow oblates
on the outside.
robert vall
S t . P rocopius A bb e y
TEN
Living by the Rule of St. Benedict has
deepened my spirituality. I have developed a keen awareness of the movement
of the Holy Spirit in my life. Friends
and family have noticed a change in
me. They seek my advice and opinion
on personal growth. With help from the
Holy Spirit, I bear witness to God’s glory.
sandra fournier
This past December 2011, I celebrated
my tenth anniversary as a Benedictine
Oblate associated with the St. Procopius
Abbey family. This past May I celebrated
twenty years of ordained ministry as a
priest — so it has been a year of Jubilee!
...Ignatian spirituality was foremost in our
training...Journeying with my spiritual
director I came to the realization about
twelve years ago that my spirituality was
profoundly liturgical and Benedictine.
...Let me simply list some of the aspects
of Benedictine spirituality that truly
resonate with me: the need for silence,
moderation, love for the liturgy, sanctification of the day, importance of stability,
and love of the Word of God.
How I became an Oblate and associated with St. Procopius only God can
figure out — since I have never yet visited
(which I hope to rectify soon).
fr. chris bourdeau
By Fr. David
So, we asked our oblates:
What do you do in your everyday
life to support your oblation?
How do you incorporate
Benedictine values in your
day-to-day living?
What follows are the responses
of some of the Oblates of
St. Procopius Abbey. We will
continue to publish more
comments in the fall 2012 issue.
Oblate life is the framework within
which I can deepen my relationship
with God and live the Christian life.
Praying the Liturgy of the Hours, either
on my own or with the monks, has
helped my prayer life become more
focused. Daily reflections on the Rule
of St. Benedict reminds me of the many
ways that I have the opportunity to
see Christ in others and be Christ-like
towards them. And I appreciate the support of the monthly oblate meetings and
the Advent and Lent days at the abbey.
bernadette petrauskas
On each day, there are specific chapter
readings from the Psalms that the Rule
of St. Benedict prescribes the monk or
oblate to read. In reading these Psalms I
become more in tune with God and his
will for mankind. The Psalms also give
me a better focus and positive attitude in
dealing with challenges and problems of
everyday life.
marin berendt
(oblate candidate)
Oblate Meetings
Second Sunday of the month
2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
Contact Fr. David Turner, O.S.B. for
more information. (630) 829-9266
dturner@procopius.org
www.procopius.org/oblate
May he rest in peace!
ven. br. columnban
trojan, o.s.b.
prior of
st. procopius abbey
born:
october 20, 1940
professed:
march 25, 1960
died: june 16, 2012
B
rother Columban Trojan,
the Prior of St. Procopius
Abbey and for more than
three decades the moderator
of the Mothers’ Club
at Benet Academy, died just after
midnight on Saturday, June 16, 2012, at
Community Nursing and Rehabilitation
Center in Naperville, Illinois. Born in
Gary, Indiana on October 20, 1940,
Timothy Trojan came into contact
with the Benedictines of Lisle through
a distant family contact, Sister Irene
Sebo of Sacred Heart Monastery.
After she arranged a meeting with
Fr. Thomas Havlik, rector of
St. Procopius Academy, the young
man enrolled in that school for his
high school education.
Taking part in the 1956 move to the
Academy’s new quarters in the former
St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Timothy then
spent his senior year in a vocation
discernment program guided by
Fr. Gilbert Laketek. After graduation
in 1958, he entered the monastery as
a lay brother candidate and professed
his monastic vows on March 25, 1960.
In the words of Abbot Hugh who
delivered his eulogy at the vigil, “In
the late summer or early fall of 1959
this young dude shows up for the
brother’s novitiate by the name of
Timothy Trojan, later to be known
as Br. Columban. He was ‘cool’ as we
would say back in the 50s. His hair was
greased back into a DA, and you would
swear he just walked off the movie set
of Blackboard Jungle. His wardrobe was
of the latest fashion. He had no calluses
on his hands. And we bet he would last
but two days, the max was a week. Well,
we were a bit off . Br. Columban was
here for 53 years. I think Columban
arrived on a Friday, and on Sunday he
was sent out to the cow barn to clean it
out. We thought for sure on Monday
he would be gone. Later we found out
he had a great time…not that he was
into cleaning the barn, but because
Br. Louis always cooked a second
breakfast for the helpers: a breakfast
of eggs, bacon, and all the hot fresh
baked cinnamon rolls you could eat...
Columban ate this up!”
He had a gift for organizing
information, and as a result he was
soon called upon to assist in the
treasurer’s office of St. Procopius
College. As the brothers became
more integrated into the general life
of the community during the years
following the Second Vatican Council,
Br. Columban took on such roles
as dormitory director at the College,
and both sacristan and master of
ceremonies at the abbey. In 1973, he
was named both treasurer and stationer
at Benet Academy. He much enjoyed
the theological renewal program that
he attended at the Benedictine College
of Sant’Anselmo in Rome during the
spring of 1980. In 1981, Br. Columban
became moderator of the Academy’s
Mothers Club, a position he held until
his death more than three decades later.
Though he suffered a major heart attack
around the time of his fiftieth birthday
in 1990, he recovered sufficiently that
the next year Abbot Hugh Anderson
asked him to assume the office of Prior,
second-in-command of the monastery.
Again in the words of Abbot Hugh, “In
1991 I polled the community on who
they might want as Prior. No one
mentioned Columban because it was
unheard of to have a non-ordained
as Prior. When I asked Columban to
accept the position, he wanted to know
what my expectations were for a Prior.
I told him, “I would want you to do the
right thing, for the right person, at the
right time.”
Br. Columban was the first nonordained monk to serve in that position,
and for the rest of his life he played
a major role in the leadership of the
community. As well as finding good
uses for his organizational gifts, Prior
Columban projected a sense of peace
that did much to help his confreres
to keep issues in perspective and heal
whatever small disagreements might
intrude into community life. He much
enjoyed the annual Priors’ Workshop,
in time became one of the senior
members of that group, and he was the
major organizer of the General Chapter
held at St. Procopius in 2004. Health
issues came to the fore thereafter, and
from 2005 to 2010 he held the slightly
less strenuous position of Subprior.
Shortly after his election, Abbot Austin
Murphy reappointed him to the office
of Prior, and for the past two years
Prior Columban served the community
as best he could amidst the troubles
caused by a worsening kidney condition.
Lord Jesus, you came to serve and not to be served; may we monks follow your example by living lives of generosity and faith.
in memoriam
monachorum
a lighted candle burned
brightly in front of
a standing crucifix at
his place at table
in the refectory.
The abbot and monks received his body
at Vespers on Wednesday, June 20.
On Thursday, June 21, we celebrated
the Mass of Christian Burial in the
abbey church. Interment was in the
abbey cemetery. In memoriam, for
one month, we lighted a candle at the
prior’s place at the abbot’s table. May
his soul and the souls of the faithful
departed through the mercy of God rest
in peace. Amen.
contributors: Fr. James and Abbot Hugh
The Clerestory • Summer 2012
eleven
Abbey AdVentures
You commanded your disciples to be the “salt of the earth and the light of the world,” may the truth of the Gospel shine through us.
C h r o n i c l i n g
o u r
g r e a t
n In February, Fr. Gabriel joined
twenty-two of his parishioners from
St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in
Lisle for a pilgrimage to Israel.
clockwise from top left: at the river
jordan; on the sea of galilee; at the
site of the crib in the church of the
nativity in bethlehem; and saying
mass outdoors at the primacy of
peter, where jesus told him that
he was rock.
n Upon the death of Br. Columban
and consultation with the community,
the abbot appointed Br. Guy to be
the prior.
S t . P rocopius A bb e y
TWELVE
v e n t u r e
o f
C h r i s t i a n
n The Travel Log of the Abbot
President of the American Cassinese
Congregation, Abbot Hugh
July 13-15: Pastoral visit to the monks
of Mt. Saviour Monastery, Pine City,
New York.
July 19-25: Preparation for the
Congress of Abbots in Rome at Collegio
Sant’Anselmo with the Abbot Primate,
the Most Rev. Notker Wolf, O.S.B.,
and the presidents of other male
Benedictine Congregations.
n August 1-4: Abbot Austin attended
the Conference of the Major Superiors
of Men (CMSM) meeting in Houston,
Texas. From the CMSM website:
“Another young Benedictine, Abbot
d i s c i p l e s h i p .
Austin Murphy, O.S.B., of St. Procopius
Abbey in Lisle, Illinois, provided
spiritual reflections on the theme of the
assembly, “The Dream I Have for You.”
Elected abbot in 2010 at the age of
thirty-six, Abbot Austin acknowledged
his anxiety during the opening of the
assembly about speaking to a group
of experienced major superiors, but
he recognized that his audience could
reflect on his words in light of that
experience. Using the topic of dreams
throughout scripture, and taking his
start from a passage from the Prophet
Joel (Jl 3:1), Abbot Austin noted that
“the passage speaks of dreams that are
from God. They are not of one’s own
making, not one’s own projection.
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In Memoriam
of all of our confreres, relatives, friends and benefactors
+ Mrs. Barbara Pauley, sister of Fr. Thomas
+ Mrs. Dorothy Poro, mother of Br. Richard
+ Mrs. Susan Poro, sister-in-law of Br. Richard
+Ven. Br. Columban T. Trojan, O.S.B., Prior
+ Mrs. Ann E. Veverka, long-time abbey information desk attendant
+ Mr. John Yu, nephew of Fr. Joseph
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Direct us to place our hope in you alone.
Instead, they are a result of the
Spirit having been poured out on
all flesh.” He would go on to talk
about positive dreams as the yardstick
for discerning them as a way in
which God speaks to each of us.”
http://cmsm.org/documents.
Advent
at the
Abbey
“Listen Carefully…”
abbot austin, archbishop avak
asadourian, and abbot hugh.
n Archbishop Avak Asadourian
(baptismal name Vazken), attended
St. Procopius College (now Benedictine
University) and graduated in 1970 with
a B.A. in Philosophy. He was in the
United States to draw attention to the
plight of Christians in Iraq who are
often martyred for their faith (www.
armenianchurch.org/index). While
meeting with former classmates at the
university, he stopped at the abbey and
visited with the community.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
Lent
at the
Abbey
“If we wish to dwell in the
tent of this kingdom, we
will never arrive unless
we run there by good deeds.”
The Clerestory • Summer 2012
THIRTEEN
S t . P r o c o p i u s Abb e y
5601 College Road
Lisle, Illinois 60532-4463
2 The Ministry of the Monks
8The Liturgy After the Liturgy
8 Vocations Ministry
9Abbey Jubilarians
9 Prayer and Worship Schedule
10 The Procopian Oblate
11In Memoriam Monachorum
12Abbey Adventures
“Listen carefully...”
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