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January, 1996 Vol. 2 No. 2
* Thoughts in Solitude by Francis Dorff,O.Praem. |
Marabou is a quarterly newsletter for hermits and those interested in the eremitical life. This newsletter seeks to affirm this life style since it is ecclesially recognized and endorsed by the Church. Marabou is to be a collaborative effort and thus depends on the reflections, poetry, news and information from hermits themselves. Write to Marabou at 7200 W. Division St.; River Forest, Illinois 60305. The annual subscription fee is $7.50. MARABOU (ma-ra-bu) also marabout, marabu, (a. French marabou), app. repr. an Arabic use of murabit, hermit. The stork is said to be mrabt, i.e. hole (Pagni in Daozy, Suppl. aux Dictt. arabes, s.v. murabit.). Marabou, a large stork or heron, leptoptilius marabou, or crumnifer, a native of West Africa.
On the edge of the monastery woods, an old rabbi had built a little hut. He would come there from time to time to fast and pray. No one ever spoke with him, but whenever he appeared the word would be passed from monk to monk: "The rabbi walks in the woods." "The rabbi walks in the woods." And, for as long as he was there, the monks would feel sustained by his prayerful presence.
One day the abbot decided to visit the rabbi and to open his heart to him. So, after the morning Eucharist, he set out through the woods. As he approached the hut, the abbot saw the rabbi standing in the doorway, his arms outstretched in welcome. It was as though he had been waiting there for some time. The two embraced like long-lost brothers. Then they stepped back and just stood there, smiling at one another with smiles their faces could hardly contain.
After a while the rabbi motioned the abbot to enter. In the middle of the room was a wooden table with the Scriptures open on it. They sat there for a moment, in the presence of the Book. Then the rabbi began to cry. The abbot could not contain himself. He covered his face with his hands and began to cry too. For the first time in his life, he cried his heart out. The two men sat there like lost children, filling the hut with their sobs and wetting the wood of the table with their tears.
After the tears had ceased to flow and all was quiet again, the rabbi lifted his head. "You and your brothers are serving God with heavy hearts," He said. "You have come to ask a teaching of me. I will give you a teaching, but you can only repeat it once. After that, no one must ever say it aloud again."
The rabbi looked straight at the abbot and said, "The Messiah is among you. "For a while, all was silent. Then the rabbi said, "Now you can go home!" The abbot left without a word and without ever looking back.
The next morning, the abbot called his monks together in the chapter room. He told them he had received a teaching from "the rabbi who walks in the woods" and that this teaching was never again to be spoken aloud. Then he looked at each of his brothers and said, "The rabbi said that one of us is the Messiah."
The monks were startled by this saying. "What could it mean?" They asked themselves. "Is brother John the Messiah? Or Father Matthew? Or Brother Thomas? Am I the Messiah? What could this mean?"
They were all deeply puzzled by the rabbi's teaching. But no one ever mentioned it again.
As time went by, the monks began to treat one another with a very special reverence. There was a gentle, wholehearted, human quality about them now which was hard to describe but easy to notice. They lived with one another as men who had finally found something. But they prayed the Scriptures together as men who were always looking for something. Occasional visitors found themselves deeply moved by the life of these monks. Before long, people were coming from far and wide to be nourished by the prayer life of the monks and young men were asking, once again, to live with the monks for a lifetime.
In those days, the rabbi no longer walked in the woods. His hut had fallen into ruins. But, somehow or other, the old monks who had taken his teaching to heart still felt sustained by his prayerful presence . . . . they still felt sustained by his prayerful presence.
Francis Dorff, O.Praem.
Reprinted with the permission
of the New Catholic World
It would be an interesting exercise for the hermits of our day to fashion a written rule which would reflect a Eucharistic embrace, deeply rooted in the dynamic action of the Trinity in daily life.
Fr. Robert Staes, O.P.
St. Dominic Priory
Denver, Colorado
The particular circumstances in which Fr. Rohr found himself and about which he wrote with admirable integrity was likely one which is very similarly experienced by many of us at some time or other in course of our own eremitical journeys. Such an experience impels us to prayerfully discern just what the Spirit may be trying to help us to see, to be, and to do.
Through prayerful discernment, Fr. Rohr came to realize that the solitary life was not for him, an efficacious means to becoming a more loving person which is the primary reason God brought us into existence. Thus, he rightly saw through his mistaken motives for remaining in solitude and, by God's grace, he was happily able to find the actual form of vocational response to which he was really being called and through which he would more surely blossom into a more loving person, both in relationship to God and to others.
Of course, it is equally possible that another hermit in the same circumstances might have made a very different discernment! Such is the way of the Spirit Who works in different ways in different people! Another hermit, in examining his/her mistaken motives and actions might, instead, have been led by grace to make whatever changes were needed so that his/her hermit life might thus continue in a manner which would more authentically reflect that growing, deepening relationship of love for God and others to which we are all called, no matter what the form of our vocational response may be.
The key issue, then, is the importance of right discernment! The discernment questions that we ask ourselves before going into the hermitage and while living as hermits are extremely important!
As "hermits-helping-hermits" we ask you to prayerfully consider taking the time to write and share with us your own graced insights and experiences regarding some of these discernment questions:
Sr. Mary Vogel, H.S.S.R.
The single article in the Code of canon Law, C. 603, makes the local bishop the focus of attention for the Hermit. Given the nature of the episcopal office in the United States, it is a wonder that any bishop welcomes the additional commitment implied by C. 603 n.2: "A hermit is recognized in the law as one dedicated to God in a consecrated life as he or she publicly professes the three evangelical counsels, confirmed by a vow or other sacred bond, in the hands of the diocesan bishop and observes his or her own plan of life under his direction."
The simple fact of life is that most bishops will be reluctant to take on additional commitments, especially concerning a form of committed life that is relatively unknown to most of the Church in the United States. The prospective Hermit would be wise to make the path easier by anticipating the questions that may arise. But the threshold problem is getting someone's attention at the Diocesan Pastoral Office!! Since much of the day-to-day business of relating to religious life is delegated by bishops to others, it would be wise to begin at that point. Why? Because that is where the bishop will turn to delegate responsibility for liaison with a hermit! A couple of possibilities may be suggested.
A Hermit may begin by choosing a spiritual director who can "run interference" and vouch for the commitment to be made. An appointment with the Vicar for Religious and/or the Vicar General of the diocese may be initially easier to obtain. While Hermits professed according to c. 603 are technically not "religious", the resemblances are enough to help begin the dialog, and gradually lay the foundation for acceptance by the bishop. Communication with the Diocesan Pastoral Office is crucial because a Hermit who wishes to make the profession described in c. 603 should have a written agreement that spells out who is responsible for what, and it should be signed by the bishop to avoid any serious questions about the validity of profession, liability, etc. (This agreement may be in addition to the Plan of Life.) All of this will require the patience of Job or the persistence of the widow in Luke 18: 1 - 5!
Fr. R.B. Williams, O.P.
Rich PovertyJacqueline D'Avy |
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Icicles Raining
In Sunned Brilliance
Diamonds For The Taking
Heavy Jewelled Branches Breaking
Under Their Richness
Give Up The Weight Of Wealth
And Spring Again
Sunward
In Light Simplicity
Write to: 23rd Publications,P.O. Box 180, Mystic, CT 06355
EAST-WEST DIALOGUE
Contact is sought for any hermits engaged in East-West issues whether in a prayer apostolate or active discussion/dialogue. Write to: Hermitage of the Transfiguration; Carolyn M. Keyes; R.R. II Box 5; Cabery, IL 60919-9420.
BUDDHIST HERMITS
Contact is sought for any Renunciant American Buddhists living an eremitical life. Write to: Eric Fallic; 801 S. 19th St. Arlington, VA 22202-2609.
Desert House of Prayer has four hermitages and eight motel-like rooms available for retreatants seeking solitude and silence. It is a wonderful place to "come away and pray and discern" for anyone interested. Write to: Desert House of Prayer, P.O. Box 574, Cortaro, AZ 85652.
Marymount Hermitage invites Catholic priests who need a time for prayer, study rest, silence and solitude in exchange for offering daily Mass for the Hermit Sisters of Mary. Temporary or permanent position for a resident hermit-chaplain available also. For an informative brochure write to: Sister Rebecca Mary, H.S.M., 2150 Hermitage Lane, Mesa, Idaho 83643.
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