Summer 2013

SUM

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013

• v

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S t . P R o c o P i U S A b b E y 5601 College Road

Lisle, Illinois 60532-4463 (630) 969-6410

WWW.PRocoPiUS.oRG

t h E E d i t o R i A l b o A R d Br. Guy Jelinek, O.S.B. Fr. David Turner, O.S.B. Fr. Philip Timko, O.S.B Fr. James Flint, O.S.B.

AdvANcEMENt ASSiStANt Mrs. Joyce Schultz (630) 969-6410, ext. 252 Advancement@procopius.org

Abbot The Rt. Rev. Austin G. Murphy, O.S.B.

E d i t o R / diREctoR, AbbEy AdvANcEMENt Fr. T. Becket A. Franks, O.S.B. (630) 829-9253 bfranks@procopius.org

d E S i G N Wolf Design, Inc. /Mary Kay Wolf wolf6259@comcast.net

P h o t o G R A P h E R S Abbot Austin Murphy, O.S.B.Benedictine University Staff Fr. Becket Franks, O.S.B. Br. Guy Jelinek, O.S.B. Mr. John Kavanaugh Mr. Keith Ward, ROOT studios/HR ImagingMary Kay Wolf

from the editor

Fr. T. Becket A. Franks, O.S.B. Director, Abbey Advancement

FiNd US oN FAcEbook The Clerestory Magazine of the Monks of St. Procopius Abbey

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.

You can assist the monks in their great venture of Christian discipleship!

Online Giving is now available on the abbey website—procopius.webs.com/giving.

• Matching gifts — Many companies match or even double your charity.

• Planned gifts — You can make a bequest in your will or trust.

• 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.

St. Procopius Abbey 5601 College Road, Lisle, IL., 60532-4463

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.

Call the office of Abbey Advancement for assistance with a donation or for more information at (630) 829-9253.

I invite you to visit the Abbey’s updated website. The new format allows us to have noteworthy news, information and photos easily accessible on the home page. You can still reach us at www.procopius.org.

The use of the internet for social media (FACEBOOK, TWITTER, LinkedIn) and electronic mail (email) are important for fundraising. Just last year, with our second year with online giving, the abbey saw an eight hundred percent increase with those who gave financially over the internet. Online donations are still secure and the page can be found at procopius.webs.com/giving.

God bless you as we end the rainy season in Lisle. I know that “April showers bring May flowers” but people lost their personal and financial belongings these past months due to floods and tornados. Please pray for those who lost homes and businesses in our hometown of Lisle. The Abbey is on a hill, so we remained very fortunate.

Dear Friends,

There is an ancient Christian greeting that is sometimes used at the abbey at Easter. It goes, Christos anesti! with the response being, Alithos anesti! It is Greek for, “Christ is risen!” and, “He is truly risen!”

The greeting is beautiful in its simplicity. It does not use many words, but is compact. Yet that compactness points to the tremendous import of its simple message: Christ is risen!

Christ’s resurrection is all-important. It means everything. Yet in a way, its importance needs to be discovered by each person. The resurrection is good news for all, but some might wonder why it is such good news. They might not appreciate why the Church considers the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection her holiest day. The sights, sounds, and general bustle around Christmas convey its importance. But there is not the same around Easter to impress on us its importance. I suspect, therefore, that many think or wonder, “So what?” when they hear the Church proclaim with great solemnity the Lord’s resurrection. Or if they might know in their minds the resurrection’s importance, they might not have a vibrant sense of it in their soul.

Thus, there is a need for a person to personalize the resurrection, that is, to see how it relates to his or her life. What is dead within you that needs to be raised to new life? What weighs your spirit down, so that you hope to cast it off? The resurrection of Christ is God’s promise to bring us to new life and to set us free from our burdens—ultimately for eternity. When we thus see how the resurrection “speaks to” our struggles, difficulties, and hopes, our joy in the Lord’s resurrection is greater and deeper.

Perhaps you will be reading this issue of The Clerestory after the Easter Season has ended. But the celebration of the resurrection continues throughout the liturgical year, especially on Sundays. May the Lord’s resurrection be your greatest joy!

Peace in the risen Christ,

Abbot Austin G. Murphy, O.S.B.

FiNd US oN FAcEbook Abbot Austin G. Murphy, O.S.B.

Goo

dnes

s of

life

and

wis

dom

in t

each

ing

mus

t be

the

cri

teri

a fo

r ch

oosi

ng t

he o

ne t

o be

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e ab

bot.

—R

B 6

4:2

The Clerestory • SUMMER 2013

oNE

Dear Friends

T H E R I G H T R E v E R E n D A U S T I n G . M U R P H Y , O . S . B . , A B B O T

In Fall of 2011, after a visit to Taiwan, I wrote an article about the abbey’s history there and how the monastic community gave its buildings and lands in Chaiyi City, Taiwan to the

Sisters of Our Lady of China, to assist them in their hospital ministry. In January of this year, Abbot Hugh and I returned to Taiwan and saw the fruit of this gift. The former Benedictine priory and its land have been annexed to the Sisters’ hospital, St. Martin de Porres, and now advance the hospital’s mission of serving the people of Taiwan.

Under the leadership of Sr. Lucy Chen, O.L.C., the hospital administrator as well as mother general of the Sisters of Our Lady of China, the priory buildings were thoroughly renovated, so that they now house a cafeteria (which also serves as a restaurant to the general public), office spaces, the hospital’s medical library, laboratory facilities (including a pathology lab that is perhaps the best in Taiwan), and residences for nurses.

The English title above the entrance to the central building of the renovated priory reads, “Benedictine Hall.” This building, though, is especially dedicated to Fr. Alban Hrebic, O.S.B., who was the last prior of the monastic community in Taiwan. At the building’s entrance, stands a large stone that has engraved in it three Chinese characters that represent “Alban-Benedictine-Building.”

Also, thanks to the renovations, offices in the hospital have been relocated into the new space and the space left empty in the hospital has been turned into a new unit for patients.

There was also a freestanding chapel on the priory’s land that has been renovated for ongoing use as a chapel. The Sisters refer to it as “Benedictine Chapel.” The renovations retained much of the chapel’s original design, including a presider’s chair made by Fr. Alban, but they also benefited the chapel with more natural light and better sacristy space. Further, the renovations enabled the chapel’s lower level to be used as the pastoral center for the hospital.

The chapel was used, in fact, on Saturday, January 19, for the Mass that marked the formal dedication of the renovated buildings. Abbot Hugh and I were able to concelebrate the Mass with the bishop of Chaiyi City, the Most Rev. Thomas Chung, who was the main celebrant [cover photo]. There were also present many other priests from the area, although many of them were missionaries originally from other parts of the world who have over the years become friends of the Sisters.

At the end of this joyful Mass, Abbot Hugh spoke through a translator to the assembly, commending the Sisters for

n top: fruit orchard tour in the south of taiwan with the sisters of our lady of china. n above: this stone at the entrance of the central building honors fr. alban.

S T . P R O C O P I U S A B B E Y

tWo

by Abbot Austin

Bro

ther

s w

ho w

ork

so fa

r aw

ay t

hat

they

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o th

e or

ator

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the

pro

per

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e...a

re t

o pe

rfor

m t

he W

ork

of G

od w

here

the

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—R

B 5

0:1

The Effort of Benedictine Monks Bears Fruit in Taiwan

A Visible mark

...th

ose

who

hav

e be

en s

ent

on a

jour

ney

are

not

to o

mit

the

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erve

the

m a

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st t

hey

can,

not

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lect

ing

thei

r m

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re o

f ser

vice

.—R

B 5

0:4

their work in renovating the priory property and noting that St. Procopius Abbey could not have found a better ongoing use for the property it had acquired in Taiwan.

In a certain way, this trip marked the end of the abbey’s work in Taiwan. Several of our monks labored in Taiwan and their work is still remembered there. A couple— Fr. Alban as well as Fr. Ambrose Wang, O.S.B.—spent their last days in Taiwan, being buried there. We thank God for their work and sacrifices. Through the ongoing use of the priory property by the Sisters of Our Lady of China, the efforts of these monks will continue to bear fruit.

clockwise from top: n the renovated chapel benefits from more natural light. n a cafeteria, which also serves as a restaurant for the general public, is now housed in one of the renovated priory buildings. n abbot hugh outside the renovated chapel. n abbot austin in wood carving shop in the city of sanyi in northern taiwan.

The Clerestory • SUMMER 2013

thREE

S T . P R O C O P I U S A B B E Y

FoUR

Let

them

pre

fer

noth

ing

to C

hris

t.—

RB

72:

11

Sisters to Us“For many of the boys, the Sisters were mother images.”

— Sr. Josephine above, at the college.

As the school grew into a full-fledged high school, college, and seminary, with several hundred students in attendance, the number of sisters grew as well. By 1913, a wing had been built to provide them with living quarters. Hardly spacious ones, it must be admitted! Later generations of faculty and staff assigned very small offices in what had been the sisters’ cells were amazed to learn their original purpose. The sisters had also their own chapel in this wing, dining facilities, and nearby a small park area for their private use.

The sisters would remain on campus until 1958, their service extending from cooking, dish-washing and laundry to baking and helping out sometimes with the extensive cannery operation established by some of the monks after the Second World War. Among the later ones to be there was Sr. Josephine Kallus, whose assignment lasted four years. She was joined by two of her own blood-sisters, Sr. Virginia who worked there for one year, and Sr. Andrea who worked for more than twelve years as “Sister Supervisor.” Srs. Josephine and Virgina are still alive, however Sr. Andrea died in May, reaching the grand old age of ninety-six. Also with

us still is Sr. Susanne Thome who worked for one year in the kitchen. About eleven sisters at that time were responsible for feeding between three and four hundred people three meals a day. She laughingly recalls that the needs of breakfast preparation required the sisters to have their morning Mass in two shifts! By the end of their devoted service, Sr. Josephine recounted that about twenty-five sisters had served in the kitchen.

“For many of the boys, the sisters were mother images.”

Not only were there many hungry mouths to feed, but their meals were not taken in one spot. The monks had their own dining room, the students had theirs, the workmen had a place to dine, and of course so did the sisters themselves. All these groups had to have their food transferred to metal carts, which monk and student workers

by Fr. James (in discussion with Sr. Josephine)

As those learning about the Benedictines of Lisle soon discover, the founders of Sacred Heart Monastery

and St. Procopius Abbey were sister and brother. What’s more, they had the same patron saint given them at their religious professions, so that they would come to be known as Mother Nepomucene and Abbot Nepomucene Jaeger! This early “family link” would carry through to many apostolic works within which the two Czech Benedictine communities would labor together.

Among these joint projects was the school that the monks in 1901 moved from St. Procopius Parish in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood to a newly-established rural campus in Lisle. When the monks who would teach and look after the students moved into the first wing of the building that would eventually be called Benedictine Hall, they were accompanied by three members of the Sacred Heart community who assisted the academic labors of the monks by providing kitchen and laundry service.

n sr. mary andrea (far left) organizes the sisters in the kitchen.

would then roll to their respective dining rooms (which the sisters, as women, could not enter). The logistics were no small matter, and Sr. Josephine recalls that her subsequent assignment helping with cooking at a sisters’ residence in a Chicago parish, seemed quite relaxed by comparison.

Needless to say, with so many tastes to satisfy, the culinary products of the sisters were not always esteemed at their proper worth. The late Fr. Kevin Sheeran said he used to like chicken until, as a student waiter during his college days, he had to serve “those birds” a countless number of times each and every week (or so he remembered the experience). Nor was the Czech

n left: sr. mary andrea who died in may, 2013. n above: working in the benedictine hall kitchen, srs. martha and victoria are baking bread (far left) and srs. eusebia and gemma in the main kitchen. n below, left to right: srs. virginia, susanne and josephine. n in box below: “the sisters’ chapel” with sr. catherine arranging flowers at the altar.

The Clerestory • SUMMER 2013

FivE

May

He

brin

g us

all

toge

ther

to

ever

last

ing

life.

—R

B 7

2:12

devotion to caraway seeds, so evident in the school’s diet in those years, universally appreciated.

But the students at times gave evidence of deep admiration, as well. In February 1947, an article in the student newspaper first recounted all the sisters’ work and prayer between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m., and then posed a series of questions as to whether students adequately knew and expressed gratitude both verbally and

“by simply behaving like gentlemen while in the refectory.” Boys would be boys, no doubt, but they could also give thought on ways to lighten the burdens of those whose work could be unnoticed, but “without [which] the college and academy could hardly exist in their present state.” The article acknowledged that only in Heaven would the sisters receive the credit they deserved.

Undoubtedly true, but we can and should remember, even a half-century and more later, those who in many essential ways helped to build up the Benedictine work of education at St. Procopius Seminary, College, and Academy.

In thanksgiving for our Benedictine Sisters

of the Sacred Heart

Sisters Catherine, Martha,

Ann Louise, Rose, Francis,

Dominica, Ludvika, Apollonia,

Veronica (soup chef), Ladislova,

Rosalia, Monica, Victoria,

Boniface, Isadore, Barbara,

Clotelda, Beatrice, Eusebia,

Betha, Vaclava, Andrea,

Josephine, Virginia,

Susanne and Gemma.

Jesus told his disciples in plain

language that they could expect

to be persecuted and even

put to death, just as he would

be (Mt 10:16-25), and his

prediction has been verified

by some of his followers in every age

down to the present.

As the Gospel spread beyond the

confines of Palestine, Christians came

to the attention of the Romans who

initially didn’t know what to make

of them. Romans had a great love

and respect for tradition, but this was

something new. What really stood out

about Christianity as a religion was

that there were no temples and no

animal sacrifices. People thought, ‘they

don’t come to our temples, and they

have none of their own. They must

be atheists!’ They were also accused

of impiety. Pietas for the Romans was

doing one’s duty to the gods, to family,

and to the nation. Christians had

broken with the ways of their Jewish

ancestors; by conversion, they divided

families, and in drawing people away

from the worship of the gods, they were

endangering the nation. They were

also viewed as antisocial. They stuck to

themselves and did not participate in

festivals and entertainments, because

almost every aspect of public life

involved the state religion.

For those reasons and for others,

Christians in the empire were subjected

to sporadic persecutions in the form of

local outbursts of mob violence. The

most extensive of these was the one

instigated by Nero in A.D. 64. A section

of the city of Rome had gone up in

flames. The Roman historian Tacitus

reports that because many thought

Nero was responsible, he tried to pin

the blame on the Christians, ‘a class

hated for their abominations.’ Nero

ordered public entertainments in which

Christians were brutally tortured and

put to death. The apostles Peter and

Paul were martyred at that time. In the

face of such injustices, Christians could

not go to court over personal injury or

property damage, because Christianity

was not recognized as a legal religion

with legal protection. It was categorized

as superstitio. For Romans that meant

religious practices not only destructive

to community but dangerous, because

they were displeasing to the gods. Still

the risks involved in being a Christian

did not deter converts from swelling

the ranks of the community.

The third century was a period of

acute crisis for the Roman Empire.

There was economic chaos within and

external threats to security. Decius

ordered all citizens, when called upon,

to offer sacrifice to the state deities to

seek divine favor and protection. For

the emperor and most Romans this

was no more than proof of patriotism

and loyalty; for Christians, it was

an order to deny one’s faith and

commit idolatry. The persecutions

that followed Decius’ proclamation

tried to put Christians out of business

by forbidding assembly, closing or

destroying churches, confiscating

liturgical books, and arresting clergy

and prominent members of the Church.

The last major persecution was ordered

The so-called Edict of Milan is actually one of many letters to

magistrates from Emperors Constantine and Licinius, decreeing

complete freedom of religion, not only for Christians but for

all citizens of the Roman Empire. All were allowed to worship

as they chose.

S T . P R O C O P I U S A B B E Y

SiX

...it

has

ple

ased

us

to r

emov

e al

l con

diti

ons

wha

tsoe

ver.

..con

cern

ing

the

Chr

isti

ans

and

now

any

one

of t

hese

who

wis

hes

to o

bser

ve C

hris

tian

rel

igio

n m

ay d

o so

free

ly a

nd o

penl

y, w

itho

ut m

oles

tati

on.

by Fr. Philip

from Persecution to religious freedom The Seventeen Hundredth Anniversary Of The Edict Of Milan (313-2013)

313-2013

by Diocletian at the instigation of

Galerius, his second in command. In

305, Diocletian abdicated and Galerius

became emperor. In 311, just two days

before his death, Galerius ordered

an end to the persecution which he

admitted had failed to get Christians to

return to reason and to the religion of

their ancestors. Without admitting that

persecutions contributed to internal

instability and disorder, Galerius

‘magnanimously’ granted pardon and

toleration to the Christians, promising

magistrates that instructions would

follow on how to proceed. All he asked

was that Christians pray to their god for

the welfare of the emperor, the empire,

and themselves.

Instructions on how to proceed were

issued later by the new emperors,

Constantine and Licinius, who met in

Milan in 313 and agreed to extend and

expand Galerius’ order of toleration.

ThaT oRdeR BRoughT an end

To The peRsecuTions By Rome.

BuT Religious fReedom Remains

an elusive and fRequenTly

violaTed human RighT. Today,

chRisTians aRe The mosT

peRsecuTed minoRiTy in The

woRld. Jesus’ pRedicTion

Remains painfully TRue. yeT,

The couRageous wiTness of The

maRTyRs and The faiTh-filled

enduRance of so many even

in The TwenTy-fiRsT cenTuRy

sTRengThen The whole chuRch

and make iT moRe whaT chRisT

wanTs iT To Be.

The Clerestory • SUMMER 2013

SEvEN

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ll th

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circ

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ance

s yo

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the documents of Vatican iil e c t u r e s e r i e s

Commemorating the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council

September 24, 2013 7:00 p.m., Abbey Church

Gaudium et Spes:The Right Reading of Vatican II

Presented by fr. robert Barron

President and rector mundelein Seminary

Early in the second term of President Theodore Roosevelt, in the spring of 1905, a young man came to America from Moravia and within a few

months had enrolled as a student at St. Procopius College. Two years later, Charles Vesely entered novitiate. So, from 1907 until last Friday afternoon, St. Procopius Abbey numbered among its living members one or more of the Vesely family.

Fr. Cosmas Vesely, the first of these, had an important role in the development of our schools, serving as rector for fifteen years. He died young, in his fifty-first year, having sacrificed his life in the effort to set up a priory in China. By that time, 1938, his nephew, Fr. Stanley, was well launched into the career of religion teacher, faithful fan of every one of the schools’ sports teams, tireless dispenser of utterly abysmal puns, and all-around good fellow that would distinguish him until his death in early 2003. I remember Fr. Stanley in his later years shaking his head over that verse in the psalms stating that man’s allotted time on earth was seventy years, eighty if he were strong. He himself was eighty-nine when he went to God, professed a monk for sixty-eight years.

Those respectable numbers were several years ago surpassed by his cousin, another nephew of Fr. Cosmas. As a child in Downers Grove, in a still uncluttered and rural DuPage County, John Vesely could see the outline of the Abbey and College from his bedroom window, especially at night when the study halls were lit up. Often the family would visit Uncle Cosmas. So it was only natural that after graduating from high school in 1940 the young man came to work on our farm, soon as an assistant to Brother Augustine Roubik in the carpenter’s shop. As was the case with many other workmen in those days, he lived on the farm and took his meals in the monastic refectory. Which meant he both saw the life of the community, especially that of the brothers, and heard the Rule of St. Benedict read daily. All this made a deep impression, and he entered the monastery in April 1941, just after the beginning of the third term of another President Roosevelt.

Brother Joseph would never have termed himself a scholar, and in the usual sense of the word he certainly was not, but

he was a man who throughout his life devoted himself to study: he wanted to learn more and to pray better. The novice master of his day, Fr. Claude Viktora, introduced classes on the Rule and other spiritual topics for the brother-candidates, and Brother Joseph much appreciated the opportunity. He was one of the group of brothers who, under Fr. Claude’s tutelage, began gathering to pray the Divine Office. They were called the Ayoung brothers, and from the mid-1940s, while the old brothers continued to pray in Czech the rosary and other devotional prayers, and the priests and clerics prayed the Office in Latin, these pioneering young brothers recited the prayer of the Church in English.

After making vows, Brother Joseph remained an assistant to Brother Augustine for another twenty years, helping with all the carpentry repairs that an active school community required. He became involved in the Abbey’s Church Unity work, serving at many Byzantine Rite Masses. He did a great deal of driving for the monks. He helped Fr. Peter Mizera and Brother George Popovics restore the orchard and then brought it to a height of excellence. For nearly a quarter-century, he served the community in this building as custodian of our dining room a job he disliked, since it kept him indoors too much, but nonetheless faithfully carried out until in his mid-seventies.

Many changes came to monastic life in the aftermath of the more recent Vatican Council, and Brother Joseph welcomed whatever allowed him to learn more and to pray better. He was one of the first to petition to make solemn vows, to take on full membership in the community, when that possibility opened up for the brothers in the late 1960s. He was a faithful practitioner of the slow, meditative reading of Scripture that characterizes the monastic life. A couple months ago, after Brother Joseph had been absent first for Sunday solemn vespers and then for supper, I stopped by his room and found him in his chair, sound asleep, with his battered and obviously much-used Jerusalem Bible open before him.

One confrere has been known to say over the years that there are three options for accomplishing any task: the easy way, the hard way, and the Brother

br. joseph (john) vesely, o.s.b.

born: may 29, 1921

professed: november 13, 1942

died: april 5, 2013

in memoriam monachorum a lighted candle burned

brightly in front of a standing crucifix at

his place at table in the refectory.

May he rest in peace!

Joe way, harder than hard. I suppose Brother Joe’s response would have been that he preferred not to cut corners, he wanted to be sure he had done the job completely. This self-discipline ended up serving him well. All of the walking to the Orchard and climbing of ladders caused his knees to wear out. He had them replaced, pounded his way through the therapy, and took up the work again. His heart lasted a decade longer than by any reasonable measure it should have. Brother Joseph’s embrace of life had nothing to do with fear of death, he simply wanted the chance to learn more and to pray better.

Time catches up with us all, and I recall an occasion a few years ago when, after supper, Brother Joseph and his near-contemporary, Brother Sebastian Kuhn, puffed and huffed their way into the community room and gratefully sat down on a couch. With his inimitable sigh, Brother Sebastian turned and said to his mate, I guess we aren’t the young brothers any more. Brother Joseph just smiled.

He smiled a lot in his final years. His mind was wandering, yes, one could say that, but I have seen many with wandering minds whose days were miserable. Brother Joseph’s days were joyous. He had come to know experientially, I think, the truth of what St. Paul promises, the living presence of God’s love for those who have spent their days seeking Him. So what Brother Joseph forgot in his declining years were such matters as resentments, hurts, harsh judgments. What he did not forget, ever, was the desire to learn more and to pray better. We pray this evening that he is enjoying the result of nearly ninety-two years of very determined application to his studies.

by Fr. James

S T . P R O C O P I U S A B B E Y

EiGht

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had

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e to

kno

w e

xper

ient

ially

, I t

hink

, the

tru

th o

f wha

t St

. Pau

l pro

mis

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God

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ose

who

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ent

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im.

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hen,

to

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our

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s be

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Lor

d G

od o

f all

thin

gs w

ith

the

utm

ost

hum

ility

and

sin

cere

dev

otio

n.—

RB

20:

2

The Clerestory • SUMMER 2013

NiNE

FR. THEODORE SUCHy, O.S.B., M.S.

Benedictine University Board of Trustees Names

Three Monks Professors Emeritiby Donald Taylor, Ph.D., Provost, Benedictine University

Fr. Philip earned a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Languages from St. Procopius College, a Sacred Theology Licentiate (S.T.L.) cum laude from Anselmianum in Rome, Italy, and a Doctorate of Sacred Theology (S.T.D.) from the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. His dissertation was supervised by the renowned scholar, Cardinal Avery Dulles, S.J.

Fr. Philip returned to Benedictine in 1969 as a faculty member in the Department of Religious Studies and served continuously as a full-time professor until 2009. He taught a variety of courses, including Church History, History of Christian Thought, Christian Monasticism, Latin and Greek. Fr. Philip was actively engaged in shaping the Cultural Heritage core curriculum. His teaching and scholarship were recognized when he was named the Chester and Margaret Paluch Professor of Theology at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary for the 2009-l0 academic year.

A distinguished administrator whose Benedictine values were the foundation of his leadership, Fr. Philip served in several leadership capacities at Benedictine. He served as the first director of the Scholars Program, he was instrumental in developing the Visiting Scholar in Catholic Thought lecture series, and he continues to play an active role in the Catholic intellectual life of the Benedictine campus.

Welcoming to students of all faiths, Fr. Philip remains in contact with students of diverse backgrounds who appreciate his continued interest and friendship, including many who graduated years ago. In his various leadership roles, he mentored many new faculty. Fr. Philip is truly a colleague, mentor, guide and friend.

An alumnus of St. Procopius College, Fr. David earned a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota in 1970 and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1998. Since he was ordained in 1963, Fr. David has served the Benedictine University community devotedly, beginning as an assistant professor of Education, attaining the title of associate professor and acting as assistant provost for Institutional Identity for many years.

Besides his work with the School of Education, Fr. David has spent much of his time during the past twenty years teaching in the Writing and Humanities programs. He constantly innovates and his teaching evaluations have ranked among the highest.

Fr. David has been a constant and significant contributor to faculty seminars for the Writing program, particularly in the area of Benedictine

and Catholic Intellectual Heritage. He has authored numerous papers on the subject, organized visiting speakers for the WRIT 101 course, guest lectured in other instructors’ classes and suggested related readings for students. Fr. David gathered permissions for the WRIT 101 reader to reduce textbook costs for students, and has frequently conducted the St. Procopius Abbey tours which are an important part of the course.

Fr. David is a tremendous contributor to the life of the University. He often writes articles for the University’s magazine, Voices, and other publications, is active within the Center for Mission and Identity and attends numerous faculty seminars. He is a favorite among students and has enlivened many a discussion among faculty. Fr. David is a genial, kind, generous colleague and is highly respected by his peers.

Fr. Ted earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Procopius College and a Master of Science in Zoology at Indiana University before returning to his alma mater as a member of the Biology department in 1970. Mentored by Frs. Hilary and Edmund Jurica, O.S.B., Fr. Ted became acting department chair upon Fr. Edmund’s death in 1972. Fr. Ted served as department chairman several times during his 42-year career. Dedicated to the pre-professional education of Benedictine students, Fr. Ted was one of the guiding forces behind the introduction of the Health Science degree and for more than fifteen years served as the chairman of the Health Science Recommendation Committee. He continued to espouse the Benedictine values—such as stewardship of the earth—after he retired from teaching in 2011, recommending that the Biology department expand their environmental focus.

Fr. Ted was a wonderful teacher. He was a strong believer in the importance of hands-on learning, and much like the Juricas, believed strongly in using specimens and laboratory exercises. Fr. Ted helped Fr. Edmund establish the nature museum that was dedicated to the memory of Fr. Hilary in 1971. Fr. Ted expanded the Jurica Nature Museum from specimens on shelves to beautiful dioramas including a Sonoran desert and Illinois prairie. He reached out to schools and other groups throughout the Chicago area. As a result of his efforts, the museum was rededicated in 2010 as the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum.

Even when his health began to deteriorate, Fr. Ted continued to work in the museum on a daily basis. He visited the museum on the day he died.

FR. DAVID TURNER, O.S.B., PH.D., D.MIN.

FR. PHILIP TIMKO, O.S.B., S.T.D.

I

The ProcoPian oblaTe

The Witness of Our Lives is Our Goal

An Interview with Drs. Christine and Peter Fletcher, Oblates

In the past two issues, we gathered comments from our oblates about how they live

out their Benedictine oblation in the world. This time the editor interviewed two

oblates who are very active in oblate meetings and at worship at the abbey. The

following is a blending of the comments from both Peter and Chris. Christine is an

professor of theology at Benedictine University. Peter is a retired anesthesiologist and

a website development director for international charities. They live in Lisle, Illinois,

right behind the abbey on property once owned by the monks, the old abbey farm.

are you a witness to your life? if these reflections pique your interest, we invite you to learn more about becoming an oblate.

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.oblate.webs.com

You made oblation at vespers in 2010. Why did you make oblation here at St. Procopius Abbey?

Chris got a job with the university in 2007. She had been interested in the Dominicans in Britain where she got her doctorate, since she had worked at the Dominican Priory in Cambridge. When we lived in Connecticut we had looked at the Franciscans of the Eucharist, but found that we weren’t really drawn to that spirituality. Chris has participated and led small faith sharing groups. Benedictine Oblates attracted us because the central idea is living the Benedictine charism in the world. We love the liturgy at the abbey, and live where we hear the abbey bells, reminding us of our commitment.

Chris started attending vespers and Mass at the Abbey shortly after she arrived here, while Peter was working out his notice and selling their house in England. Fr. Frederic was an inspiration to us, as he concelebrated Mass from the pew in choir and held out his hand during the Eucharistic Prayer. He inspired us.

The website states that:

[T]he role of Oblates is to live in the world, to become holy in the world, to do what they can to bring the world to God by being witnesses of Christ by word and example to those around them.

How do you practice those virtues in your daily life?

We pray Lauds together in the morning and attend vespers on Sundays. I teach the Rule of Benedict in class. When I enter the classroom I know that both the students and I have to practice humility. We must start by knowing that there is much to learn from each other. Being oblates, we are reading the Rule every day, and we always have a discussion about Chapter 7, Humility. Benedictine spirituality teaches us how to practice hospitality and stability.

S T . P R O C O P I U S A B B E Y

tEN

[The

y], f

or t

heir

par

t, a

re t

o ex

pres

s th

eir

opin

ions

wit

h al

l hum

ility

...—

RB

3:4

Also on the website in the oblate constitutions section it states that:

[T]hey foster the ecumenical spirit as called for by the vatican II. They will meet with those not of the Catholic faith, strive to understand the religious beliefs and customs of others, look for teachings on which others agree with them, enter into friendly discussion of teachings on which there is disagreement, put aside all prejudice, and foster the spirit of universal brotherhood in God our Father.

Would you agree that it is the oblates further ecumenical dialogue for the Church?

Absolutely. There are many oblates from other Christian denominations. Oblates have to deal with the world and especially with those who are interested in St. Benedict but are not Catholic. Our goal should be a witness of life so that others will say, ‘I want what you have.’ Both of us are converts, and we found an affinity toward Benedictine Liturgy and spirituality, based as it is on the Scriptures. Also, the Benedictine life was formed before the schisms of the Church and so is an open and naturally ecumenical spirituality. All Benedictines, monastic or oblates, try to live in peace with all and pray together.

Would you like to make a comment about our most famous oblate, the Servant of God, Dorothy Day?

Yes, Dorothy Day is a saint for our time. Saints are not perfect people, they are people who know and ask for forgiveness. She shows us how to be redeemed by Jesus Christ. She speaks to the people where they are at in their lives and shows us that God loves us in our brokenness. And we hope that she is canonized one day.

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. Worship will be in the abbey church, unless noted (LC) indicating the Lady Chapel.

Monday thru Friday

Lauds ........................... 6:25 a.m.

The Conventual Mass .... 7:00 a.m.

Vespers ........................ 5:00 p.m.

Compline (LC) ............... 7:00 p.m.

Saturday

Lauds ........................... 6:25 a.m.

The Conventual Mass .... 7:00 a.m.

Mid-day Prayer (LC)...... 12:00 noon

Vespers ........................ 5:00 p.m.

Compline (LC) ............... 7:00 p.m.

Sunday

Lauds ........................... 6:25 a.m.

The Conventual Mass .. 11:00 a.m.

Solemn Vespers ............ 5:00 p.m.

Compline (LC) ............... 7:00 p.m.

Abbey Prayer & Worship

Abbot Austin and I flew to Orlando, Florida, on January 2 to attend the five-day convention of the Fellowship of Catholic University Students (FOCUS). There were some 6,200 young people present, along with several hundred

priests, many members of religious orders, and a few bishops! A fine opportunity it was to encounter many Catholics devoted to the Faith, to pray with them, and attend various talks, etc. The extent to which many of these students came together on their own to pray the Divine Office was an edifying surprise. The students enjoyed many opportunities for Mass, confession, and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as well.

Six men attended the vocation discernment retreat that the Abbey offered over the Paschal Triduum. It was the first time, I believe, that such a retreat was available during these most intensely prayerful days of the year, and I believe that both the community and the attendees benefitted.

The next vocation discernment retreat will take place this summer, on the weekend of August 2-4, 2013. young Catholic men interested in exploring the possibility of monastic are invited to contact me at 630-829-9279 or at vocations@procopius.org.

My Facebook page seeks to provide information of interest about vocational discernment and the life of the Abbey. Even those

who are not members of Facebook can access this page through the Abbey website (www.procopius.org): simply click on the Vocations tab of the home page, then click on the blue Facebook icon on the bottom of the page.

Vocations Ministryby Fr. James

FiNd US oN FAcEbook Fr. James Flint, O.S.B.

The Clerestory • SUMMER 2013

ElEvEN

The

con

cern

mus

t be

whe

ther

the

nov

ice

trul

y se

eks

God

and

whe

ther

he

show

s ea

gern

ess

for

the

Wor

k of

God

, for

obe

dien

ce a

nd fo

r tr

ials

.—R

B 5

8:7

n On April 25, the Benedictine University Board of Trustees conferred the title of Professor Emeritus upon three of the monks: Fr. David (left) who long taught education and rhetoric, Fr. Philip (center) who taught religious studies, and, posthumously, the late Fr. Theodore (right) who taught biology. Frs. David and Philip continue to serve the school in various ways, but neither are now full-time faculty. Fr. Theodore, who died October 28, had overseen the Jurica-Suchy nature museum from 1972 until last summer. Congratulations Fr. David and Fr. Philip. Rest in peace, Fr. Theodore. Read more about these honors on page nine.

n Abbot Austin and Br. Kevin attended this year’s March for Life in Washington, D.C, on January 25, 2013. The March commemorates the Supreme Court’s tragic Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. This year was the 40th anniversary of that decision.

For the march, Br. Kevin and Abbot Austin met up with about two dozen students of the abbey’s high school, Benet Academy, together with Mrs. Jackie Bedore, Director of Campus Ministry at Benet Academy, and student chaperones. It was uplifting to see the students joyfully give witness to the sanctity of life, even on that cold and cloudy day.

It was surely cold. But the turnout for the March was high. Abbot Austin had attended the March during his four years at seminary in Washington, D.C. Being from Maryland, Br. Kevin had also attended previous marches. Both thought the turnout was greater than they had previously experienced.

“On a personal note, sometimes it may seem that the pro-life movement is going nowhere, or even losing ground. To be sure, there is much, much work to be done, especially in changing people’s hearts. But God asks us to keep working and He will be sure to prosper our works,” said Abbot Austin.

n Fr. Julian gave an interreligious dialogue talk on April 11 at the Col. Olcott Library in Wheaton, IL. Then, on April 12, Fr. Julian spoke in class at the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Mundelein Seminary on the topic of ecumenical prayer. Then he attended a Shabbat service in Evanston the following day and spoke to the congregation on

“Monastic Prayer.”

S T . P R O C O P I U S A B B E Y

tWElvE

You

r w

ay o

f act

ing

shou

ld b

e di

ffer

ent

from

the

wor

ld’s

way

; the

love

of C

hris

t m

ust

com

e be

fore

all

else

.—R

B 4

:20

C h r o n i c l i n g o u r g r e a t v e n t u r e o f C h r i s t i a n d i s c i p l e s h i p .

Abbey AdVentures

march for life, january 25, 2013, washington, d.c.

The Clerestory • SUMMER 2013

thiRtEEN

From the Advancement Office:We would like to update our records. Please respond if applicable.

o I wish to be removed from your mailing list.

o I am receiving duplicate copies of The Clerestory.

o My name and/or address are incorrect on the mailing label. Please make corrections to the mailing label on the other side of this form

and we will update your information.

o I would like a voluntary subscription to The Clerestory. You may enclose a tax deductible contribution, payable to St. Procopius Abbey,

to help defray the costs of producing and mailing the magazine.

Please tear off this form and return it in the enclosed envelope. Your responses are appreciated. Thank you.

feedback

The

firs

t st

ep o

f hum

ility

, the

n, is

tha

t [w

e] k

eep

the

fear

of G

od a

lway

s be

fore

[ou

r] e

yes

and

neve

r fo

rget

it.—

RB

7:1

0

in memoriam of all of our confreres, relatives,

friends and benefactors

+ Br. Joseph vesely, O.S.B.+ Sr. Mary Andrea Kallus, O.S.B.,

Sacred Heart Monastery, friend of the abbey.

+ Edward P. Seiwert, Jr., friend of the abbey.

n Benedictine University held its 120th Commencement Convocation ceremonies on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at the Village of Lisle- Sports Complex. Pictured is Abbot Austin in his role as Chancellor of the university awarding undergraduate and graduate degrees. St. Procopius Abbey is the sponsoring institution of Benedictine University and Benet Academy.

n Fr. Becket attended the Seventh Annual Benedictine Pedagogy Conference at Benedictine University May 23 and 24. Entitled, “Keeping ‘Benedictine’ Alive: Embracing Change in Benedictine Education,” participants from the Association of Benedictine Colleges and Universities from across the country came together to discuss how faculty, staff, administrators and students support Benedictine identity on their campuses. Abbot Dismas, Fr. David, Fr. James and Br. Rick also attended parts of the conference. Abbot Austin opened one session

with prayer. When this conference began in 2007 with the inspiration of Benedictine University’s Center for Mission and Identity, the executive committee stated: Looking at the Rule of Benedict in chapter 72 about “good zeal,” [t]here is an analogous “good zeal” for a Benedictine educational institution. It results from cultivating the hallmarks of Benedictine education— love, prayer, stability, conversatio, obedience, discipline, humility, stewardship, hospitality and community—with wise

O God, may the Church recognize the holiness of Dorothy Day, Servant of God and Benedictine Oblate of St. Procopius Abbey, especially in her dedication to the liturgy, her desire for the justice of God’s Kingdom, and her devotion to the poor as persons in whom Christ is welcomed. Amen.

and carefully directed energy. To be sure, these hallmarks will manifest themselves differently in each Benedictine college and university. But to the extent that a campus community keeps renewing its understanding of and fidelity to these hallmarks, it will provide a lively home for the Catholic intellectual tradition in keeping with the culture and spirituality, the core values and hopes of the sponsoring monastery.

n The abbot and community have joined in prayer with people around the world to further the cause of canonization for the Servant of God, Dorothy Day, Oblate of St. Procopius Abbey.

2 A Visible Life: Taiwan Update

4 Sisters to Us

6 From Persecution to Religious Freedom: The Edict of Milan

8 In Memoriam Monachorum

9 Three Monks Named Professors Emeriti

10 The Procopian Oblate

11 Vocations Ministry

Prayer and Worship Schedule

12 Abbey Adventures

NON PROfIT ORGUS POSTAGe

PAIDAURORA, ILPeRMIT 437

S T . P R O c O P I U S A b b E y

5601 college RoadLisle, Illinois 60532-4463