INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LAY CISTERCIAN COMMUNITIES
COORDINATING COMMITTEE
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE REPRESENTATIVE |
SPANISH LANGUAGE REPRESENTATIVE |
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FRENCH LANGUAGE REPRESENTATIVE Marie-Christine Rossignolmarie-christine.rosignol@wanadoo.fr20, Fg du Moustier 82000 Montauban France |
OCSO REPRESENTATIVE |
 Dom Armand, Marie-Christine, Tina, Dennis |
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INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS:
PREFERRED LANGUAGE:
DOCUMENTS:
- Meeting Minutes (April 2009), April 15, 2009
- Financial Update
- The Coordinating Committee hopes to be able to collect enough funds from Lay Cistercian communities to be self-supporting. A letter of appeal was sent in 2008 to cover the period June 2008 through May 2009.
- A second appeal will be sent in June 2009 asking the communities to consider a contribution for the year June 2009 through May 2010.
- Tina and Christine will collect contributions from the Spanish and French language groups and wire those contributions all at once in order to reduce the cost of international wires. Groups from the United States can send check directly to Dennis in order to avoid any wire charges.
- Balance: $10,971.
- Because of the financial situation, the Steering Committee has decided not to have a face-to-face meeting in 2009.
- 2011 International Meeting
- The Planning Committee for this meeting is almost complete
- The Planning Committee will consider fund-raising in order to reduce the registration fee for the meeting
- The dates of the meeting have been finalized: Saturday, May 14, 2001 through Sunday, May 21, 2011. Opening keynote the evening of Saturday the 14th and concluding Mass the morning of Saturday the 21st.
- As in the past, two Lay Cistercians and one monastic liaison from each Lay Community will be invited to attend the meeting
- Meeting focus:
- The meeting will focus on formation in the Cistercian Charism for members of Lay Cistercian communities. In order to avoid misunderstandings of culture and language, the meeting will focus on "growing in the Spirit" and ways in which Lay Cistercians, individually and in their communities, can find ways in which to enhance the Cistercian Charism in their lives.
- The initial needs assessment survey to the communities will be summarized and made available by May 15, 2009
- A follow-up short survey will be mailed to monastic liaisons and Abbots as soon as possible. This survey will be sent by Dom Armand and the responses will be returned to him. He will forward the appropriate responses the the members of the Coordinating Committee for a summary that is dues by June 15, 2009
- Trisha Day, the Chair of the Content Committee, provided an overview of the methodology of the meeting: morning presentations by members of the Order, one or two reactions from members of Lay communities, and language-specific discussion.
- The Coordinating Committee will conduct a site visit to the Dubuque area in the spring of 2010
- Coordinating Committee reports: various members of the Committee have been asked by individual monasteries and groups of Lay Communities to visit and discuss Lay Cistercians and their communities
- Gethsemani in the States in May 2009
- Oliva in Spain in November 2009
- Latin American meeting of Lay Communities in Conyers for September 2009
- Francophile meeting of Lay Communities in June 2010
- The Committee discussed various ways in which information about Lay Cistercian communities could be made available to members of the Order, especially to those monks and nuns in monasteries without Lay communities.
- Financial Contributions, October 17, 2008
- Meeting Minutes (September 13 - 19, 2008), September 19, 2008
- Prepared and presented to the General Chapters on Thursday September 18, 2008, the "Statement of Identity" and "votum" documents created by the delegates at Huerta in June 2008. After discussion in four of the fifteen Commissions and a short exchange in Plenary Assembly, the following two votes were approved overwhelmingly:
- We recognize the existence of a lay expression of our Cistercian Charism in the lived experience of the lay persons associated with a number of monasteries of our Order.
- We want the document "Lay Cistercian Identity" to be studied in the Regions so as to see what we, as an Order, can assume.
- Reviewed and approved the recommendation to hold the 2011 meeting of the Association in Iowa, and approved the focus of the meeting as Formation for Lay Cistercians and Lay Cistercian Communities. Reviewed and translated a preliminary survey of all Lay Communities that focuses on the needs of the Communities in reference to Formation.
- Reviewed and updated the document: "The Structure and Functions of the Coordinating Committee of the International Association of Lay Cistercian Communities". (The document is posted on the Committee page of the web site.
- Discussed the need to prepare a document for review and acceptance at the 2011 Encounter which lays the foundations for the International Association.
- Reviewed and discussed the finances of the Association. Approved moving the bank account to the United States. Prepared a letter for all Lay Communities recommending a just and equitable way to fund the Association.
- Discussed past and future meetings with other branches of the Cistercian Family—namely, the Congregation de San Bernardo and the Esquermes.
- Discussed ways to support Lay Communities within each of the three language groups.
- Reviewed the work of the past three years with an eye to preparation for the next three years of work.
- Structure and Functions, September 15, 2008
- GENERAL CHAPTER OF THE BERNARDINES OF ESQUERMES, September 11, 2008
- Votum, June 8, 2008
- International Association of Lay Cistercian Communities, June 7, 2008
- Lay Cistercian Identity (Huerta 2008), June 6, 2008
- Steering Committee Minutes, September 2007
- With all Lay Communities present, mutually develop a document that answers the question "What is the identity of lay individuals and lay communities associated with Cistercian monasteries?"
- Determine the juridical relationship of Lay Cistercian Communities to the Cistercian Orders and Congregations. (Note that there are 15 Congregations within the Cistercian Family-OCSO is one of these Congregations. See more below under "Invited Guests".)
- Organize an Association of Lay Cistercian Communities that reflects the second goal above.
- the Abbot General of OCSO (Dom Bernardo)
- the Abbot General of the Order of Cistercians (Common Observance-he represents 11 Congregations)
- the Abbess President of the Congregation of Castilla
- the Prior General of the Congregation of Esquermes
- the Abbess President of the Congregation of San Bernardo
- Saturday, May 31
- Arrival of Delegates
- Sunday, June 1
- Mass of Welcome
- Introduction to the meeting
- Presentation of the three-language synthesis of the document "What is our Cistercian identity?"
- Monday, June 2
- Consolidation of the English, French and Spanish versions of the document of identity
- Discussion among the delegates and proposed emendations
- Tuesday, June 3
- Summation of proposed emendations and finalization of the document for vote
- Presentation on "The History and Development of the Lay Cistercians within the Cistercian Order" by Dom Armand Veilleux.
- Discussion of Lay Cistercians and Lay Cistercian Communities today within the light of the paper presented by Dom Armand
- Wednesday, June 4
- Finalization of the identity document, by vote of those delegates of Lay Cistercian Communities present
- Reflections on the juridical relationship of Lay Cistercian Communities with the Cistercian Orders and Congregations (Dom Armand)
- Discussion and reflection among the delegates on various models of relationship
- Free day and tours to Avila, Toledo and Secovia
- Friday, June 6
- Finalization of the internal structure and functions of an Association of Lay Cistercian Communities
- Discussion of budget and finances
- Written evaluation of the Encounter
- Closing remarks
- Saturday, June 7
- Concluding Mass
- Choral concert of Spanish music (sacred and regional)
- Farewells
- 5:00 Vigils (optional)
- 7:15 Lauds and Mass (in Spanish except for an English Mass on Tuesday and a French Mass on Friday)
- 8:30 Continental breakfast
- 9:00 Work Session
- 11:00 Break
- 11:30 Work Session
- 1:30 Lunch
- 3:00 Work Session
- 4:30 Break
- 5:00 Work Session
- 6:45 Vespers (Spanish)
- 7:45 Supper
- 8:45 Compline (optional)
- Meeting Minutes (September 11 - 15, 2006), October 4, 2006
- In response to the request for an appointed liaison from OCSO, to the General Chapter in October 2005 Dom Armand Veilleux, Abbot of Scourmont, has been appointed to meet with the Steering Committee of the ILC as advisor.
- The Committee reviewed the status of Cistercian Lay Communities around the world. It determined that the purpose of the Steering Committee is not to define Cistercian Lay Communities or to determine criteria for Cistercian Lay Communities, but rather to be of service to those Lay Communities that identify themselves through being listed on the ILC web site.
- Tina and Dennis visited the Lay Community in Monasterio de Santa María del Paraíso, (Ecuador) in February 2006 where they had the opportunity of making contacts with other South American Lay Communities
- Marie-Christine met with a number of French-speaking Communities at Scourmont in May 2006.
- Tina met with a number of Spanish-speaking Communities in Spain at Huerta.
- Future meetings:
- Dennis will meet with the Spanish-speaking Lay Community from South Florida
- Marie-Christine will visit Timadeuc and the CSMF at Lourdes
- Tina will attempt to meet with the Lay Cistercian Communities from Germany
- The Committee decided that there was no need to establish liaison with ARCCIS.
- Reviewed the Structure and Functions document of the Steering Committee document and noted the following:
- All three representatives that the Steering Committee noted that the Committee could function more efficiently and less expensively if there were three instead of five on the Committee-one for each of the language groups. Modifications to the document to this effect will be submitted to the International Encounter in 2008.
- Replacement of vacant positions on the Steering Committee: with the advice of Dom Armand, it was decided to leave the two vacant seats on the Steering Committee unfilled until elections can be held at the next International Encounter in 2008.
- Alterations to this document will be submitted in 2008 for review and approval of those Lay Communities there present.
- The Principles of Good Practice, a document created to help the Steering Committee function better, will be translated and published on the web site.
- 2008 International Encounter
- The 4th International Encounter will be held at Santa María de Huerta (Soria, Spain) from May 31st to June 9th 2008. The meeting will be invitational for all Cistercian Lay Communities listed on the ILC web site and will be limited to a maximum of three individuals from each community.
- At the present moment, the Steering Committee has identified three major goals:
- To create a document for the OCSO General Chapter that expresses our Cistercian identity both as individual persons and lay communities. To this end, all Lay Communities will be asked to participate in a pre-conference exercise in which individuals and communities write their own response to this question.
- To develop and propose to the OCSO General Chapter a model of relationship between Cistercian Lay Communities and both the local monastery and the OCSO.
- To develop a leadership structure that serves the needs of all Lay Cistercian Communities.
- The Steering Committee began developing a budget for the Encounter in 2008.
- The Steering Committee began delineating the functions and responsibilities for the up-coming Encounter-those of the Steering Committee and those of the local Coordinating Committee chosen by the Lay Community at Huerta.
- Meeting Minutes (October 17 – 22, 2005), November 8, 2005
- With great sadness, the Steering Committee accepted the Resignation of Sergio Lara from the Steering Committee for personal reasons. The Committee will solicit recommendations for a replacement and will appoint an individual to fill out his term by the end of 2006.
- The Steering Committee reviewed and revised a letter addressed to the Abbots and Abbesses in attendance at the General Chapters of the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance. (See link to letter and reply)
- The Steering Committee reviewed and revised the document, The Structure of the Steering Committee of the International Lay Cistercians. (See link to document)
- The Steering Committee initiated an internal document, The Principles of Involvement in the Steering Committee of the International Lay Cistercians, to assist members of the committee to reflect upon the manner in which the Steering Committee sets about to accomplish its goals and objectives.
- The Steering Committee has received a request from ARCCIS (Association pour le Rayonnement de la Culture Cistercienne) to be represented on its Administrative Board. After the French-speaking meeting in 2006 and, with the aggreement of the Steering Committee, one person will be identified and appointed to ARCCIS’administratvive board during 2006. (See link--http://www.arccis.org/)
- The Steering Committee discussed the need and ways to identify all Lay Cistercian communities from around the world from all branches of the Cistercian Family.
- The Steering Committee felt it was important to identify areas of the world that each
member would have primary responsibility for: - Mare-Christine Rossignol: France, Belgium, Luxemburg, Switzerland, French-speaking Africa and Canada.
- Tina Parayre: Spain, Italy, Portugal, Latin America
- Dennis Day: North America, English-speaking Canada
- Wayne Bodkin: non-French-speaking Europe, the Philippines, Asia, English-speaking Africa
- Dennis Day and Wayne Bodkin: Australia, New Zealand
- The Steering Committee discussed communications among the communities of Lay Cistercians around the world.
- Potential translators from and to the three languages of the International Lay Cistercians were identified.
- The structure, frequency, and distribution of a biannual Newsletter were identified.
- The international website was discussed and various means to encouraging and improving communications among members were discussed.
- The Steering Committee identified a major objective of the next three years of developing a list of characteristics, with the input of as many existing Lay Cistercian communities as possible, of Lay Cistercians and Lay Cistercian Communities. When compiled, this document will be published widely as an aid 1) to abbots and abbesses of all branches of the Cistercian Family, 2) to new and beginning Lay Cistercian communities, and 3) to existing and senior Lay Cistercian communities.
- The Steering Committee began a discussion of where and when the next International Encounter of Lay Cistercian Communities would be held. In order to facilitate attendance:
- The date and place of the 2008 Encounter will be published by the end of 2006.
- An effort will be made to identify resources to assist all Lay Cistercian communities to be present and to participate.
- The International Steering Committee participated in the OCSO General Chapter and read in a plenary session a letter addressed to the abbots and abbesses from the Steerimng Committee requestiong an official liason. After the presentating of the letter, the Steering Committee answered questions from the abbots and abbesses there present..
- The Steering Committee discussed the financial needs of the committee. The primary expenses of the Committee are 1) communication expenses such as the website and postage, 2) travel, room and board to participate in annual Steering Committee meetings, and 3) travel expenses for representatives of Lay Cistercian communities to particiapate in International Encounters. A proposal will be developed and submitted to the member communities of the International Lay Cistercians.
- Next meeting: it was proposed, in order to reduce expenses as much as possible, to hold the next Steering Committee meeting in 2006 at Abbaye Sainte-Marie du Désert.
- From Dom Bernado..., October 1, 2005
Meeting Minutes (April 2009)
April 15, 2009
Skype Conference call--Dom Armand, Christine, Tina and Dennis
Financial Contributions
In the Bonds of Charity That Unite Us, the document that was unanimously approved at the meeting at Huetta in 2008, it was stated: In order to allow the proper functioning of the Association, a financial contribution from the members of the Lay Communities represented in the Association is appropriate. We believe that it is necessary that we begin to make this a reality.
Financial issues are never easy to discuss and all the more so because our union is spiritual. But we remember the words of St. Paul: ¨If anyone will not work, let him not eat¨ (Thess 3:10). After much discussion, we have concluded that a contribution from each individual Lay Cistercian in the amount of one hour’s salary or pay per year is a fair and equitable way to face this problem.
We suggest that each Lay Cistercian make a contribution in this amount (one hour’s salary or pay) to the treasurer of your community and that the total amount collected by your Community be sent to the Coordinating Committee once a year. As a reminder, all the Lay Cistercian Communities listed on the web site are considered members of the International Association.
These contributions from individual Lay Cistercians, both modest and fair because all will participate in a proportional way, will permit us to continue our work and to assist with the expenses of the next international encounter.
We hope to receive your first contribution before the end of this year. For the next three years, the accounts of the Association will be located in the United States under the responsibility of Dennis Day. He will publish a report of income and expenses every year on the web site.
We want to thank you in advance for your understanding and generosity.
With best wishes to you all….
Dennis Day
Tina Parayre
Marie-Christine Rossignol
Meeting Minutes (September 13 - 19, 2008)
International Association of Lay Ciste5rcian Communities
Asissi, Italy, September 13-19, 2008
Structure and Functions
THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS
OF THE COORDINATING COMMITTEE
OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LAY CISTERCIAN COMMUNITIES
"Now the God of perseverance and encouragement give you all the same purpose, following the example of Jesus Christ, so that you may together give glory to the God of the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one heart. Accept one another, then, for the sake of God’s Glory, as Christ accepted you" (Rm 15, 5-7)"
This document is a work in progress. Its purpose is to help the Coordinating Committee organize and conduct its work. It is open to on-going review and modification. Changes in the document will be indicated by an appropriate version number and date.
I –
1) Preparation of the next International Lay Cistercian Encounter
· To organize the next meeting of the International Association of Lay Cistercian Communities : find the place, dates and determine logistics. This is a "rotating" mission among all the members of the Committee depending on the language area where the Encounter will be held.
· To invite all the Groups who have participated in past International Lay Cistercian Encounters and who are interested in organizing the next one to send written proposals giving as much information as possible about the facilities they can offer.
· Once a place has been selected, the Coordinating Committee is responsible for the organization of the meeting with the close collaboration of the local community in charge of it.
· To propose a topic of reflexion to be worked by all the International Lay Cistercian communities during the years before the Encounter. During the Encounter, the contributions of all the communities will be heard and discussed; and these will give us a common basis that will be written, accepted and shared by the majority of the delegates there present.
· To ask each Group to send a house report of their functioning, situation and ways of living the Cistercian charism in the world.
2) Relations with Lay Cistercian Communities
· Each member of the Coordinating Committee will be responsible for a specific language group—Spanish, English or French.
· Each member of the Steering Committee will participate whenever possible in the regional Encounters of Lay Cistercian communities that ask for the support of the Committee and invite a Committee member to be present. (Acceptance will depend on the financial situation of the Committee)
3) Charisma and Communion
· To be a source of communion between International Lay Cistercians communities.
II – MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
A) Election
To be proposed before the next international Encounter (2011) when the International Association will be officially confirmed.
B) Resignation
To be proposed before the next international Encounter (2011) when the International Association will be officially confirmed.
C) Dismissal of a member of the Committee
To be proposed before the next international Encounter (2011) when the International Association will be officially confirmed.
III – RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE COMMITTEE
1) Division of Functions within the Committee
Certain committee functions are assigned to individuals within the Steering Committee while others are shared by all members of the Committee.
Committee functions will be distributed by agreement among all the members of the Committee. In case of conflict, a vote will be taken. In case no Committee Member accepts a particular function, it will be allocated by lot among those members who have fewer responsibilities.
A) Secretary – to be filled by the Coordinating Committee member in whose language the next meeting will be presented
· To plan and coordinate Committee meetings
· To moderate the Committee meetings
· To prepare the agenda for the Committee meetings
· To write the minutes of the meetings of the Committee.
· To seek and appoint a webmaster for the Association’s web site and to oversee the content published there
· Establish a bank account in the country where the next Encounter will be held
· To present the accounts of the Committee every year.
B) Finance and Administration—all the members of the Committee share responsibility
· To build a budget adequate for the accomplishment of goals.
· To search for financial resources for the Association
· Every three years conduct an audit of accounts and present the results at the International Encounter for approval.
C) Substitutes
· In the last encounter of Santa Maria de Huerta, three persons were elected to substitute for each member of the Committee in the case that that member could no longer fulfil his/her responsibilities on the Committee.
D) Collaboration and assistants
· Each Member is permitted and encouraged to develop a team of collaborators and assistants from among other members of International Lay Cistercian communities, but each Committee member remains responsible for all his/her work and responsibilities within the Committee.
E) Review of functions within the Committee
All the functions, goals and objectives of the Committee will be reviewed, revised and accepted every three years.
2) Functioning of the Committee
A) Committee meetings
The Committee is required to meet once a year. If necessary, it may meet more often.
B) Voting
In its deliberations, the Steering Committee always seeks consensus. When consensus is not possible, votes will be taken.
C) Communication
All Committee Members must keep the rest of the Committee informed of all actions, visits, conversations and contacts, as well as e-mails and letters received or sent to the Committee, or any communication that could be of interest of all. In addition, it would be helpful for Committee Members to share photocopies of letters and documents received by traditional mail that may be of general interest.
Committee Members are required to maintain confidentiality regarding all issues raised and discussed by the Committee.
D) Minutes
All the minutes of the Committee, after being approved, will be posted on the Web Site of the International Association of Lay Cistercian Communities.
E) Language
The official languages of the Steering Committee are English, French and Spanish.
Committee Members must write their own documents in their own language, and each Committee Member is responsible for translating and understanding documents presented by other Committee members.
All official documents of the Steering Committee will be translated into these three languages.
Revised
GENERAL CHAPTER OF THE BERNARDINES OF ESQUERMES
GENERAL CHAPTER OF THE BERNARDINES OF ESQUERMES
Sunday 10th August 2008
Introduction
At the end of 2007 we sent out the official invitations for the Fourth
International Meeting.
The Bernardines of Esquermes accepted our invitation and Mother Josephine-Mary,
Prioress General agreed to take part in the meeting. As the French
representative of the international committee, I received an invitation from
the generalate of the Bernardines to speak about the meeting at Huerta, during
their general chapter at Notre Dame de la Plaine on the outskirts of Lille.
Having been elected as the French speaking member of the international
committee at Huerta, I accepted this invitation in the name of the committee.
This exchange between us will demonstrate the Bernardines’ lively
interest for the lay Cistercian movement. A lay group is in existence alongside
the Bernardines: the Groupe de Flandres.
Mention must also be made of the help given by these sisters in the
person of Sister Mary Philippa
who was present for the whole meeting as French-English simultaneous
translator
The Meeting
I arrived in Lille on Saturday 9th August at 1.00pm and was
met by Soeur Marie-Josèphe, one of the three sisters who accompany the Groupe de Flandres, the others being Soeur Marie-Christiane
and Soeur Marie-Simone. The first contact, simple, friendly, caring, made me
feel very much at home. I was already feeling that interior peace, so
necessary, but often not easy to come by in the ups and downs of everyday life.
As soon as I arrived I was introduced to Sister Mary-Helen, the new Prioress
General, an Englishwoman who had just been elected by her sisters for a mandate
of six years.
I was able to make the most of this peaceful afternoon to learn more
about the history of our Bernardine sisters, which I did not yet know. My limited experience, marked by the Trappist
family left me somewhat surprised to learn that genuine Cistercians ran
schools. And I discovered the history of these “strong women on the Gospel” as I dared to call them!
In 1799, they were able to come together again to continue their
Cistercian life. In the wake of the tormented period after the French
Revolution, under pressure from a priest, (with the connivance of his local
ordinary) who wanted to make of them an apostolic Congregation and impose on
them a rule of life different from the Rule of St Benedict, they lived their
Cistercian life clandestinely. The teaching activity was required. Their
incessant appeals to Rome for recognition as Cistercians were not heard until
the middle of the 20th century.
This fidelity touched me profoundly; all the features of this
independence which cost them so dearly marked my stay…and have pursued me ever
since.
Foreseeing their expulsion at the start of the twentieth century, they
made foundations in England, Belgium, and from there the Congo, Japan, Burkina
Faso.
On Sunday morning after Mass celebrated in the lovely church which has been recently
constructed, I was welcomed by the Capitulants. The other houses had sent elected
members and there were about thirty sisters in all. A representative of the
Common Observance, Mère Hildegarde of Mariastern (Austria) was present. Dom
Guillaume and Mère Inès of the Strict Observance had been present the day
before; their contribution was greatly appreciated by the Chapter.
In front of such a gathering, and in the presence of a Cistercian spirit
of such quality, I felt unafraid. My ‘littleness’ was in itself a help, strengthened
by all I had received at Le Desert, at the heart of the International
Committee, during my stay at Huerta.
So my presentation of the Lay Cistercian movement was the account of an
experience, of my experience. Even if I had wanted to present a
well-constructed account I didn’t have the time since returning from Huerta, so
I decided to speak without notes, truly to open my heart, to rely on my memory.
Mother Josephine-Mary, Soeur Marie-Josèphe and Sister Mary Philippa who
had all been at Huerta were present.
Mother Josephine-Mary intervened to say to what extent she had witnessed
among the Lay Associates at Huerta the desire to live authentically monastic
values such as the praise of God, fraternal support, stability in commitment.
The sisters listened deeply; in all we spent an hour and a half
together. One sister spoke of a veritable Pentecost; several stressed the
action of the Holy Spirit, one spoke of a veritable plantation to bearing fruit
in the world.
Sunday
afternoon was the moment to meet the members of the Flanders
Group, gathered in this holiday period with Soeur Marie Christiane. We read, or
reread the Huerta documents, which afforded the opportunity to stress the
independence of each Lay Community. It was an opportune moment to underline the
complete absence of any authority on the part of the Steering Committee for the
life of these communities and to share thoughts on the document “The Bonds of
Charity which Unite Us” of the ad experimentum Association which had come out
of Huerta . The exchange was frank and free, not afraid to state views which
are perfectly legitimate in their differences if they do not trouble the
communion which unites us, and which is finally what is essential. I have to
say I felt this communion and I was very happy with these discussions.
After Vespers, Soeur Marie-Simone and I carried on talking in a
discussion which informed me even further about the beauty of the lives of
these sisters.
The self-service evening meal gave an opportunity to talk further. I was
able to meet the sisters from the Congo and Burkina. “Marvel” is not too strong a word to describe
what I feel in the face of such courage and faith.
Monday morning: free time afforded the opportunity for fresh exchanges, particularly
with Soeur Benedicte of St Bernard du Touvet and Soeur Marie-Josèphe.
The echoes I got were pretty well unanimous. The Lay Cistercian Movement
is welcomed as a sign of the times, which it is up to us to learn to read, to
respond to God’s desire. I was overcome on hearing several times and richly
expressed, “You laypeople you are referring us back to our own vocation! We
want to live even better our Cistercian spirituality!” I see in that the
extraordinary gift of friendship which is being offered to us all, one in which
we do not know who is giving and who is receiving!
As I was taken back to the station by Soeur Cecile-Marie of the La
Plaine community, I was able to enjoy further exchanges about our Cistercian
links, before rejoining the TGV, and, beyond, everyday life.
Votum
The representatives of the Lay Cistercian Communities present at the International Meeting of Huerta, in June 2008, warmly thank the Congregations and Orders of the Cistercian Family for the welcome and support that they have received from them for many years.
They would like to present to the General Chapters of the Cistercian Family the request that the International Association of Lay Cistercians be recognized as belonging to the Cistercian Family as a new expression of the Cistercian charism.
International Association of Lay Cistercian Communities
The bonds of charity that unite us
Like the Cistercian monasteries, each Lay Cistercian Community is autonomous in relationship to one another, but they are all united by bonds of charity.
In order to make those bonds more concrete, the representatives of the various Lay Communities here present at the International Encounter of Santa María de Huerta, in June of 2008, decide to create an International Association of Lay Cistercian Communities, which will function ad experimentum till the next International Encounter, in three years.
Indeed, one of the important means of expressing this unity is having an international meeting every three years.
The participants at those meetings are the delegates, members elected by each group, along with a monk or nun accompanying each community.
It belongs to the International Encounter to elect a Committee of three members, one for each one of the main language groups.
The role of this Committee in particular is oriented towards establishing channels of communication between all of the Lay Communities and with the Cistercian Orders and Congregations, as well as organizing an International Encounter every three years.
In order to allow the proper functioning of the Association, a financial contribution from the members of the Lay Communities represented in the Association is appropriate. The Committee will be responsible for managing the Association’s accounts. A financial report will be submitted to the membership at each international meeting.
Other expressions of the bonds of charity between the communities are, for example, regional meetings of the Lay Communities, sharing of resources, documents, reports, etc, and possibly joint meetings.
The Committee is charged with developing the basic documents for the permanent establishment of this Association at the next International Encounter, with the participation of all the existing Communities of Lay Cistercians.
We also entrust the International Committee with the authority to harmonize the text on Lay Cistercian Identity in the various languages.
Lay Cistercian Identity (Huerta 2008)
(Final version)
LAY CISTERCIAN IDENTITY
This is the final synthesis extracted from three previous syntheses from Lay Cistercian communities (English, French, Spanish) and finalized at S.M. Huerta, Spain, on June 6, 2008.
1. Lay Cistercian Vocation
As individuals, we recognize a personal call that is experienced in community as a gift from God. We define it as a call to be an active witness of Christ and his Church in the midst of the world, providing a prayerful and contemplative testimony in a life defined by the values of the Cistercian charism. This life is guided by the Rule of Saint Benedict as a concrete way to interpret the Gospel, and by our Cistercian Fathers and Mothers. This personal call is a means of continuous conversion, one that leads to a rediscovery and deepening of the grace of our baptism and the development of an adult faith.
2. Lay Cistercian Life
2.1 We are convinced that it is possible to adapt Cistercian spirituality to the lifestyle of a lay person though it is very clear that there are two different ways to live it, monastic and lay, and both are complementary. This shows us the vitality of the monastic life. Lay people have found in Cistercian spirituality a way to live in the world with greater commitment and spiritual depth. We are unanimous in our belief that the Cistercian charism can be lived outside the monastery.
2.2 There are many ways to live the Cistercian Lay life – but although the forms may be different all have only one aim : " to seek God".
2.3 All the Cistercian values and practices, which are a means of liberation and internal conversion, can be incorporated in the life of laypersons:
Prayer and praise
Confidence and abandonment to God
Humility
Obedience
Poverty
Chastity
Austerity
Simplicity of life
A balanced life
Silence and solitude
Work
Hospitality and service
Stability
Simplicity
Joy
2.4 This interior unification, this way of conversion, this desire for incarnation, is born and is realized in the choice of "preferring nothing to Christ" (RB 72), living in the world without being of the world (cf. John 17, 9-16).
2.5 We experience an inner and outer transformation (conversatio morum) which can be observed in the frequent reception of the sacraments, having the Eucharist as the center of our lives; the prayerful study of Scripture through Lectio Divina; fidelity to the Divine Office; filial devotion to the Virgin Mary; hospitality with our brothers and sisters; a change of priorities; a new way of ordering the day; a new way of loving others through the Love of God; the desire for formation and the necessity of spiritual guidance, and the experience of work as collaboration in the building of the Kingdom of God without our personal enrichment as our goal.
2.6 The coenobitic dimension of our Lay Cistercian life finds expression in our life in the spiritual union we experience with all the members of our lay community as well as with the monastic community. A more ascetic life allows us to be united in personal and liturgical prayer, as well as in work, despite being physically apart.
2.7 Our Mission as Lay Cistercians is realized through a life of witness, independent of whether we participate in pastoral and/or social activities. The fundamental element of our life is in finding balance between times of prayer and action.
3. Lay Cistercian Community
3.1. The experience of community is described as the birth of a new family which gives us aid and strength to live a commitment to Christian life without fear and with hope. We believe that praying together creates communion which unites us over distance and fortifies us as well. We believe that the greater bond is to be united by the Holy Spirit in a common search: the search for God. Consequently the community provides a personal enrichment through the transmission of values among all its members. Our discovery of community helps us experience ourselves as the Body of Christ. To experience the needs of others encourages charity and teaches humility. The community is a God-given means to our sanctification.
3.2. For a majority of communities, it is fundamental to formalize our chosen lifestyle with some type of personal commitment, made in front of both communities, lay and monastic, that gives voice to the desire and personal decision to respond to the call of God to this specific Lay Cistercian vocation.
3.3. There is great diversity in the way that communities organize themselves. In some communities we can say that there is a reluctance to create structures.
4. Bond with the Monastery and the Cistercian family
4.1. The monastic community is the heir of the Cistercian charism in its present form. Lay Cistercian communities, through their communion with a monastic community, receive light and formation from the monks and nuns. However, there are differences concerning the concrete bonds of union and the ways to describe these bonds.
4.2. We experience the two communities, monastic and lay, as a single family with different expressions of life. However, all are clearly aware of the difference between being lay and being monastic.
4.3. For all the groups, it is the monastic community, represented by the Abbot (Abbess), that recognizes in them the charism and confers on them their membership in the Cistercian family, according to the nature of the bonds that unite them.
4.4. It is common to all our communities and members to experience the monastery as our home and a place where the Lord unites, in a very special way, both communities, lay and monastic, and the members of both to each other. The hospitality of the monks and nuns makes the love of God present.
4.5 Being Lay Cistercians does not confer on us privileges in our relationship with the monastic community, but makes us aware of our duties and responsibilities.
4.6. Our Lay communities have, with different frequencies, meetings in the monastery in which we receive formation and learn to love one another in a new form of relationship centered on Christ, to which all the members have been chosen and called by God.
4.7. Monastics and laypersons learn fraternal life from one another, persevering together on the path to holiness.
4.8 Many members of lay communities go to the monastery individually. But all agree that in order to be Lay Cistercian it is not enough to simply feel attracted to a monastery, but that it is necessary to belong to a lay community.
5. Epilogue
5.1 We believe that Lay Cistercian communities are a work of the Holy Spirit, and, with little communication among ourselves, we have striven to live and experience the Cistercian charism in total communion. We believe that in the lives of Lay Cistercians, by the grace of God, the Cistercian charism that has been exclusively monastic for nine hundred years has found a new expression.
5.2 There exists in all Lay Cistercian communities the desire to respect and maintain diversity in all things that do not break the communion: to live the same charism with all the diversity of expressions while being strongly united in what is essential.
Called and transformed by Christ
Maria ! ---- Rabbouni !
Steering Committee Minutes
Along with Dom Armand Veilleux, the liaison appointed by the General Chapter of OCSO after our meeting at Clairvaux, we have discussed and determined the following goals and objectives for the 2008 Encounter:
The 2008 Encounter will be held within the restored 12th century monastery of Santa Maria de Huerta (plenary sessions) as well as in classrooms at a local school (language-groups). We will pray some of the hours of the Divine Office in the ancient church of the monastery, will have a reception in the Conversi refectory, and will have our plenary sessions in the beautiful 12th century Gothic monks’ refectory. The monastery itself is located in the village of Huerta-a desert region of Soria with a population of about 350.
A number of guests will be invited to attend and observe the Encounter:
When we are in plenary session, we will pray the Little Hours together in Spanish. When in our English-language small group, we will pray the Little Hours informally in English (as the monks do at their General Chapter).
The Mass each day will be in Spanish except on Tuesday when it will be in English and Friday when it will be in French. The English-speaking Communities will prepare and lead the Mass on Tuesday.
Registration for the Encounter will be accepted between January 1 and April 1, 2008. Each Lay Cistercian Community may send two lay delegates and one monastic liaison from the monastery with which their community is associated. The cost will be 600 EURO per person and will include all room and board, bus transportation from and to the Madrid airport on May 31 and June 8, materials and tours. (Note: because the Encounter is a working meeting of delegates from each of the Lay Cistercian Communities and because of the limitations of space, each Lay Community may send NO MORE than two lay delegates and one monastic liaison.)
In addition to the Registration Fee, we are asking each participating Lay Cistercian Community to make a contribution over and above the Registration Fee, if possible, to help support the participation of delegates who would otherwise be unable to attend.
I wish to thank all of you who worked so diligently on preparing a response to the questions of identity that we sent to you last year. I have received 22 out of a possible 26 responses. It is my intention to create an English-language synthesis of these 22 documents for distribution before the Encounter in June. After I draft this synthesis, I will distribute it to all of you for your review and recommendations. Remember that the French and the Spanish are doing the same. The final document that will be read to the delegates on the opening day of the Encounter will be a synthesis of the English-language, the French-language and the Spanish-language syntheses. I will be in touch with you in early December with more information about this process.
Many Lay Cistercian Communities have developed Charters-documents that establish and recognize the relationship between the Lay and the monastic communities. We would like to share as many of these documents as possible on the ILC web site. To that end, if your Community has such a document, please send it to be by e-mail (dmday@dayxday.org) no later than December 20, 2007. All Charters that we receive will be posted on the web site page for the individual Community no later than January 20, 2008.
Those of you who have attended previous International Encounters know that the oral presentations of house reports can be long and tedious. Nevertheless, it is important to have this information about your fellow delegates and the Communities they represent. Therefore, we are asking all Lay Communities to submit a written House Report.
Attached you will find a two-page House Report Form to complete. When we have received all of the House Reports from the participating Communities, we will compile them into a single document and make it available on the ILC web site for you to review and print. (NOTE that you must print your own copy of the House Reports; it will NOT be included in your program materials. Note also that if you would like to provide a Spanish and/or French translation of your House Report, you may do so. Translations, however, are not required.)
Please complete your House Report and return to me by e-mail no later than December 20, 2007. NOTE: do not use more space than provided on the Form for the information that you provide. Reports that exceed two pages will be truncated. The compiled House Report documents containing all of the House Reports received from all of the Lay Communities will be made available on the ILC web site on January 20, 2008, for you to print. Please do not forget to bring your own copy of this document to the meeting in June.
Because the village of Huerta is quite isolated, the local Coordinating Committee will provide bus service from the Madrid airport on May 31, 2008. You will receive more information about travel after you register for the Encounter early next year.
I will continue to send you additional information about the Encounter over the next few months. If you have any questions, please send them to me. I will compile and publish on the ILC web site a FAQ page with this information.
I am very excited about the Encounter at Huerta. The site of the meeting is both beautiful and conducive to work. In addition, we will be addressing fundamental issues affecting the identity of Lay Cistercians and the relationship of our Communities with the Orders and Congregations of the Cistercian Family. It will be an historic occasion held in an historic location.
I look forward to hearing form you over the next few weeks and monks. Please acknowledge the receipt of this e-mail so that I am be assured that you received it.
Meeting Minutes (September 11 - 15, 2006)
Minutes of the International Steering Committee
September 11-15, 2008
Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont, Belgium
Present: Steering Committee: Tina Parayre, Marie-Christine Rossignol, Dennis Day; OCSO LIaison: Dom Armand Veilleux.
The next meeting of the Steering Committee has tentatively been scheduled to be held at Huerta September 10-17, 2007.
Meeting Minutes (October 17 – 22, 2005)
The International Steering Committee
Meeting Minutes
October 17 – 22, 2005
Present: Dennis Day, Tina Parayre, Marie-Christine Rossignol
Absent: Wayne Bodkin
Place: Domus Laetitiae (Capuchin Guest House), Assisi, Italy
From Dom Bernado...
Tina: Thank you for sending me the documents that I will read at liesure. Indeed, your presence at the Chapter has been a great step forward in all sense. We had the election of the "liaison". D. Armand of Scourmont was chosen. He knows rather well all the evolution Lay the Cistercians and I hope that he will be a good connection.
This information is for sharing with the entire Committee and it can be considered as an official notification. It is in all of your hands, through yourself, to get in touch with D. Armand. You can write him in Spanish without problem. (He speaks French, English, Italian and also German …)
Excuse me for being so brief today. We have just finished the meeting at Assisi and I am preparing myself to travel to Argentina.
I send you a big hug; please send it to all Committee in my name.
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