INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LAY CISTERCIAN COMMUNITIES
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Documents concerning Lay Cistercians
 Enclosure and Solitude of Heart or, Guarding One’s Heart (Mother Gail Fitzpatrick)
The subject I have chosen for our reflection tonight may sound strange. Enclosure is clearly a matter for monasteries, but what can it have to do with lay people, men and women living full and busy lives in the world? There are two reasons I chose this topic. One is that enclosure is a reality of our life as Cistercian monks and nuns, and today we are involved in study and discussion to discern how we are called to live that reality in an authentic way in the 21st century. So it is a current issue—one that will be discussed at our General Chapter. The second reason comes from the experience of our Associates of the Iowa Cistercians. About two years ago the Associates asked us to speak about enclosure to help them understand what it was all about, and how they might better respect this aspect of our lives. So we did this, and we had a good discussion on the several different levels of enclosure. In the end we came to the question: Does this monastic practice of enclosure have any relevance in your lives as lay men and women? A year later I learned that many of the Associates had taken to heart this monastic discipline and made significant changes in their lives in the spirit of enclosure and solitude of heart. I was touched by their serious response to this. Later, I would like to share with you some of their experiences. But now we might just look at what is enclosure for monks and nuns? What is its value or purpose? How does one live it? I would say there are three levels or ways of understanding the word enclosure. One is material. If you see a sign on a fence or door "Enclosure", you know immediately that only those who belong to the monastic community belong inside that physical boundary. The "enclosure" is a particular space, clearly defined, into which only persons who are members may go and from which those members leave only for specific purposes. A second way of understanding enclosure is juridic. We speak of "papal enclosure", "constitutional enclosure", and currently we Cistercians are speaking about "monastic enclosure". These designations refer to types of law. To be recognized by the Church as a monastic order, we must choose which form of enclosure is most appropriate for our particular way of life, and the Church must approve that choice. When that happens the community and members are then bound to live within that juridic framework. Our current discussion in the Order is basically on this level. It involves the nuns of the Order particularly, but also may touch the lives of the monks. Then we come to the third level. What does this juridic and quite material practice have to do with life? How does it, or how is it supposed to, affect the spiritual life of monks and nuns? To quote Dom Ambrose Southy in his letter to the Order in 1985, "enclosure is not a monastic value. It is a material support to protect something which is a monastic value—solitude." Another way of expressing this could be in terms of purity of heart. Cassian teaches that purity of heart is the goal of monastic life. I see the practice or discipline of enclosure as a way of guarding one’s heart. To guard one’s heart is to recognize that many things may be good in themselves, but they may not be conducive to growth in my heart of love, compassion, centeredness on Jesus Christ and the gift of oneself daily and hourly in prayer for the Kingdom. Many things are good, but to guard one’s heart is to discern continually the call of God, the call of love, and to exclude from one’s inner chamber the trivial, the curiosities, the animosities that destroy the reign of God’s peace within. In a recent document on enclosure a Cistercian nun writes: "The heart of the monastic purified by asceticism becomes the space where all the creation enters into the silence of God and the solitude of adoration. The real cloister or enclosure is the heart of one dedicated to undivided love of God, not the enclosed space of the cloister." Dom Bernardo, in his communication at the Synod of Bishops on the theme of religious life, said: Solitude of heart and concentration of all our strength on the search for God require an interior solitude made stronger by exterior solitude. When we spoke about material enclosure we mentioned that the signs of enclosure are like a door that can both allow and prevent entrance and allow or prevent exits. It has a dual function. So we might want to ask the question : what is it that enclosure excludes from the monastery? St. Bernard in the 12th Century made a list that still rings true. He wrote: "You enjoy the solitude if you refuse to share in the common gossip, if you shun involvement in the problems of the moment and set no store by the fancies of the masses, if you reject what everybody covets, avoid disputes, make light of losses, and pay no heed to injuries." (S of S. 40:4-5) I would add to Bernard’s list a few of our 21st century beasts to which we would like to bar entrance: the cultural "isms", i.e. consumerism, materialism, secularism, the idols of the world of entertainment and sports, and the glut of information. There is always the fine line of discernment between what is necessary to know—to carry the burdens and sufferings of our world in prayer—and what is too much...what is idle curiosity. I would also add to the discernment this question: what is needed and legitimate enjoyment and relaxation. You can surely add to the list from your own experience. The point of the discernment is: what feeds the spirit? What fosters purity of heart? Now we have used the analogy of the door that prevents entrance as the sign that indicates a boundary. I would like to speak briefly about the experience on the inside of the door or "enclosure" sign. I entered Cistercian life way back in 1956. In all these years I have seen the other side of the door or enclosure signs a lot—daily. I have never experienced it as a barrier or something imprisoning. I have felt, in fact, a deep union with people, esp. those who are suffering. I know monastics who have experienced a call to very deep union in Christ with people suffering in various ways. One nun I know experiences great compassion for women - especially in our contemporary world - and prays with tears for those who bear the burden of violence. It seems true to say that as experiences and involvements are curtailed - cut down - one goes deeper. This is not a phenomenon of monastics only, but it is part of the lived effects of greater solitude and conscious guarding of one’s heart. A certain distance is necessary to bear the light of God’s Presence and the darkness of one’s own and the other’s shadow or evil and to respond in depth. The distance or space may be physical as for most monks and nuns. For you the distance may be more virtual. That is your challenge as Lay Cistercians. The essence of enclosure is the guarding of one’s heart. The purpose of guarding one’s heart is total availability for God and for the work of conversion, compassion and contemplation that God calls us to as Cistercians—vowed or lay. I’d like to say a word about this trilogy. Conversion—Compassion—Contemplation—these are the bed rock of Cistercian spirituality. Saint Bernard speaks of these in terms of three degrees of truth. (The Steps of Pride and Humility.) The first degree of truth is self knowledge. That radical knowing of oneself that is without subterfuge. I recognize in myself the image of God—a beloved and graced child of God. I also recognize in myself the defacement of that image through my own forgetfulness, selfishness, or whatever other way I place myself before God and others. This honest viewing of oneself is the beginning of conversion, the movement beyond myself. As this grace of conversion works in me, I discover the second degree of truth, which is compassion. I come to know and understand others through the experience of my own weakness. One does not learn compassion through one’s strength. We learn compassion though our weakness. And in this acceptance of one’s own weakness and vulnerability, and that of our neighbor’s, our hearts are purified and God reveals himself to us in various ways. We see god. This is contemplation. Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God. This is the work of Cistercians—the labor of conversion, the charity of compassion and the joy of contemplation. These are always working...we never have it all together...we are never finished! Saint Benedict writes: "the workshop where we are to toil faithfully at all these tasks is the enclosure of the monastery and stability in the community." So we come back to enclosure. I don’t pretend to know how lay men and women might integrate this monastic practice into their lives. Some associates have mentioned various changes they have made in their life style, or just new insights that have come to them. I would say these can be roughly grouped under three headings: a sacred place; the use of media; the reverence for persons. Another way of expressing this discernment is as a filtering process. One asks of every stimulus, every activity, every relationship in our lives, "how does this help my goal of living a spiritual life," of seeking God in all the events and activities of my life? This filtering is a process that many serious minded people use, especially in our culture with its overload of sensory stimulation; what is different is its goal.
In conclusion, I want to thank all who have shared (with us) their experience of living the essence of enclosure which is solitude and guarding of one’s heart in their lives. I also want to thank all of you who are listening to the Spirit of God in your lives. I believe that the charism of Cistercian spirituality is very adaptable, and that the Spirit will breathe this gift as God wills. We know that love is increased by spreading it around. I think the same is true of spirituality. It is enlivened and deepened as many seek to understand and integrate it into their lives. Beyond Our Borders (Dom Bernardo Olivera)Our Cistercian monastic life may be considered a charism, that is to say, a gift of the Spirit for the Church of God. This gift was given at a precise historical moment, within a given culture, as a way of responding to special challenges, and perhaps also in reaction to particular situations. There is no doubt about any of this.
However, time has had a two-fold effect on the charism, both shedding light on it and clouding it over. Time clouds over the charism because it arose within a local context at a given moment. Time sheds light on the charism precisely because the passing years free it from the bonds of the particular circumstances in which it arose. The historicity of our charism makes it necessary and imperative to bring it up to date (aggiornamento) and inculturate it. Inculturation is concerned with more than just geographical placement or placement in time. It also has to do with gender (masculine and feminine), generations (youth, adults, seniors), different societal groups (country or city dwellers, laborers, professionals...), and with states of life (clerical, consecrated, lay...). The renewal brought on by the Second Vatican Council was a privileged moment in this process of aggiornamento and inculturation. The post-conciliar period brought yet another new thing: groups of lay men and women who want to share our charism in the world, in the midst of human affairs and activities. This means, in other words, a new kind of inculturation of the Cistercian charism. But careful! We do not need you to be "copies" of the monastic version of Cistercians. Rather, we need you to embody the charism, to speak about it in different language, to discover new ways of living it out, to re-inculturate it. And you have no need to ask our permission to do this. The charism is a gift that we have received and embodied in history, but we are not the exclusive owners. I invite you to continue to take the risk of going beyond our borders. In reality, however, I am not the one inviting you. It is the Spirit speaking in your hearts that has invited you to re-create our Cistercian charism and to give it a new form. Questions such as these come to mind: Many of you have already answered many of these questions. In some cases, the answers have withstood the test of time, have proved to be of lasting value and have been compiled as statutes. Today we are in a position to share and compare our discoveries in order to carry on seeking and finding. May the Lord help us with his creative Spirit. Amen. The Participation of Lay Faithful in the Cistercian Family (Dom Armand Veilleux)In 1098 a group of monks following the Benedictine Rule left their monastery called Molesme, to continue their monastic life in a more radical form and with a renovated spirit. The new monastery was called Cîteaux. After a slow beginning, it attracted many vocations, and gave birth to several new monasteries following the same way of life. All these monasteries were linked by a bond of Charity and formed a distinct monastic "Order" within the larger Benedictine family. (I stress the word "within", because it would be a mistake to consider the foundation of Cîteaux as a split from the Benedictine family. Even nowadays, there is a large Benedictine family which comprises not only the monasteries belonging to the various Congregations that are regrouped in the "Benedictine Confederation", but also all the monasteries that follow the Rule of Benedict, including the Cistercian monasteries).
Throughout the centuries, the Cistercian monasteries, more and more numerous and belonging to various countries separated by long distances and cultural differences, united themselves in various Congregations that also gave birth to various Observances. At the end of a long and complex process, since 1892 the main trunk of the great Cistercian family is divided in two branches: the so-called "Common Observance", which now uses the Latin name of Ordo cisterciensis and the so-called "Strict Observance", which now uses the Latin name of Ordo cisterciensis strictioris observantiae. Various groups of nuns who were placed under the authority of local bishops or who were separated from the Order a few centuries ago, but returned to their Cistercian roots, now form autonomous Orders or Congregations, like the Bernardine Nuns of Esquermes and the Sisters of Las Huelgas in Spain (called the Congregation of Saint Bernard in Spain). If we add to this some Congregations, like the Bernardines of Oudenaarde, and a few individual houses, which never belonged to any of the mentioned Cistercian Orders, but were always spiritually affiliated with one of them, we have what we have been calling for a few years the Cistercian family. Now, when we organized a meeting—or synaxis—of all the representatives of that Cistercian family, at Cîteaux, in 1998, on the occasion of the 9th centenary of the foundation of Cîteaux, we had also with us some representatives of what we called the "Cistercian laity". The 1996 General Chapter of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance had mentioned in a vote that they should be involved in that celebration, and they were even mentioned in the letter that the Pope wrote to the Cistercian Family on that occasion. First of all, it was symptomatic that the Pope did not write to any of the Cistercian Orders of Congregations in particular but to the "Cistercian family", thus acknowledging the whole movement of communion that has led us to a renewed awareness of the existence of such a "family", in spite of the differences in our lifestyles and of our juridical diversity. Then it is very interesting to see what the Pope says about the lay Cistercians and in what context. The larger context is the rediscovered role of the laity in the life of the Church since Vatican II. During a long period of the History of the Church, the spirituality was developed mostly by the Religious and for the Religious and almost all the ministries in the Church were clerical ministries. Following up on the insights of Vatican II, the 1987 Synod on the "The Vocation and Mission of the Laity in the Church and in the World" stressed not only the spirituality of the laity and its role in the mission of the Church, but also the right of lay people to gather into communities of lay people following various spiritual orientations. What we have seen since then, and even before then, was not so much the development of communities composed only of lay people, but communities or movements composed of Christians of all walks of life, either lay or clerics, married or celibates, united around a same spirituality of a same mission. What we have also seen, was that many lay people found their spiritual support or even spiritual identity in the charism of existing religious communities either active or contemplative. There was a period when many people, mostly young people, wanted to share, at least for a few years, in the mission of a religious community, especially in Young Churches. But gradually lay people wanted to share not only in the mission of a community but also in its spirituality and, to some extent, in its life. This is the larger context in which we have to understand the short mention made by the Pope of the lay faithful in his letter to the Cistercian Family. The more immediate context is the Cistercian one. The early Cistercian communities, like all the monastic communities of the time, had a "familia", that is a small group of hired workers, distinct from the lay brothers, who were integrated into the community life. Our monasteries have also always had "oblates", that is persons living in the community and sharing fully the life of the community without making vows, for one reason or another. But we did not have traditionally "external oblates". Almost all monasteries however always had a few persons spiritually linked with the community in a non juridical but very real manner, either living in the guest house or near the monastery, as a "family brother" or a "family sister". More recently, that is during the last few decades, more and more often individual lay people or groups of lay people have asked to become "oblates" or to be associated with our Order or with one of our communities. This is rapidly developing, and in various ways, and this is where we are now. A first thing must be stressed. Our Order is a "community of communities". One never joins the Order as such. One always become a member of the Order by joining a local community. The Cistercian Order has a specifically cenobitic orientation. Therefore, the Cistercian vocation is never the vocation to a so-called "Cistercian spirit" it is the vocation to a local community or to the Cistercian spirit as it is embodied in the life of a local community. Therefore the only way one can become a "lay Cistercian" is not by some kind of juridical bond with the Cistercian Order; it is by establishing a personal bond of communion with a concrete local Cistercian community, either of monks or of nuns. There are basically two way of doing this. An individual may develop with a community a personal relationship. He/she may find a spiritual support in the fact of praying with the community, or participating in the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours. He/she may receive from one of the sisters or one of the brothers the service of spiritual guidance or accompaniment. This has always existed, although it may be more frequent nowadays, and I don’t see that it needs to be structured in any way. When people express the desire of something new in this area, what I have always suggested, personally, is to form, around a monastic community a community of lay people having its own identity and its own life. I firmly believe that this is the best way of discovering gradually new ways of incarnating the Cistercian spirit in the daily existence of normal lay people. It is also the best way of avoiding the danger for lay people of playing the monk or playing the nun in the world. A charism does not belong to any person or any group in particular. It belongs to the Church, that is, the people of God. Those who live according to that charism at a specific moment in history, are the stewards of that charism. The Cistercian monks and nuns of today do not own the Cistercian charism; they are its stewards. I firmly believe, from what I have observed over the past decades, that the Holy Spirit wants to give a new expression of that charism in our days, in the life of lay people. Only lay people who receive that charism from a monastic community and develop it within a lay community can gradually find out, in their concrete experience, what "the Spirit is saying to the Church" in that regard. That requires both an autonomous life of the lay community and a constant communion and dialogue with the monastic community. The dialogue with the monastic community can be done in various ways. Apart from the sharing in prayer and in liturgical celebration, and maybe the sharing in some type of work or apostolate, mostly in the guest house, it can be a dialogue with the abbot or with a few monks appointed by him, or even with the whole community in some occasions. The discernment within the lay community itself must be an ongoing discernment—a constant listening to the Spirit. You should not ask the Order to tell you what you should be. You must find it for yourself. At present groups of "lay Cistercians" associated with various communities, have developed in many different ways. I consider that diversity as something very positive. Each group, while keeping its own identity should remain open to change and growth, and learn from the others. I think it is too early to try create common patterns. If common patterns are needed, they will develop on their own. One important difference between groups in the USA is that some groups accept non-Catholics in their membership, other don’t. The two options seem to me legitimate. Just as there are a few Lutheran Cistercian communities in the large Cistercian family, and just as there are a few or our Cistercian monastic communities who have or have had one or another non-Catholic in their midst, there might be something positive in our time of ecumenism in having non-Catholics belong to a lay Cistercian community. But that, of course, should not become a norm. That example shows that this is not the time to establish common rules; it is the time to establish communion between communities that respect each other differences. Concerning the size of the group, I don’t think that it should be a problem. Of course, you don’t handle a group of 60 or more the way you handle a group of 10 or 12. There might be some point in having sub-groups within the larger community, for example on a geographical basis; but I can hardly see the point of dividing the group into two distinct and autonomous communities, since part of your identity is to related to the same monastic community. I have stressed what seems to me the challenge of you, lay people who feel call to live the Cistercian charism out in the world. Maybe we could now, for a moment, see also what the Pope gave as a challenge to our Cistercian monastic communities. After a few paragraphs on our Cistercian patrimony, the Pope mentions the renewed interest in that patrimony in today’s world. He mentions the importance of hospitality, saying: "For many people essential spiritual questions can be expressed and deepened thanks to the hospitality which they receive in monasteries". By hospitality, he certainly means the one that is given to people who come to the guesthouse either for a retreat or for a meeting with a spiritual guide. But he also means what he mentions immediately after this, about the "associate members" and the temporary sharing in community life" (quoting Vita consecrata, 56): "I encourage you according to your circumstances to discern with prudence and a prophetic sense, the participation of lay faithful in your spiritual family, under the form of "’associate members’ or following the present needs in certain cultural contexts, under the form of a temporary sharing in community life", and a commitment to contemplation, provided that the special identity of your monastic life is not impaired. So, the Pope reminds the monks that, whatever they do, they should not lose their identity as monks, but he invites them to open themselves to a greater hospitality. He mentions two special forms of that hospitality: the sharing in community life (what has been called "temporary monasticism") and the "associates", stressing that in both cases a commitment to contemplation is implied. So, we all have our homework laid out in front of us. For us, monks, there is the call not only to remain open to hospitality, but also to open ourselves to new forms of hospitality, including the sharing of our charism with associate members and for you, the associates members, the challenge gradually to give a shape to the new Cistercian expression of the Cistercian charism that you represent. Towards a Renewed Cistercian Mysticism (Dom Bernardo Olivera)Perhaps you are wondering what the title of this conference means. I hope we will be finding the answer to this question little by little. Nevertheless, I can already tell you this much: if Cistercian mysticism is a Christian mysticism, the root of its renewal is in the Mystery of God, which is concentrated in Jesus Christ.
The mystical experience of Christian life has a central place in the Cistercian tradition. This statement is so obvious that it requires no proof. The early Cistercians tried to live in the presence of God and in communion with God. This declaration of purpose still retains it full value today. As we read in our Constitutions: our Order is a monastic institute wholly ordered to contemplation (Const. 2). We might wonder, however: what are the consequences of the present day existence of lay men and women associated with monks and nuns with regard to the mystical dimension of our charism? Once again I anticipate an answer: the consequences will involve mutual enrichment in the ever deeper experience of the Christian Mystery. I would like to situate my words in a very specific context: John Paul II’s urgent invitation to contemplate the face of Christ, as offered in his Apostolic Letter, Novo millennio Ineunte (NMI). Such contemplation is the absolute foundation of all the Church’s pastoral action in this new millennium. This program of evangelization is addressed to everyone: clerics, religious, lay. We would be poor and insignificant witnesses if we were not at the same time contemplators of his Face.
This mystery of the Church, the Bride of Christ, becomes true and incarnate in those who experience prayer as affective fervor, as the heart falling in love (NMI 33). This contemplative experience is a heritage common to all Christians (NMI 34).
The Spouse is saying: you no longer love me with the love you had before! The first love refers not just to a moment in time, but to a high quality of love. It means the immaculate love of the moment of conversion, similar to the love with which the Lord loves, that is, total love.
The Christians of Laodicea are playing with two loves, and therefore neither love nor cease to love. To answer the absolute love of the Risen Lord with this kind of love can only provoke vomiting. Nevertheless, conversion is still possible. The Risen Lord continues to love and therefore reproves and chastens. He advises them to buy white garments as befit a bride worthy of her Lord, and above all, repentance and fervent love. All is not lost: Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me (Rev 3:20; Cf S of S 5:1-2).
This mystical grace rests on a very clear anthropological basis. John Paul evokes the traditional patristic doctrine of the divinization of the human person through incorporation into Christ:
Starting from our condition as redeemed creatures and ever counting on the help of God’s grace, we reach the highest summits of God’s Mystery. This is the place of transforming or conforming union with Christ. The Pope reminds us of the great tradition in the Church centered on the Lord’s loving promise. He thus invites us to embrace God’s mysterious action, uniting us as spouses with the Lord.
It is easy to notice two different but complementary mystical currents in this passage: a current of trinitarian and filial mysticism, which implies being possessed by Christ, being moved by the Spirit, and being welcomed by the Father; and a current of christological, nuptial mysticism, in which Jesus’ manifestation reaches its high point in spiritual marriage. In both cases, Christ’s promise is fulfilled: I will love him and show myself to him. Both aspects are found in the doctrine of our Fathers, either accentuated as different or seen as united one to the other. William of Saint Thierry presents this two-fold reality within the unity of a single experience: To love is to be and become one spirit with God (Contemp 11; cf. Ep fra 257-258, 263).
To sum up, spiritual marriage is the high-point and destination of our Christian pilgrimage on the pathway of ascesis and prayer. It is not a matter of "mystical phenomena," but rather of the possibility of our nature, created in the image and likeness of God, enabled by God’s grace. It all comes down to an unconditional and ongoing "Yes" to God and God’s will. Translated into daily practice, this means not to seek one’s own good, but rather to seek the glory of God and the good of one’s neighbor.
4. Enriching of our tradition
What Bernard is saying can pass by unnoticed, but it is of utmost importance. The Abbot of Clairvaux is saying that both religious profession and marriage can help understand the characteristics of the nuptial union of the soul and the Word; religious profession, as a sworn promise to leave all to follow Christ; marriage, as a sign of the union between Christ and the Church. Both vocations, each in its own way, realize the marriage bond with Christ the Spouse. How this takes place and through what mediation it is done may change, but the ultimate objective is the same. I conclude by addressing a word to Lay Associates, or better said, to our Cistercian co-brothers and sisters, especially to those united in the sacrament of marriage. Christ is found in your conjugal experience itself. Your "divinization," as spouses, comes about when conjugal love is taken up in divine love, when there is a fusion of the human and the divine (Gaudium et Spes 48, 49; cf. John Paul II, Catechesis of July 4, 1984). In this context, the wish expressed by Bernard of Clairvaux in his letter to the Duke and Duchess of Loraine is eloquent: that they may so rejoice in a pure and mutual love that only the love of Christ is supreme in them (Ep 119). Reflections on the Challenge of Charismatic Associations (January 1, 1995)In various places where our Order exists today, we see persons or groups who want to share our charism in one way or another. In certain places, this is evident by the presence of rooms or houses set aside for groups (often of young people). There are also groups of benefactors who organize to help some community. Finally there is no lack of requests for a kind of association in view of some form of oblate program.
These facts, which are relatively new for our Order, coincide with the upsurge of lay people in the life of the Church. In several countries, lay movements have changed the concept and vision of the Church itself. The recent Code of Canon Law has "canonized" the desire of lay people to share the life and spirituality of religious institutes. According to Canon 303, each institute can establish a type of association with lay people. How should we interpret these facts? What is the Lord trying to tell us through this sign of the times which certainly seems like a sign from God? These questions pertain to the service of the Abbot General, since the Constitutions say that the Abbot General "is the watchful guardian of the Order’s patrimony, ensuring its growth" (CST.82.1). 1. Communion of Charisms The theology of the Church as a communion offers a basis for an appropriate link between unity and pluralism in the Church. In the Church-Communion, states of life are linked together, in such a way that they complement one another. Even if their deep meaning is common to all, each has its original and unmistakable profile. At the same time they exist within a mutual relationship of service. The plural unity of the Church is not limited to the different states of life, but is expressed more richly by the pluri-formity of charisms and the communion among them. Every vocation or form of authentic Christian life is a life in the Spirit and, for that reason, a charismatic reality. In receiving the Holy Spirit, we have all received the "higher charism" of charity (l Cor 12:31). Besides, everyone in the Body of Christ fulfills a service or a function, and it is the Spirit that renders him or her apt for this service or function. Because of this every Christian is charismatic: Vatican Council II, taking up this doctrine of the apostle Paul, tells us that: "Whether these charisms be extraordinary or more simple and widespread, they are to be received with thanksgiving and consolation since they are fitting and useful for the needs of the Church. Extraordinary gifts are not to be rashly desired, nor is it from them that the fruits of apostolic works are to be presumptuously expected. Those who have charge over the Church should judge the genuineness and proper use of these gifts. Their office is not to extinguish the Spirit, but to test everything and retain what is good" (Lumen Gentium 12; cf. Ad Gentes 28, Apostolicam Actuositatem 3). John Paul II in the post-synodal exhortation Christifideles laici (n§ 24) takes up and amplifies this teaching from the Council: "The Holy Spirit, in entrusting the different ministries to the Church-Communion, enriches it with other gifts and particular impulses, called charisms. These can take the most diverse forms, either as expressions of the absolute freedom of the Spirit who grants them, or as responses to the multiple exigencies of Church history. [...] Extraordinary or simple and humble, charisms are graces of the Holy Spirit which have, directly or indirectly, an ecclesial usefulness, for the edification of the Church, for the good of human persons and for the needs of the world. Also, in our day, we can see the expansion of various charisms among the lay faithful, men and women. They are given to a determined person, but they can be shared by others so that they are maintained through time as a living and precious heritage which engenders a particular spiritual affinity among many persons." When we were baptized and confirmed, we were consecrated by the Holy Spirit, for a mission in the Church through the charisms which the same Spirit granted us. This charismatic aptitude for mission takes different forms: A personal and non-transferable charismatic gift: the case of individual gifts such as that of religious founders.The collective or shared charism implies a specific mode of being, a specific mission and spirituality, a style of life and structure at the service of ecclesial communion and mission. Participation in a collective charism facilitates the formation of the members of a determined group, produces a better cohesion of this same group, forms a more solid identity, gives the sense of belonging to a spiritual family, is a source of creativity and strength for responding eagerly to the signs of the times. Collective charisms, as gifts of the Spirit, are a dynamic impulse which continually develop in harmony with the Body of Christ which is in constant growth. They are entrusted to human groups to be lived and interpreted, to be made fruitful and witnessed to in the service of ecclesial communion in the different cultural contexts of today’s world. Some of these collective charisms are shared, as a gift of the Spirit, by persons belonging to different states of life. From this comes their embodiment in forms of secular, priestly and religious life. Every institute of consecrated life, priestly association, missionary regrouping, movement in the Church...has at its foundation a collective charism, which is an experience of the Father, by a free gift of the Spirit, to build up and serve the Body of Christ (cf. Paul VI, Evangelica Testificatio 11-12; SCRIS, Mutuae Relationes 12). The signs which characterize a true charism of a new foundation are the following: - Contribution of something new to the spiritual life of the Church.This collective charism, as a founding charism or charism of the founders, is called "to be constantly lived, conserved, deepened and developed in harmony with the Body of Christ which is in constant growth" (Cf. SCRIS, Mutuae Relationes 11). Collective charisms, besides being shared, can be lived and considered as charisms open to new forms of presence and expression in different historical circumstances. Finally it should be understood that it is not the founder who communicates the charism to those who associate themselves with him or her. Only the Holy Spirit is the author of charisms in the Church and it is the Spirit alone who communicates them. The group around the founder is born when a certain number of persons become aware of their own vocational grace upon meeting the founder. They join him or her in order to fulfill their particular call. It can be said that the founder mediates the charism through the spiritual harmony that is established between the founder and the others. All the charisms, as numerous and varied as they are, are united in the single mission of the group. The different charisms find their identity in their mutual relationship within the center of communion and mission of the group. 2. The Cistercian Charism The Cistercian charism "has its origin in that monastic tradition of evangelical life that found expression in the Rule for Monasteries of Saint Benedict of Nursia" (CST l). The founders of Citeaux gave this tradition a "particular form", certain aspects of which were strongly defended by the monasteries of the Strict Observance (CST l). Our Constitutions, above all in the first part on the Patrimony, are a good presentation of our charism. However, it should be recognized that they do not exhaust the life and the manifestation of this same charism. In order to have a more complete picture, it would be necessary to consult and take into consideration the other members of the Cistercian Family. 3. Collective Charism: Can it be Shared and Open? From what we have already seen above, it is clear that the Cistercian charism is a collective one. However, can we also consider it as a charism that is open to being shared by others? What does Cistercian history teach in this regard? Can our charism be shared with lay persons in the world? Can it open itself to secular forms, that is to say, to a structure that is not monastic in the juridical sense of the word? A. An Open Charism Do the 900 years since the foundation of Citeaux allow us to say that the Cistercian charism is an open charism? That is to say: has the Cistercian charism known different forms in the course of history? The Nuns The Lay Brothers The Military Orders The Cistercian FamilyB. A Shared Charism Is it possible to conceive of the Cistercian charism as a charism shared with lay persons in the world, thus making room for a secular Cistercian form? Let us say, first of all, that our charism, like all charisms, is a gift of the Spirit to build up the Church as the Body of Christ. No one possesses the Cistercian charism as private property. Our charism basically belongs to the Church. The Spirit can share it with whomever He wants, in whatever measure and in whatever form. We Cistercians have given an historical monastic form to this particular gift of the Spirit. This monastic form is an integral part of the original charism from the beginning. However, that does not prevent the charism from being shared with the lay brothers, the family brothers and the knights of the military Orders, as we have seen. Can the fact that lay people of today feel drawn by the Cistercian charism and recognize themselves in it be understood as a sign that the Spirit wants to share it with them so that the Cistercian charism receive a secular form at this moment of our history? If the answer to this question is affirmative, a whole series of questions arises: Is there place for mutual recognition and complementarity? Can we speak of mutual charismatic association? Is it true that identity exists only in relationship? What do we have to share that is of value? What are the principal dangers that all this entails? 4. Tentative Answers It is not for me alone to answer the questions raised here. The answers must be found in a common search, in the light of the Holy Spirit, and in an atmosphere of discernment of what the Lord of History is saying today to his Church. Nevertheless, in order to encourage this search, while remaining open to different and even contrary opinions, allow me to give a preview here of several elements contained in any reply. A. A Charism Shared with Lay People? The monastic nature of our Order (CST 2) does not prevent several elements of its spirituality (CST 3) from being shared with lay people in the world. In fact, the Rule of St. Benedict was followed for centuries by oblates who lived outside of the monasteries. Various monasteries of the Order of Citeaux belonging to different Congregations have lay oblates living in the world. Separation from the world (CST 29), a particular characteristic of our monastic life, should not make us forget that, as members of the Church, our monastic life has "an authentic secular dimension" which sinks its roots in the mystery of the Word Incarnate. It is certain that all the members of the Church participate in its secular dimension, but in different ways. The "secular character" of the lay faithful is different and complementary to the secular dimension of monks and nuns (Christifideles laici 15). Our monastic zeal for "the growth of the Kingdom of God and the salvation of the whole human race" (CST 31) also includes "the restoration of the entire temporal order" (Christifideles laici 15). Our hidden apostolic fruitfulness (CST 3:4) finds a profound harmony with and is completed by the vocation of the faithful laity "called by God to work as it were from within for the sanctification of the world, as a leaven, by the exercise of their particular tasks [...]" (Christifideles laici 15). Our mission to announce the Gospel by our contemplative presence (CST 68.1) is not exclusive and does not exclude others. On the contrary, it allows for the complementarity of the contemplative presence of lay people immersed in the heart of the world. The particular mission of our charism is not exhausted by our own way of living it. The involvement of the laity in our charism and mission will make its reality and usefulness more evident. In practice, the mystery of the Church-communion implies an exchange of spiritual gifts at the service of the new evangelization. Consequently, responding to the question about sharing our charism, I believe that the fact that lay people today feel attracted to the Cistercian charism and recognize themselves in it, can be understood as a sign that the Spirit also desires to share it with them, so that the charism receives an added secular form at this moment of our history. B. Mutual Recognition? In the course of history, lay persons associated in different ways to religious institutes kept a certain relationship of dependence on them. This has changed recently. In numerous cases, the request of lay people to participate in the charism of an institute has come from the fact that they feel actually in possession of the charism. It would seem that the experience of Peter in the house of Cornelius is repeating itself, though on another level: "Could anyone refuse the water of baptism to these people, now that they have received the Holy Spirit? [...] I realized then that God was giving them the identical gift he gave to us...and who was I to stand in God’s way?" (Acts 10:47; 11:17). Something similar is happening among us. In our case, when the Order is recognized as historically in possession of the Cistercian charism and is questioned about its presence, we must make a discernment on the similarity and authenticity of the charism received by our lay interlocutors. This also implies an openness on our part to allow ourselves to be discerned concerning the fidelity of our lives to our Constitutions. this discernment also concerns our response to contemporary challenges and the signs of the times. In the two ways just indicated, it seems to me that we can speak of a mutual charismatic recognition: being recognized, we recognize others in order to be recognized again. C. A Charismatic Association? Since the VIIth century, monasticism has been influenced by a certain style of lay life growing up around it, which led to the "monastic family", in a broad sense. One can say the same about the Canons Regular and the Mendicants. We know that around the Mendicants were born the second orders (that is, the consecrated life for women), the institution of penitents and the third orders for the laity. More recently, various kinds of groups have appeared of religious Congregations and Societies of Apostolic life who are nourished by the spirit and who participate in their mission. These groups have received a wide variety of names: collaborators, partners, associates, affiliates, colleagues, .... Today, in the context of renewal of the laity and new lay movements, one finds the phenomenon of lay people who, individually or in groups, search for a kind of link with institutes of consecrated life. It seems to me that it is correct and acceptable to give the name of charismatic association to this phenomenon. The theology of the Church as a living communion, in which all vocational charisms are of the same origin and have the same end, is the adequate frame of reference which justifies this name. Perhaps in a few years, it will be out of style to speak of charismatic associations. The Spirit breathes where he wills, but his work is always a work of communion. Will we see the day when we will speak of "charismatic communion" to refer to the communion between monks/nuns and lay people in the same charism? D. Is Identity in Relationship? In the light of all the above, it is clear that today it is neither valid nor appropriate to define vocational identity from a static and closed perspective. Identity in the different ways of life within the People of God emerges from the dialectic process of Church life. The distinction of each charism is established in a context of convergence-divergence, communion-separation. Consequently, I do not hesitate to affirm the following: our Cistercian identity is a reality that allows us to identify ourselves by what distinguishes us within a dynamic of relationships and not of juxtapositions and exclusions. A clearly defined identity will keep monks from playing at being seculars and these latter from playing at being monks. It will respect the vocations and ways of life proper to each. E. What can we share? The question is a valid one. In general, it seems to me that a start in answering this question should keep in mind the following components of our charism: - The following of Jesus: those aspects of the mystery of Jesus, the Christ, which are given to us as the foundation and the model to follow according to our charism.The Cistercian spiritual Masters teach everyone to find counsels and directives for the spiritual life in the Rule of St. Benedict. The Benedictine Rule offers a rich doctrine on humility, obedience, silence and the fear and love of God. Our Fathers also developed many aspects of life in the Spirit which are hardly found in St. Benedict, for example: the doctrine of the image and likeness of God, the necessity of self-knowledge to come to the knowledge of God, the journey of the soul toward God, the doctrine on love of the brothers/sisters and of God, the mystical experience,.... Bernard of Clairvaux wrote "with the aim of building up" (SC 27.1). We can ask ourselves: build up what and whom? The answer seems to me to be this: to build up the Christian and Cistercian life, in the cloister and outside the cloister. We thus have much to offer and to share. And also to receive: the experience of our charism as lived by the laity is called to enrich the monastic experience of this same charism. Also, as Christifideles Laici 61 says so well: "In their turn, the faithful laity themselves can and should help priests and religious in their spiritual and pastoral path."F. What are the Dangers? In the face of danger there are only two possibilities: to flee or to confront. The first is already a defeat, the second can be an opportunity for victory. I am aware that the success of charismatic associations is a gift which is difficult to obtain. It seems to me that the three principal problems to solve are: - In the order of connection with the Order: how to establish and organize an adequate link and equality.Indeed, it is not easy to establish connections that unite without merging. Quite the contrary, they should unite by differentiating, as true love does. Neither is it easy to form people effectively without a serious formation program. In spite of the risks, I think it is important to be open to the possible creation of charismatic associations with seculars or with lay people consecrated as individuals or as groups. In the last analysis it is a question of discerning all this and retaining what is good. In order to discern, we need to have criteria. For what concerns the local monastic community, I suggest the following criteria: - A clear monastic identity, assimilated and lived, with a certain ability to communicate this identity.Bernardo Olivera January 1, 1995 Documents from the Coordinating Committee
Meeting Minutes (April 2009)
Coordinating Committee Meeting Financial ContributionsThe Coordinating Committee of the International Association met together once again in Assisi to reflect on the future of Lay Cistercian Communities and the Coordinating Committee. It is apparent to us now that we must face the need to ask for economic support from you to be able to continue our work. Meeting Minutes (September 13 - 19, 2008)
Minutes of the Meeting of the Coordinating Committee 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
I am happy to inform you that the Steering Committee and the Fraternity of Lay Cistercians associated with the monastery of Santa Marie de Huerta have completed initial planning for the 2008 International Encounter that will be held at Huerta from May 30 through June 9, 2008. I would like to share with you some of these plans, and ask in return that your community send me two documents: 1) a copy of your Charter (if you have one), and 2) a house report. (More about these two document below.) GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 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: PLACE OF MEETING 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. INVITED GUESTS A number of guests will be invited to attend and observe the Encounter: SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK SCHEDULE FOR THE DAY LITTLE HOURS 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). MASS 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. COST AND REGISTRATION 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. THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE SYNTHESIS 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. CHARTERS 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. HOUSE REPORTS 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. TRAVEL 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. CONCLUSION 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 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 Present: Dennis Day, Tina Parayre, Marie-Christine Rossignol 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. The Cistercian Family
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