April
2008
4/29/08
Living the Benedictine Life - Together
During our Oblates of St. Benedict meeting this month, we had the special joy of hearing from a panel of “experts”: monks and Oblates of our community who are in the process of applying the teachings of St. Benedict in their own lives.
Our presentation was entitled “St. Benedict and our Vocation to Holiness”. With the help of Oblates Bill DeVine, Ron Leinweber, and Winnie Wong, along with community members Br. Gregory-David Jones, Br. Jacob Orcutt and Fr. John Martin Shimkus, the Oblate Director, we explored various aspects of Benedictine spirituality as they assist us on our journey to God in Christ. Brief presentations from our panelists discussed the value of such practices as obedience, prayer and mutual service, as well as the meaning of holiness as God’s gift that unfolds as we respond to God’s grace.
Those who attended the meeting said they appreciated this opportunity to hear the thoughts and experiences of their brother and sister Oblates and monks. We are discovering that there are many insights with which we can enrich each other, under the guidance and encouragement of our holy father, St. Benedict.
4/22/08
Aspiring Singer Meets the Girls of St. Scholastica
While many young girls aspire to achieve the success and popularity of famous female entertainers, they are often left without the tools necessary to make the personal decisions that will have a positive impact on their lives. On April 8th, our girls were treated to a morning of entertainment, education and inspiration from the very talented aspiring singer Karina Pasian. Not only is Karina a very gifted singer, she is also an exceptional pianist. As part of an inspirational program specifically for the girls of our school, she spent the morning with them to share her insights and thoughts about “teenage life” and the importance of following one’s dreams.
Karina’s musical talent was key to the assembly, but she made it very clear that her talent had to be developed through hours upon hours of hard work and discipline. She was also able to interact with the students in a very meaningful way, because as a 16 year-old student, she is facing many of the challenges that our girls will be confronted with when they go to high school. Two of our students, Joisan Alesna and Joelle Tatum found her advice on not having a boyfriend until school is finished and dealing with the challenges of getting along with others very practical. As a gift to our female students, Karina gave each of them a CD, poster and a pamphlet (containing information, song lyrics and a biography). Our students and staff were very impressed with her presentation and are confident that Karina will eventually achieve her dream of becoming a singer with a positive message for young people.
4/15/08
Our Children Meet a Survivor
On Monday, April 7th our students at St. Scholastica Grade School in Detroit were honored to welcome a very special guest. Mr. Martin Lowenberg had a very special story to share with them about suffering and hope. He was one of the millions of Jewish people who suffered at the hands of the Nazis. Born in Germany in 1928, Martin’s early life was difficult under the oppressive anti-Semitic regime. Suffering displacement, the loss of family members, living under deplorable conditions, witnessing the deaths inflicted by the heartless soldiers and being forced into hard labor in concentration camps were the memories that he recalled to students. As he told his story, the students were able to see actual photos of the various camps and they had time to ask thought provoking questions. Although Martin’s story is marked by so many tragic experiences, the highlight of his presentation was the sense of hope and appreciation of life that radiated from his words and gestures as he talked about the overwhelming joy that he felt in his heart when the allied forces liberated the Jews and he was reunited with his sister.
The special event was a very inspirational experience for our students. Many of them personally thanked Mr. Lowenberg for coming to the school and expressed increased interest in the events surrounding the Holocaust as well as a renewed sense of appreciation for the freedoms they enjoy in this country.
Martin Lowenberg is associated with the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills Michigan. For more information please call: 1-248-553-2400.
A Festive Anniversary
This past Sunday, Holy Family Church in
downtown Detroit celebrated it 100th anniversary Mass. The
significance of this milestone for our Sylvestrine Benedictine
Congregation is that from 1928 until 2005 – over 75 years – the parish
was pastored by devoted priests of our Order. Founded to serve
Italian and particularly, Sicilian, immigrants, the church has had a
long and influential history in the Archdiocese. It has also
undergone many changes over the decades, particularly the construction
of the Chrysler Freeway which wiped out much of the surrounding
neighborhood. Still, a good number of faithful parishioners and
others maintain a strong cultural and religious bond with the parish.
Sunday’s Liturgy, just one of several of the
events of this centenary year, was presided over by Detroit Cardinal
Adam Maida. The church’s many Italian societies were represented,
carrying banners in procession and enriching the celebration with
song. A crowd of over 700 attended, almost half of whom watched
the liturgy in the parish hall on close-circuit television.
Representing our Benedictine Order was Fr. Mike Green, pastor of St.
Scholastica Parish. He was very impressed by the exultant spirit
of the people and the celebration.
Learning from our First Monastic Teachers
The Benedictine Formation Directors’ Workshop is an annual event that takes place during Easter Week. This year our Fr. Damien Gjonaj traveled to the St. Benedict Retreat Center of Christ the King Benedictine Priory in Schuyler, Nebraska to attend the four day meeting from March 25 through 29. This year, the conference talks centered on teaching the early monastic sources and were presented by Benedictine Sister Mary Forman, an associate professor at St. John’s University School of Theology.
Sr. Mary offered her listeners a wealth of information. She was able to describe the formative spirituality of the great monastic and Church Fathers, as well as the wide variety of resources that are available for presenting their teaching to new monks in formation. Fr. Damien enjoyed the scenic and well appointed accommodations of the retreat facility. He was also encouraged by the humble way in which this very learned Benedictine Sister shared the fruit of her research and daily monastic living.