BENEDICTINE OBLATE NEWSLETTER October, 2023

Saint Benedict’s Abbey 1020 North Second Street Atchison, KS.? 66002

PRISON OBLATE NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2023

“…by the labor of obedience you may return to Him from whom you had departed by the sloth of disobedience.”??

(RSB; Prologue)

Editor’s note:? The following is a re-print from 2019.? I especially thought this needed re-print given the readings from Sirach this past Sunday.? Hildegard’s thoughts on “Holy Friendships”:? Dear Brothers and Sisters, a recent falling out with a long-time friend has weighed heavy on my heart. While meditating upon it, I was blessed to hear Father Kluge give another excellent sermon, quoted here:? “So we must be friendly with all—that is, charitable—but we cannot be friends with those who hate us, or who hate what we love most—Christ, the Church, the family.” As it seems like the closer I get to God in my spiritual life, anyone who would vilify Christ or blaspheme Him, must be cast away from being so close to me or getting time and attention. I am learning more than ever that time is irreplaceable and where I spend it as important as where I spend my money! Father Kluge continues: “To see how important good friendship is, let us ?rst look at bad friendship, that is, bad company. Bad company refers to those people who live in a state of unrepentant mortal sin—not simply those with minor faults and failings—those, rather, that have willfully set their face against Christ and His Church. St. Francis de Sales says ‘we must neither imitate or tolerate [mortal sin] in our friends. That is but a sorry friendship which would see a friend perish, and not try to save him; would watch him dying of an abscess without daring to handle the knife of correction which would save him. True and living friendship cannot thrive amid sin.’ We may add: in such a case, either the sin must go, or the friendship.”? Certainly, there were times in my life when I indulged in this living in mortal sin. After so much awakening to what the effects of willful, deep, daily sinning gets someone in this life AND the next, I am bound and called to try to keep others from a similar path!? The Sermon continues: “But, ‘can you not be friends with sinners—with worldlings—heretics, atheists, adulterers, and so on—and not be a?ected by their sins?’ ‘Friendship is the most dangerous of all a?ections,’ St. Francis de Sales responds, because ‘it is hardly possible to be closely bound by its ties to anyone without sharing in his qualities.? ’“Let us listen to St. Augustine: ‘Familiarity with sinners is as it were a hook which draws us to communicate in their vices.’ And St. John Chrysostom: ‘if we wish to know a man’s moral habits, we have only to observe the character of the friends with whom he associates, because friendship ?nds or makes him like his friends.’ Friendship lives in the communication of one soul with another, a mutual sharing, and it will always tend to grow and expand—or it will contract, fall away, and die. You can, and must, love the sinner—the homosexual—the atheist—the heretic—the adulterer—as you must love your enemy—and work, even by your direct words and deeds, by your kindness—for his good—but you cannot have such an unrepentant sinner as a friend. Reason tells us this much: you cannot be friends with an enemy; the man who freely chooses a life of mortal sin, who is unrepentant and persists in this life, has made himself an enemy of Christ. How can you be friends with such an enemy of Christ—and still be friends with Christ?”? As we say here at the “community house” (as our home has become): “The more I hang out with my Catholic friends, the more I hang out with my Catholic friends.” Generally, those who love Christ are not going to get offended if I give them facts about the state of the abortion industry, or get upset when I attempt to share a document outlining the basic tenets of the Faith for feedback, and tell me, “None of this is from God! All your letter was is excuses!” I was just trying to explain in an open and honest answer, my point of view, and what I gathered from research. I am learning a very hard lesson,? that people I thought I could love very much, and am so grateful for all their help in the past from, will refuse to acknowledge a fact as believable, if they find it too harsh, or unbelievable in some way. Like, the selling of aborted baby parts IS REALLY HAPPENING in today’s world. But this 62 year old woman who had five of these procedures took it as me judging her, with the way the conversation went. Clearly, I hit a deep nerve. I see, this is only going to happen more and more for me. Because Christ has CHANGED me completely to my core. I cannot see the world through any other lens. I finally had to tell this friend that we just no longer could spend time together peacefully, after she said, “Catholics are the worst”, which she clarified as “Well, I mean just very dedicated.” (In her mind, “religiously oppressed”)? MY FRIENDS, WE HAVE TO BE DEDICATED AND FAITHFUL!? We, as followers of Christ are to be like Him in all ways. I am not my friend’s judge, but I attempted to drill home the message that God DOES FORGIVE due to my recognizing in this friend that her ungrieved losses were eating her up. We are commanded to be “in this world but not of it”, which is tough enough, until we have to see the way we USED to be, and how others are stuck there, far from Grace and Peace. There is a challenge of walking in this path; of not buying into the culture of death agenda out there, which tells us that humans can only evolve or progress with wealth and consumerism. Yet, humans cry about the state of our beautiful planet and fail to see where the greed and lack of stewardship got us. (Better get off my soap box and let Heinrich have some space!) In closing, let us LIVE in The Lord, let us preach LIFE and compassion for all but most of all, let us live by example the way to turn the state of things around. That saying, “Be the Change”, well it does mean something, but Jesus gave us a solid way to do so. Have courage, He is with you in our Tabernacles until the end of days!

May God and Mary be with you all!? Pax!

Oratio Devota

(said “Oar-AH-tsee-oh / Day-voh-tah”) is where we take a little Latin, the ancient and sacred language of The Holy Mother Church, and apply it to our daily lives.? This month’s phrase is:

“Tempus fugit; memento mori”

(said:? Tehm-pus / foo-jit; / meh-men-toh / moh-ree)

Salvete, fratres!? This phrase has come down through the ages from several sources:? Cicero, Seutonius, kings of old and most “recently”, Fr. Michael J. McGiveny, the founder of the Knights of Columbus.? This translates to “The times flies; remember death.”? I serve as a Grand Knight and a District Deputy for the Knights of Columbus, and this reflection has jabbed me lately, as we buried a brother Knight, yesterday.? It is times such as this (as he succumbed to cancer and he was only 7 years older than I) that make you realize that you know not the time nor the hour of your death.? This also happened to correspond to the reading of Sirach 27:30—28:7? ?30 A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it cometh to him.31 Mockery and reproach are of the proud, and vengeance as a lion shall lie in wait for him. ?32 They shall perish in a snare that are delighted with the fall of the just: and sorrow shall consume them before they die. ?33 Anger and fury are both of them abominable, and the sinful man shall be subject to them.? 1 He that seeketh to revenge himself, shall find vengeance from the Lord, and he will surely keep his sins in remembrance. ?2 Forgive thy neighbour if he hath hurt thee: and then shall thy sins be forgiven to thee when thou prayest. ?3 Man to man reserveth anger, and doth he seek remedy of God? ?4 He hath no mercy on a man like himself, and doth he entreat for his own sins? ?5 He that is but flesh, nourisheth anger, and doth he ask forgiveness of God? who shall obtain pardon for his sins?6 Remember thy last things, and let enmity cease: ?7 For corruption and death hang over in his commandments. at Mass this past Sunday.? You have read before in these newsletters “Bitterness is like you taking poison but expecting someone else to drop dead.”? I ask that you guard yourselves from bitterness and not be duped by Satan and his minions, as it has also been said “You love Christ as much as the person you like the least.”? The same is true for WRATH.? This is quite difficult for men, especially, per St. Thomas Aquinas, who spent volumes on this!!.? Since Oblates are called to serve.? We Oblates are servamus, (we serve) as a general way of life, ideally.? Also, the Gospel of St. Matthew, 25:36-40 is NOT a suggestion.? So, applying a similar life experience to yourself, how prepared are you for death?? (You all knew that smack in the face was coming...laugh now!)? Do you have all of your spiritual “t’s” crossed and “i’s” dotted?? Are you holding a grudge or grudges still?? Do you harbor and unforgiveness?? Are you apathetic toward others?? (that is probably more damaging, as we all know what Christ says about the lukewarm...see Revelation 3:16…)? Do you need to repair damaged relationships while you are still alive, if at all possible?? What would be your state if you died right after reading this newsletter?? While the last question may seem somewhat flippant, think about that very thing.? What is your level of preparedness?? I know I have a lot of work to do, and, I suspect you all would say that you have a lot to do, as well.? Nobody said figuring out our salvation would be easy-the words in scripture are “with fear and trembling”.? In closing, tempus fugit; memento mori, so get to work! ? May God bless you all and know that you are all in my prayers during the Office.

Pax + Domini sit + semper nobis+cum!

Book of the month:

The Catechism Explained by: Fr. Francis Spirago. (ISBN:? 978-1-7350601-0-1)

This will make you a catechetical laser!!

Prayer Intentions and Requests:

For people struggling with suicidal thoughts.

For the healing of the wounds of Holy Mother Church.

For all our brother and sister Oblates transitioning back to society.

For the continued growth of the Benedictine Oblates in and out of prison.

For continued strength to endure and grow from all our challenges.

Important Dates in October:

2-Holy Guardian Angels; 3-St. Therese of the Child Jesus; 4-St. Francis of Assisi; 5-Sts. Placid & Companions; 6-St. Bruno;? 7-Eternal Solemnity of Our Lady of the Rosary; 9-Sts. John Leonardi, Denis & Companions; 10-St. Francis Borgia; 11-Motherhood of the BVM; 13-St. Edward The Confessor; 14-St. Callistus & Columbus Day; 15; 16-St. Hedwig, Widow; 17-St. Margaret Mary Alacoque; 18-St. Luke, Evangelist; 19-St. Peter of Alcantara; 20-St. John Cantius; 21-Sts. Hilarion, Ursula & Companions; 23-St. Anthony Mary Claret; 24-St. Raphael the Archangel; 25-Sts. Chrysanthus, Daria, & Isidore the Farmer; 26-St. Evaristus; 28-Sts. Simon & Jude; 29-CHRIST THE KING.

Do you have questions or comments about the Prison Oblate Program?? Write to:? Fr. Matthew Habiger, OSB, Director of Prison Oblates, St. Benedict’s Abbey, 1020 North Second Street, Atchison, KS.? 66002.? Share this newsletter with a friend, prayer partner, or fellow parishioner, wherever you may be located.? If you wish to contribute financially to this ministry, make your check or money order payable to: Oblates In Prison and mail it to Fr. Matthew at the address above.? For those of you who already contribute, THANK YOU!? We cannot do this without you.