Today is Labor Day. And your labor today, spiritual labor, is your retreat day. And we are willing to reflect about our vocation, our situation before God, what is to be done, and where do we stay. reflecting on the sources of your tradition here. One of these sources has been the spiritual world from which Father Damascus came. Therefore, the spiritual world of Maria Lack, Abbey, under the abbot Hildefons Herwegen. Between the two worlds, And the spiritual world of this Abbey can be characterized by two elements, liturgical life, a source of all our spirituality, and monastic life, as the concrete form in which we are together as the local church.

[01:18]

Liturgy, but liturgy is, how do we say in English, pragmatically, we prefer normally this Greek word, instead to say, spiritually, it's too few, too poor. Pneuma is more Holy Spirit, Spirit of God, Spirit of Christ, who dwells in our hearts. Therefore, liturgy dramatically renewed in the modern liturgical movement after Lambert-Bruin, Belgium. And monasticism renewed also in the vitalization of the old-fashioned tradition of Solemn and Boiron. And here I would say also we are, with Fr. Damasus, criticizing this terrible judgment of Louis Bouyer against Solemn. Nevertheless, he is right when he says, after Solemn and Boiron, Maria Lark, that's not our merit, A factum, a reality, was given after Lambert Baudelaire, therefore Lambert Baudelaire in Belgium, and after him, Maria Laque, have given a new vitality to these wonderful elements given by Solemne and Guéronger, the old Baudelon.

[02:39]

It is very important, it seems to me, to see this special accent in which the spiritual world of Maria Lach must be seen. The theological renovation, but in this dynamic evolution given by Herwegen and Otto Casals' Mystery Theology, Theology of the Mystery of Christ. We must speak about it later still in more detail. Dittusical renovation in this dynamic evolution given by Herwegen and Otto Casals' Theology of Mystery. Monastic life, again, in this dynamic evolution given by Herwegen and his entire monastery, as it is expressed in this wonderful study of Herbert Herwegen, which is called, published more or less in 1935, Pater Spruch und Mönchsregel. It's difficult for me to translate it in English. Pater Spruch, Apostigma of the Fathers. Words of the old fathers in the desert.

[03:46]

Spiritual word, prismatic word of the old father, old monk's father. Pater Spruch, Apostigma of the Fathers, and Rule. And in the foreword to this little study, published in 1935, Fr. Abba Terwegen gives thanks in a special way to Fr. Damasus, who was helping him already in the last reduction of this book. And Fr. Damasus himself has said to me, it was a very important contribution which I could give to this little booklet. Therefore, we are both together in this vision. We must, we stay in our spiritual world between the liberty and the greatness and this vigorous expression of the old patristic above stigma, wrought of these old fathers in the desert of Egypt, and the necessities and the narrow limits of the monastic rule to which we must obey.

[04:54]

We cannot stay only in these old worlds. We cannot stay only in the limits of a rule, but we must combine both together, and here is the difficulty of our spiritual life, also of the idea of that time. But Father Herbert Herbegen has seen already this dramatic spiritual orientation of monastic life according to a rule in that time, and he tried to realize it in his Abbey, in his Abbey so far it was possible. And then, Abbad Ildefons Herdwegen has concentrated these two elements in the foundation of the so-called Benedictine Academy of Maria Laage in 1331. where he wished to combine, to bring together all the efforts of his monks for a deeper, a more profound study of liturgical and monastic institutions and life.

[05:57]

And he was preparing for that giving possibility to his monks to study, to prepare themselves. And so he could bring together a very distinguished group of learned and spiritual men, he himself, his prior, Albert Hammenstedt, and the fathers, Basil Ebel, the later Albert, Urban Bonn, the later Albert, Thomas Winson, the founder of your monastery, Stefan Hilpisch, the man who has written this big book about the history of Benedictine monarchism, and his smaller books, translated also in English, The History of Benedictine Monks and Sisters. Hieronymus Frank, the learned man of the history of the church and of the sacraments, and Othello Haiming, the great man who still today is working in theology in addition of sacramentary and of the oriental and ambrosian liturgy.

[07:03]

And then in the background, but he was never teaching in Maria Laage, Otto Kassel. He's all went to Maria Laage? Yes, yes. With the exception of Otto Kassel who was in Herstel. And I came in 1922 and I've seen him for a fortnight in Maria Laib and then he went away to become Chaplain in Herstel, where he was forming this terrible convent of Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in an excellent alley of real sisters, to say so. wonderful work, and he succeeded to transform this little, small, insignificant convent to the most flourishing Sisters Abbey in Germany, still today in a certain way. But nevertheless, the theological world given by Kassel was the background of all these monks, this elected group of marvelous men who were working together.

[08:12]

I myself was too young to teach in the real academy. Only in the first years of the war I could come to give some classes there. Nevertheless, this wonderful institution, with this marvellous program, also I must say skill, he was inviting to this academy young monks from the entire order of St. Benedict. It was a little bit too much. One Abbey, perhaps important, yes, inviting the monks of the order of St. Benedict in the entire world of America and of Europe to come to Morocco. We never succeeded to have more than five or ten students. And then all this activity of all these men, forty-five, four, six, seven students from some monasteries in Europe, Bavaria, Switzerland, from the Bavarian congregation, nearly nobody. Because they knew it already.

[09:15]

They believed they knew it, they know it. And the United States, St. John's, some American Diocesan priests. I forgot the name of this man. For example, Gottfried Dieckmann, who was there an entire year. And then also from Italy, Trapattura Massili, the most important man in St. Anselmo. And both were more or less filled with the spirit of this time. But nevertheless, it was too much. And finally, the war has finished every activity. We were continuing in the first years of the war until the last professor was called to the army, or, as I, called to be pastor, and we were free from the army.

[10:19]

And from this entire world, characterized therefore by this academy, which is two elements to study more profoundly liturgy and monasticism, from this spiritual world came Father Damasus, convinced about the dynamic greatness of this theological, liturgical, and monastic conception. Convinced from that. But at the same time, it's clearly realizing the limits of it. It's very important, it seems to me, to see that. And the proof, what is my assertion, is especially that I was not president at the time. I was expelled from Germany because I was too great a friend to Hitler. I must go away from him, not to be taken by the Gestapo, by the secret police, to Italy. I was, in my case, in Italy when I was called to become professor in Rome, that was my salvation.

[11:24]

Instead then to go back to prepare me in Maria Lark, I must remain in Italy, I could never go back until The mentality of Hitler was a bit changed in 1939, and I couldn't come back. I was not present, but it was told to me. His last conference, and I wish to tell about it, his last conference to the younger monks, he was prefect of the young clerics in our monastery. The last conference has been a conference, nearly a revelation to all these younger monks, criticizing the concrete form in which we have realized the spiritual world in these years between the two wars. And the fundamental principles of his critique have been, we need a greater simplicity, smaller communities, not these big armies of communities. We had 150, 170 monks. Wonderful, yes, in a certain way, especially with this wonderful group of learned people and all our hundred laborers in a certain way was the necessary fundament that you could work.

[12:36]

It's Dom Herrigan? No, Domitius speaks. In his last conference before he was sent to the States to seek as a place of refuge for the case that Hitler would suppress us. Greater simplicity, smaller communities, and especially not a romantic continuation of mediaeval thoughts. In a certain way, also, Father Abadiel von Traben has seen this wonderful Dynamic world of liturgy and monastic life nevertheless. Our liturgy has been too, how do you say, pomposo? Pompous. Pompous, yes. I would say too much imitation of this wonderful papal liturgy in the Ordo Romanus Primus. This is a very important point. Marvellous, from the times of Gregory the Great, but nevertheless too much for our days. Therefore, not a romantic continuation of the Middle Age as it was done in Solemn, as it was done in Byron, as it was done also in Maria Lark, but in Maria Lark with this tendency to make it more dynamic.

[13:56]

That is our greatness more than for Byron and Solemn. Also Beuron-Soleim, in a certain way, did it marvelously. Also seeing, especially Granger, the first generation of Soleim, has seen also this profound vitality. Only the second generation in Soleim, about a lot, have not been from the same greatness. Little more, client format, small mentality. also with their merits. But renovation is necessary in the sense of the more authentic old tradition, of the old monastic times. And so, with this mentality, therefore again weaning, receiving and confirming this wonderful spiritual world of Maria Laage, at the same time realizing its limits, he came to the States.

[15:01]

And the first fathers who came, Albert Hammelstede, the prior, Damasus, and Cleopatra of Gerleben, these three only, were beginning in a very difficult time, you know that perhaps from the tales of the talks of Father Damasus in Darlington, teaching in the seminary of the Archdiocese of Newark in Delbarton, where today is the Abbey of Morristown. But President Martin Burns last week has told me, today still the souvenir, the memory of these first classes, of these men, conferences too in the diocese, the seminary, is not yet forgotten. So great has been the impression of this new doctrine, of this new vitality, of this new spirituality which they have given. So he has told me he had no reason to say so. But he said it.

[16:04]

And so, with this new vision, when they heard the notice of the suppression of Maria Lach, which was not true, but they heard it so, by the BBC of London, then they found it, sent Paul Sprieri in Keyport, New Jersey, But so far as I see it, it's not very clear for me. There was a certain compromise. The vision of that which was necessary was different in Albert Hammelstede, the old prior, and Damalus, the young monk. And therefore, it was necessary to make a compromise. And this compromise is visible in the nomination of the prior of this monastery. It was not Albert Hammelstede who perceived what has been the man to be the prior, and not Damasus, the spiritual heart, but Thomas Michels, who was professor in Salzburg, expelled by the Nazi in their Anschluss, in their conquest of Austria in 38, and then he came to the States, also a very excellent man, but no character perhaps, and he became prior.

[17:22]

And then, when the war was finished, we in Laag, Maria Laag, we had no more any intention to continue. Therefore, the Priory was suppressed. The title was later on given to Newton, then Paul's Abbey. Father Albert Hammelstedt, immediately after the war, came back to Maria Laag. He was too old to stay in the States forever. And his opinion, therefore I brought this book of Coleman Barry about the history of St. John's Abbey, his opinion, his vision is given in a letter written by him to Abbot Alcuin Deutsch of Collegeville in 43, already in 43. This letter is given also in this wonderful new book, down in the Reflectory, Monastic Life in Transition and in Tradition in Transition. Joe Ripping, huh, is giving a citation, because they are done proudness.

[18:33]

He says, No, Albert Hammenstede. I skipped the citation of his letter to give his opinion about the situation. And he has written so to Albert Alcuin, I have learned a great deal about the true monastic spirit since I came to America. And my respect for the American Benedictines has been increased enormously. Here at Mount Angel Abbey, it's also very interesting that he says it in Mount Angel, the Swiss congregation and not so much in the Persian congregation. Here at Mount Angel Abbey, for instance, I feel very much edified by the perfect harmony in which the clerics of the two American Benedictine congregations are living together. that shows that they had got a very good monastic education. Then points, I am very sorry that I don't know what he was saying in this following points.

[19:35]

I don't have the letter. Then he continues, it is my conviction that also after the war, a foundation of the Bolognese congregation in America will be absolutely useless. Here is the point. Only people who have never lived in American monasteries can dream of such a foolish thing. The two great Benedictine American congregations offer all desirable possibilities and varieties for young Americans who wish to become Benedictines. Again, points. There is so much goodwill just among the young American monks that our holy order will soon become most flourishing in this country. The Bolognese novices and clerics had never to work so hard as the American clerics and nevertheless the latter are always cheerful and happy and above all very grateful and so on.

[20:40]

It's wonderful, this appreciation of the American Benedictines. And he is right also saying the old-fashioned Baroness congregation has no sense here in the United States. And nevertheless, I have the impression that it's not enough, as he said. The opinion of Father Adamasus and Father Leo has been quite different. Father Adamasus, so far as I know, far you know and as far as he told me, has said, has seen the great possibilities for Benedictine life in the States to remain here, outside of the big American abbeys. To seek a middle way, so he very often has said to me, and you know that better than I, a middle way between the great and perhaps too great American abbeys. with their schools and parishes, and we could continue and say a little bit between also Maria Lark Abbey, this great abbey, and the minutiae of the Trappists.

[22:00]

And saying so, there is nothing against the relative greatness of the American Abbeys, which have done a wonderful work. And looking through this book, one is very impressed by this excellent work they have done in a hundred years and more. And also, in the Trappist monasteries there is excellent life by Vini Gizemani, but Gizemani already after the Minucian. in 74, when I think by the influence of Fr. Damasus things already were changed, also in these terrible Trappist observations of the old times. When I came in these monasteries in 74, with a certain proudness, they told me, today we have changed from our common sleeping room dormitory to an individual room for everyone. And we were no more talking with fingers, but with our mouth, if we must speak.

[23:04]

If we don't speak, that is wonderful. If it is necessary to speak, then with the mouth and not with fingers. Also, it is a marvelous possibility to speak with fingers. And so also in a certain way, Father Leo von Rudloff was speaking. I met him, as I told you perhaps already, in 1948. in Garevey, I think in the more late... yeah, 48 more or less. And then I asked him, would you like to go back to the States? And he answered me immediately, nobody who has been in the States can ever forget them. Then the next location he came, and with certain difficulties finally founding Western Coyote. Therefore, these Fathers both have seen possibilities, and especially new possibilities, not only the Great Benedictine Abyss, not only Trappists, but a new way.

[24:07]

For a new realization now has been taken, as in Maria Laack, as in Montevideo. And first it would be convenient to speak about still in the new way, also in Maria Laack, after the war, after the death of Abbot Hildefonds Herwegen. We continued under Abbot Basil Ebel, with magnanimity if you can say, We were realizing this possibility, especially Abbot Basil could see it. No one can do the same as Abbot Ildefon. He died, we must try our way. And partly we did it going on, on the old way of a romantic medieval form, with wonderful liturgy, glorious liturgy. And in a big abbey, growing again after the war, more or less to 150 and more. Partly then, vigorously trying to find the authentic form of the older tradition, already under Basil Abel.

[25:21]

For example, we tried, and he did all that was possible in that time to do it, to say all our hours in right time. Seven hours a day, no more. Prima, Tertia, Sexta, in the morning all together, but every hour in its time, sixth, for noon, or before dinner, known in the early afternoon, Vespers in the evening, complete beginning of the night. And it was too much, and therefore he got the permission from Rome to suppress the Prime. He has been one of the first to do it. We have the privilege to do it. We got this permission from Rome to do it. Please, Mariala, in our monastery. But Abel was fighting. He was a man of tradition and nevertheless he said, it's too much. We have no time to do it.

[26:23]

We must work still, we must pray too, and so on. And so also in many other forms we did the same. We continued and with new readiness also our scientific work. in the foundation of the so-called Abbott-Herwegen Institute, the institute in which all our forces have been brought together to study more profoundly liturgy and monastic life. With the additions, again, the renovation of the old Liturgie-Wissenschaftlichen Quellen und Forschungen, under Audilo Halming, the sources and researches of the science of liturgy. This publication of the Archive for Liturgy, Archive for Liturgy Wissenschaft, the continuation of the work of Odo Kassel, Jahrbuch für Liturgie Wissenschaft, yearbook of the science of liturgy. the addition of all these good little numbers of liturgy and monastic life, all these two points.

[27:30]

And again, in all this, we were growing also enormously with excellent young people. In the same time, when we were trying to do so, renouncing also to the Benedictine academy of Abbot Herwegen, because it was too much for one monastery. It's impossible for one monastery only. In the same time, when we were going our way in study, and in work, and in prayer, and in liturgy, and trying to realize our monastic life in authentic form, the intention of Abbot Ildefon Herwegen has been taken by St. Anselmo in Rome. And here the entire order was working, not only one monastery. And in the foundation of two institutes in San Tanselmo, besides the normal theological faculties, the monastic institute, where many excellent workers were working, especially under the direction of Basil Steitle of the Abbey of Beuron, but with many other fathers from the entire world.

[28:42]

also Americans today, Ambrose Watham and others and the Biblical Institute founded by the initiative of Augustinus Mayer actual Archbishop, Secretary of the Religious Congregation Cipriano Vaccagini and Salvatore Massili and they made An excellent work there, in both, to tell you only the names of these American students who have received their formation this year in San Tanselmo. In the monastic institute and in the liturgical institute together, Armand Veilleux. and I could direct his dissertation, which he was beginning under Basil Steitle, this wonderful book, La Liturgie Wacomienne du Quatrième Siècle, The Liturgy of the Wacomian Monks in the Fourth Century.

[29:49]

What the name of that was? Arnaud Veilleux, the abbot in, later abbot in Canada, Mississini. Oh, I was asked about the institute, the monastic institute. The monastic institute in Rome. Yeah, and then again under my direction, I can tell that, Gabriel, I forgot the name of his family name, I think Gabriel... Corliss. Corliss. No, no, Gabriel of Nuremberg. Corliss. Yeah, Corliss, that's right, Corliss. No, but he did not publish this book about Mysterium et Sacramentum, the specific topic of Odo Castle in the Old Sacramentalists. A good study. And then another study of a monk of St. John's, Alan Boulay, from Formula to Freedom.

[30:53]

And again you see here the problem of Abba Therwegen, Plässerspruch und Münzregel, apoptegma in liberty and the rule. to which we must obey. Freedom in the beginning, when the Eucharistic prayer could be pronounced freely, spontaneously, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, by a holy man, a great bishop. And then, today, where we have formula. which we must follow. We are not allowed to make every day a new Eucharistic prayer as some people in Holland, and in Germany, and in France, and in England, and in Rome are doing. It's not allowed to do so. I don't know the situation in the United States. But according to your method, you have only four or five or six jurisdictional layers, from freedom to formula. You see here in these three names that also the United States were receiving all these ideas of Abbot Herwagen, you could say, but realized on this wider fundament in Rome, helped by the entire Order of St.

[32:07]

Benedict. And the coronation of all that in a certain way you can say has been the Vatican Council. In this little booklet which I have given to Father Martin with the conferences in the solemnity of the 100th birthday of Abbott Helwegen The professor Balthasar Fischer of Trier, of Trier, has said, alas, unjustly, unjustly, unjustly, nobody of Maria Lack was called to prepare and to participate in the Vatican Council. It's true. We were preparing one of the most important streams to prepare this liturgical movement, all these ideas. And then, because there are certain difficulties and diffidencies, we were excluded. Only, and also Fischer says this in the realization of the ideas of this wonderful council, Maria Lauer could participate.

[33:15]

I was a consultant in the in the Concilium ad ex sequentum constitutionum, this council to realize the liturgical reform and also Father Theodor Buchloh and Father Raphael Hombach have been at least in a second way consultors in this concilium. In every way, not abstaining that we have not been called, all these priests and all these consultants who have prepared, Bruggini, Joseph-Andreas Jung, Wander Ciesiewicz, and so many of us, Giuseppe Vagazzini, and many of the French people who were inspired also by our liturgical ideas in the Sons of the Pastoral Liturgique de Paris. in this liturgical pastoral center of Paris, the Dominican clergy, the secular priest, Junel, and especially Martimor, all these people were enthusiastic about the ideas of Odocastle, and they were preparing this wonderful work of the liturgical constitution, Sarcosanctum Concilium.

[34:27]

At the same time, other theologians, as Congar and many others, have prepared the text of Luminentium. It's a wonderful vision of the church as the body and the people of God, body of Christ and people of God. And then the excellent constitution about the Holy Scripture. There is only one unique source of our tradition, of our theology of today, of our life today. Scripture and tradition together, not two, as sometimes we were longed to say, Dei Verbum. Then this wonderful, great, last constitution, Gaudium et Spes, about the necessity to realize all our theological ideas in the world of today, in adaptation. Unitatis Redi Integratio, therefore this tendency to a communicable dialogue and unity. In Nostra Aetate, our vision for the non-Christian religions, where in a certain way also the ideas of Otto Castle have been approved, it is possible to see some truth also in these non-Christian ways.

[35:37]

It's not necessary to condemn them all. And in the Tate Sumane, where the American bishops were so much involved about the dignity and the freedom of human beings. And also I forgot the title, Aperfecta Caritatis, and this invitation to the religious others for a renovation in the spirit of their founders, also a new adaptation. So, in a certain way, this wonderful spiritual world from which Father Damascus came with all this dynamic power. with its certain limits has been continued by our army in the preparation of the Vatican Council and also realized in an excellent way in San Tantemo in Rome.

[36:40]

But then, after that, we have seen, we have experienced this enormous crisis, crisis, crisis, crisis. You know, and also the Abbot Martin Bern told me, there is no religious house in the States, in Europe, in the world, which did not lose many. And so we lost more or less more than 20 of all these wonderful young men who came after the war to us. Why? It's difficult to say. So far as I can explain it, They have not understood the liberty reached by the council. We are children of God living in the liberty of the gospel. Yes, that's true and nevertheless invited to obey. We are living in the liberty of the words of the fathers, apothekmat apatrum, and at the same time they must obey to a rule.

[37:46]

Finding the good middle way is very difficult until it's not realized, it's not succeeded in it. And on the other side, there have been some good men, excellent men, learned men, to whom we did not go on to enough. We did not reform ourselves so as they wished it. They could not wait. They had no impatience and they left us. Also, every case, they did it. And now we hope that this crisis is finished and we go on, more or less. Crisis is surmounted. The difficulties are surmounted. And nevertheless, we can do only our duty, or we have done our duty. We are no more the men, the pioneers, which are announcing you wonderful things to the world, because everyone knows it.

[38:49]

Our ideas have been obtained to victory. They stay there for the entire church after the Vatican Council. And we are insignificant, small, modest monastery with its difficulties. And nevertheless, we must continue to realize these, our ideals. To realize this in many years, with many difficulties, never losing the confidence, persevere, realize, actualize. This is our duty, in the hope that the Lord will not leave us alone. And in the same way, it may be allowed to me to see also your situation with Fr. Damasus here. Therefore, he came with this entire world of Maria Lark, criticizing it in its limits, trying to show this new way between the work too great of the great Benedict and Abbess and the minutiae of the Trappists founding Mount Sevio.

[39:50]

Therefore, trying to find a way in simplicity and authenticity. And I would say, today, when I, from a foreign country, come to the States, from a big Abbey still, we are still 80, we have young monks too, growing again, surmounting our difficulties. I come here, you are few only, 12, 13, 14, make a great impression. You know that, that you are a place which still is a source of spirituality, of realized, of active, of vital liturgy. With some difficulties and you must persevere, as everyone must do it today. And you are doing it also, so far as I see, and I would say here you could go in the tradition of Father Damasus, in the spiritual world of Maria Lark of the Theology of Mystery, therefore celebrating liturgy.

[40:59]

Worship, we are in the presence of God, in the presence of the work of redemption, in the presence of Christ, his death and resurrection, of his paschal mystery, to share in it, to die with him, to rise up with him, to live in him, that all our work, our labor, may be done in and through and with Christ. But do it every day. That is difficult. And to persevere also when somebody is going away and so on. overcoming every difficulty as a witness of Christ. And all this in his new spirit, in his pneumatic spirit of renovation, in his charismatic vocation, in the liberty of the gospel, in evangelical liberty, at the same time in obedience to the rule, in obedience to the norms of the church, from freedom to formula, I would say.

[42:08]

not disabusing the liberty given to us in the Council, but remaining in the strict or good way of our rule, of our observance, of our monastic obedience and so on. And also in this book of St. John's in the Reflectory liturgical monastic life in tradition and transition. They say, with a certain insistence, wonderful possibilities of American monastic life. They are realizing that America is somewhat of its own, not only imitation of Europe, of old-fashioned Europe. They say, how many good forms we have between the wonderful liturgical performances of Frank Meinert Abbey and Concepcion Abbey until Western Priory, the two extremes.

[43:15]

I think you stay in a good middle way. But it's difficult to see this way and to go this way and I would therefore insist again on these three concepts in simplicity and authenticity, trying to find the right forms of old monastic vocation, not medieval imitations of the old monastic times, but also here not romantically imitate the old times, it's impossible, but adapted it to the actual situation in the United States of America. in your way, not in European way, but in your way, but nevertheless this old spirit. And do it in the view of this wonderful theology of the mystery of Christ.

[44:16]

And here again, not repeating Originally, the words, the letter of the Theology of Odo Casel were tried to find the spirit of the mystery of Christ revealed from all the eternity in God by part in the wonderful deeds in the Old Testament. fulfilled in the fullness of time in Christ Jesus, in his doctrine, in his gospel, in his preaching, in his wonderful deeds, in his death and his resurrection, given to us in the mystery of the, in the sacraments of the church, that we could be the Church, the people of God, in this eschatological hope of the last eternal fulfillment in the kingdom of God's eternity. Therefore, in this vision, and therefore at the same time taken by the reality of this wonderful truth in your worship, I would say it is not necessary to

[45:25]

do the exaggerations of a certain charismatical renewal, but celebrate liturgy, soul-teach, everyone is feeling you are taken by it. You are realizing the life of Christ, the death of him, his resurrection, giving witness to him in the world of today, especially that witness in the celebration of the worship, in your actual daily life according again to this instruction inter ecumenici of 64, where the consilium, therefore Bongini and we the consultors and the bishops and the cardinals, we have said, I can't say we, The intention of the liturgical reform is not to, in the first line and only, to change texts and forms, but to obtain such a liturgical action where liturgy is the highest point, culmen, and the fons, the source of all the activity of the Church.

[46:44]

Ita mysterium Paschale vivendo exprimato, so that the Paschal mystery, death and resurrection, in vital celebration and in a life, a monastic life corresponding to it every day, in humility and in obedience and in brother, fraternal charity. So I hope we could do our duty as monks of the 20th century, everyone in his country, in Europe or in America. And then I would finish to continue another time with other ideas. All right. Thank you. Bless you to have you here. Because some of these things I had never heard quite that clearly. What Gerwig was doing and how that was organized.

[47:47]

Now the people have some time for some questions. You could also continue another time, if you are curious to do it. Ah yes, he was one of the great men who were beginning the same life in America, in United States, in Cornishville and also here again in the same age He gives a notice about the relations between Kotteswil and Maria Laag. In a certain way, Alcuin Deutsch, the great abbot of Kotteswil, wishes to do the same thing which was doing Ildefons Herwegen in Maria Laag, with a certain romantic renovation of medieval forms. A powerful great abbot. and Virgil but nevertheless at the same time in the powerful vitality of the surgical movement and Virgil Michael was the man who was beginning with orato fratres and with great difficulties and here he says

[49:08]

Albert Alcuin often stated during these years that there was a close relation between Maria Laage and St. John's. This German Benedictine center of liturgical study and life was a constant source of ideas on liturgical, monastic, artistic matters. Several St. John's monks studied at the Maria Laage Liturgical Academy. And when Prior Albert Hammelstiel of Mariellach led a small group of monks in the United States in the late 1930s, therefore in 1938, to prepare the way for possible refuge in case Hitler's government confiscated their monastery, but Alcuin assisted the group in every way possible. He did it, but also the other Abbeys, Noah Ark, Dichterl Barton, and King Meinrad, and Chieftain Montaigne, and so on. could work and therefore in both the countries we were going on and with a certain right you can say in this book what you are reading in the repertory that today you don't need any more Europe in a certain way.

[50:21]

You, America itself is trying to find its way and you could say after the renovations of Monsevier and of Western, all the great Abbeys are trying to overcome difficulties of these great Abbeys to sometimes to become smaller groups and monks in Gethsemane have told to me, you know that in a certain period They tried to finish these great, super great abbeys after they were growing so wonderfully after the war. And you know, they were exploding the abbeys. They founded the abbey for 20, for 50, and at the same time they became 100. They must found again. With the big difficulties later on, when they were forming, trying to find smaller groups. And they told me, these smaller groups very often exploded, not exploded in men, but exploded in catastrophes.

[51:29]

Forbidden by the bishops, because they were doing terrible things. When I came in 1974, and again, we are now Chernobyls, wishing to stay together. Not in groups of two or three or four, where everyone can do what he likes to do, but in abbeys which are able to stay together. Therefore, I wish to say only, all these great abbeys had their big difficulties overcoming it, trying authentic ways, more authentic according to the rules and also to the self-necessities of this country. So, therefore, this is also the success of your inspirations you have given to the entire American Benedictine world. And this process is not just finished, I think. So, good finish. We may come back again.

[52:38]

Well, maybe this evening. At this moment, let's say we come back for a little discussion this evening. Father Burkhardt, do you see the book you have? Do you know about it? What's it been done? What? What? It's difficult because many I don't know, living or during the war, diving and so on. I'm not quite sure, but I am quite sure that it was told to me. His last conference was a little bit scandalous. He was criticizing. I don't know, I believe. He doesn't need any information. It's not possible. Please. We are too big.

[53:39]

We must try to find a greater simplicity, greater authenticity in smaller communities. We are all convinced, by the way, that too big is not good. More than 100. 100 is still, perhaps, possible. All that we need to trust. And especially for as difficult things, we are In our good times, we couldn't have hollows. We had to create the big hollows. We could not digest it. We need rocks. If we had only 20, we could not exist. Here we are in a quite difficult situation. We have 16, we have 14, we can't exist. 20 would be nice. But not 50. No, no, [...] no. And so for example here, such a possibility to stay together in such a little group. We never stay together. We have to work somewhere.

[54:40]

If we come together for our deliberations sometimes, hold today also, 40, 50 at least. Many are not. They are outside and so on. Or 60 sometimes. A group of 60. One of the great difficulties about a large community is that, as it was before, was that there were so many priests So many priests are always in temptation to go out, to do good duty. Therefore, we are fighting.

[55:41]

There is one of our great militias. We went some years ago fighting with our bishop. We have no priest left. The bishop said, when the pastor is dying, you must take his place. He said, no bishop. We don't do it. Our duty is another. We must stay in our house. We are ready. It's the pastor. The next pastor must take two or three pundits. We are ready to help each Saturday night and Sunday morning. But we don't take just ministration. We don't take our monks to be priests in the Polish house. I must do it during the war. It was better to stay in the Polish house. If you close, what he has in his mouth. But he tried to find the help of the Soviets. I have a couple of technical questions.

[56:43]

People came to the United States, for instance, with the leader of the Hammersteel, Hammensteel. The name is here also. Hammensteel. [...] And then, Thomas Nichols was... Thomas Nichols was... very relevant, sometimes to learn German literature, also teaching history of the church, and so on. Professor in Zagorsk, which I have sent there by heart, and I have a digital survey, and she must stay there, became very hot. And then of course, of course, there was some really working with them, those very disciplinary young who are Gilbert Rahn, a very strange book. Gilbert Rahn. He was a monk of Lillac. He was travelling to the entire world on his media and was taken by the war. Then he came to America. And there are also some of Newton.

[57:45]

of Duffy, Hugo Duffy of Newark, Newark, yes, and then the honour of Sid Murphy, Murphy, Dundas Murphy, Matthew Howard, Matthew Howard, but more or less the honour of the Lord, the Lord, yes, yes, yes. And Leo Rudloff was not from Moray Lock? No, because both the others used to have records here, and he said that he was an important man of his own. He had written good books before he came to the States. Then, you know, when he came back, there was a game in the Lerneberg, and there was a people when he opened Jerusalem, Zion. It was impossible for this barbarous Abbey on the Mount Zion to take a German after the war. in Europe, no, in Germany. In the new state of Israel, that wouldn't stand for a German. And he was an American citizen. He became a member of the Monsignor.

[58:54]

And because there were no German novices, he thought, I'll bring American novices. And he followed a person with two pieces of monastic life, and they came to the old family community of to the entire cosmos. Then he left. He remained in the West. One other question. When Basil Abel founded the Yom Kippur Shulwik in Edson, the old Benedictine Academy of Morilock... No, we don't wish to continue because it was too much, too heavy, too great. One, I cannot do this work for the entire opera. It was a little bit too idealistic. It was not quite clear. Was the Ildefonds show against to transfer to San Anselmo? No, no, no, no. In the same time, the ideas, though, there is no critical contact. In the same time, the ideas were growing, and in Rome they could do it, and they did it, found this monastic institute, which is one of the possibilities.

[59:57]

and published many books also in the studio of the Turin Institute. Also I was called to teach their history of liturgy in the way in which Abbot Helwig was doing it in my yard. So obviously in my yard as well. So the Il Defense organist didn't continue in existence at Maria Lake? Yes, and only, not teaching, but studying for Polish items. So, therefore, he insists to do that. What about Josef Jungmann? He was a Jesuit. He was a what? A Jesuit. Yeah, I know, but I mean... He was a good man, excellent. Did he have a... He was working for the improvement of the liturgy? Yes, yes. It was merely a history. Yeah, but also with a very profound vision of the theological essence of liturgy. I see. And he was a great friend in the Jesuit congregation to us.

[61:04]

He was a friend of us sometimes. When his confederates were good enemies. When his confederates had been good adversaries. Thank you very much.

[61:17]

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