\376\377\000C\000:\000\\\000R\000e\000s\000e\000a\000r\000c\000h\000\\\000C\000h\000a\000n\000t\000s\000\\\000T\000e\000x\000t\000s\000\\\000L\000i\000t\000u\000r\000g\000y\000\\\000C\000h\000r\000y\000s\000o\000g\000o\000n\000u\000s\000\\\000V\000o\000l\000u\000m\000e\0000\0002\000N\000u\000m\000b\000e\000r\0000\0003\000.\000x\000p\000s

cistercians of the strict observance

VOL. 2 1)10. 3OCTOBER 1967

Cistercians of the Strict Observance

L I T U R G Y

Vol. 2 No. 3

October 196 7

L I T U R G Y

Volo 2 Noo 3 October 1967

CELEBRATICNS OF 'IHE IDRD

Fr. Gerard Dubois 1

HOLY c:ross ABBEY:

A SHORI' ENGLISH VIGIL

Br. Kevin Nies12

A "HCMILETI'E" AND 'IHE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

Fr. Anthony Delisi 24

A I..OCAL PROJECT FOR REFECTORY PRAYERS

Fr. Chrysogonus WaddeZZ28

'IHE SACRAMENT OF RECCNCILIATICN IN THE M::NASTERY

Fr. Edi.uard Mununu 4 7

MEALTIME PRAYERS

OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION - NE.W MELLERAY

Fr. Benediat of Ava59

AN OPEN LETI'ER ABOUT THE MANDATUM

Fr. Matthew KeZtey 61

THE EUCBARIST Kr 'IHE HEARI' OF COUNITY LIFE

Fr. Gerard Dubois63

THE MANDATUM: CONTINUED!

Br. Benediat Kuntz and Fr. Matthew KeZtey86

'!WO TEx:I'S OF ISAAC OF S'IELLA CN OIARITY

Fr. Ber>nard Baakaert90

'IHE RENOVATICN OF 'IHE CHURCH AND THE CONSECRATION OF '!HE HIGf ALTAR : GE'IHSEMANI 1967

Fr. Chrysogonus WaddeU94

Cover Print: THE THREE CHILDREN IN 'IHE FIERY FURNACE

Br. Lavrans NieZsson

1

CELEBRATIOOS OF THE WJRD

There is much talk, especially since the Council, of celebrations of the word.Just what does it refer to?

'As a matter of fact, there are several ways of planning a celebration of the word.But this can be said of all of them -they are essentially an as sembly of Christians listening attentively to the word of GJd.Therefore, the reading of biblical pericopes occupies an important place.No less important, however, is the manner in which we receive that word and the response we make to GJd, a response evoked by his own word.This is why there will be mcrnents of silence, the singing of psalms or of hyrrns. Finally, all this will well up as prayer -prayer of thanksgiving, prayer of entreaty, prayer of interces sion. If sane thought is given to the fact that the various participants must see to it that they are united in mind and heart so as to fo:r:m only one as sembly, it will readily be admitted that many elements found in these cele brations are known to us so as to be lived daily in the Mass: chants or in troducto:ry rronitions which recollect and open the heart, readings, meditative chants, prayers in the fo:r:m of litany or collect.These elements fo:r:m what was forrrerly called the fore-Mass or Mass of the Catechumens and which, for

sane tirre nON, is preferably narred the liturgy of the word. (The Council has sanctioned this expression; cf. Liturgy Constitution, art. 56.) Liturgy or celebration of the word: do they not both mean the sarre thing?

There is then no reason to feel bewildered.

A little reflection will make us realize that the Divine Office is nothing else but a series of chants, readings and prayers.It also is fundarrentally a celebration of the word.The part given over to the readings has been pro gressively diminished, it is true.With the exception of Vigils -and here also, longer pericopes are really desirable -it is reduced to a token read ing: a short capitulum, so short that we no longer even have time to sit!It is the psalms which have remained the principal part.The psalms, rroreover, can also be readings; histo:ry bears witness to this manner of praying them,

as well as to others:the respanso:ry, for example; that is, a verse sung by a soloist, and interspersed with refrains by the whole assembly.All these

fonns of psalnody are gradually being rediscovered. (Cf. Psautier de Za Bible

2Celebrations of the Word

de Jdrusalem, Paris 1961, Introduction, pp.37-38.A more scholarly work: J. GELINEAU, Voices and Instruments in Christian Worship, Collegeville 1964, Ch.7.) We had sanewhat forgotten them since the time when the altemating chant in two choirs prevailed, thus putting all the psalms on the same level, although they are so varied in their structure. It has not been said that our Offices will never regain a rrore balanced structure, with a greater resem blance to a liturgy of the word.Che sanetines hears this said, it is true,

-that a rronastic liturgy should be of a rrore laudatory type, whereas the "ordinary" people need to be taught and to listen to the lessons of Scrip ture.There is sane truth in this, and it is not without import that the psalms have held such a large place in the spiritual life of rronks, as the whole of tradition bears witness. Since our life does not have exactly the same characteristics as that of Christians in the world, it calls for a ritu al expression particular to itself.But we have not yet attained "perfec tion".Can we claim that we no longer need to "be taught by Cod" (af. Jn 6, 45)? No rro:re, undoubtedly, than the Christian people at large can claim to have no need to praise God and give him thanks.

If such are celebrations of the word, it is readily seen that monks, who daily participate in the Mass and in the Opus Dei, will have less need of these celebrations, especialiy after the :refo:rm of the Office. Is this to say that they have no place in the life of our m::masteries? It has not been proven .As a matter of fact, there are particular occasions, when , besides the cycle of the Canonical Hours, the ccmnunity ought to gather together, in a special way for prayer: for example, when the Pope asks for special prayers for peace, or else during the week of universal prayer for Christian unity, or when an important personage visits the monastery, or at the death of a rrember of the carmunity.It could sanet.imes be a special devotion.If we re flect on it, were not Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament and even the Of fice of the Dead introduced for this :reason? Precisely these 'WOuld undoubted ly lose nothing in taking the fo:rm of a celebration of the 'WOrd.With regard to Benediction, for sane ti.Ire now outside of the monasteries, biblical :read ings and m:m:mts of silence have been introduced into it.However, these last examples show that where devotions are concerned, too much importance must not be given to them, so as not to detract fran the rrore fundamental liturgi cal assemblies, i.e., the Mass and the Canonical Hours.The history of :recent ti.Ires is at hand to invite us to observe a certain discretion.

Celebrations of the Word3

What in concrete terms is the structure of a celebration of the word? As was stated above, there are many ways of going about it.However, a plan of this type is finding increasing general acceptance :

A)An introduction made up of the choice of one or of a combination of several of the following:

a series of versicles, taken from the psalms or elsewhere;

an invitatory by the celebrant;

the singing of a psalm or of a hyrrm.

'Ihis introductory section could be concluded with a prayer by the one who is presiding.

B) Readings follOWE!d by meditative chants or psalms -care being taken that there be m:::mmts of silence in order to meditate the word in one's heart.

There may be several readings.Three seems to be a maximum not to be exceeded. If a passage from the Gospels is read -and this is to be desired, if there are several readings -it would be the climax towards which the other readings converge. There could also be a han ily.

C) A conclusion which is a period of nore intense camrunity prayer.It is made up of the choice of one or of a combination of several of the fol lowing:

a prayer in the form of a litany;

a priestly prayer which is sanewhat expanded (eucharistic type of prayer);

the lord's :Prayer.

Then a blessing or an acclamation or a final hyrrm .

The following could be consulted regarding methods of procedure:

B.D.MARLIANGEAS, Comment batir une celebration de la Parole. Notes de Pastorale liturgique 64 (1966), pp .9-14.

The author rightly insists on the different rhythms and the interior dynamism of prayer:

- rhythms of the whole (this pertains to the plan: introduction, progression towards a climax, the end of which is the expanding of the heart of man to the d.inensions of the heart of God, in prayer and praise);

4Celebrations of the Word

rhythms between the assembly, the president, the cantor (moni tions, prayers by the celebrant);

rhythms between word, singing and silence;

rhythms in the modes of participation and in the postures of the assembly.

Eglise qui ahante 69-70 (1966), L 'Offiae du soir (even though these cele brations are meant to take the place of the Office, there are many ele ments in this issue which can serve for other celebrations)

Idem 74 (1966), Celebrations de la penitence.

(This periodical, mouthpiece of the Association St-Ambroise, has Abbe Ju lien as director and Fr.Gelineau as editor, 31 rue de Fleurus, Paris VI.)

Cbncerning Christian unity, P.OOUILLARD, Le Uvre de Z'UnitJ, Paris.

The following is a select bibliography of English titles an Bible devotions or celebrations of the word.Fbr the most part, the listings and carments are excerpted or adapted fran the bibliography given by Fr.Thanas KELLY, C.Ss.R., in his fundamental article, "Bible Devotions", in Yearbook of Liturgical Studies 5, Collegeville 1964, pp.29-45. Fr.Kelly's bibliography has been supplemented with titles taken fran the surveys of liturgical literature ap pearing in later volumes of the sarre series.

ANOO., "Lenten Vigils", in The Bible Today 10 (1964), pp.66-74.outlines of Grailville Bible Vigil services for Lent and Passiantide

"'Ihe lord's Day Service of the United Church of Christ", in Theol ogy-T=-od..a.-y- 22 (1965), pp.16-19.Introduction to proposed liturgy 1964

"It can be done", in Worship 28 (1954), pp.485-486.A plan for a hol_y_h_o_u_r based an the first part of Mass

(--)"A Dedication: the Lady Chapel Image", in Worship 38 (1963), pp.2- 3.Description of vigil fonnat, 7 plates, hanily pp.3-6.

J.BEHEN, "New Meaning for Easter Confession", in Worship 38 (1964), pp.164-169.Bible service before paschal confession, using ancient rite of reconciliation of Holy Thursday.

P.B BRUNNER, "As I Have Loved You -Biblical-Liturgical Vigil on Charity", in Good Tidings 2 {Sept.-Oct. 1963), pp.11-13

"This is the Time of Salvation -A Lenten Celebration", ibid., 3 (Jan._,,1,..9,,...6,...4), pp.11-13

"I.et Us Pray for God's Holy Church -A Biblical-Liturgical Cele bra-t-ian0,- ibid., 1 (1962), pp.110-113.Good rubrical directions.

Celebrations of the Word5

D.CAN'IWELL, "A Bible Vigil", in Worship 33 (1959), pp.100-101. Bible vig il introduced in Chicago Archdioceseo

A. CHAO, "Bible Prayer M=etir1g11 , in Good Tidings 1 (1962), pp.87-90.M=d itation on catechist vocation; plan.

J.C CXNNOLLY, "Devotions fran the Bible", in Worship 34 (1960), pp.214-218.

Pattern explained; plans for close of public high school retreat

.,,........,,......,,...,,,... "Bible Devotions:Principles and Sarrple", in Worship 36 (1962), pp.115-120.Fundarrental article in English; sarrples for Church unity

(---)"Bible Devotions for lent", in Worship 36 (1962), pp.182-191. A

ccmron and a proper.

J.ccx:::NEY, "Bible Devotions of Christian Penance", in North American Lit urgical Week Proceedings 24 (1963), pp.223-227.

F.CDUDREAU, "Celebration in Catechesis and Catechism", in Lwnen Vitae 17 (1962), pp.139-151.

L.DANNEMILLER, "Bible Devotions", in The Bible Today (Dec.1963), pp.596- 600.On their nature, and a sarrple for Christmas

--- "Christmas Bible Devotions", in Worship 36 (1961), pp.38-41.

....--= Bible Devotions in Honor of the Mother of God, Paulist Press, Glen

Rock , N .J., 1962

-=--- Bible Devotions for Ash Wednesday and the Six Weeks of Lent, Paul- ist Press, Glen Rock , N.J., 1963.Two handy pamphlets; music.

F.DRINKWATER, "Bible Devotions", in The Sower (Jan.1964), pp.6-11. '!heir catechetical advantages; sarrples by J.Connolly.

C.FERRit:RE, "A Liturgical Method for a Liturgical Catechism", in Lwnen Vitae 14 (1959), pp.49-51.

J.F OumEY, "Celebrations for the Lenten Season", in Lwnen Vitae 16 (1961), pp.685-694.Simple plan.

J.G GALLEN, Scripture Services: 15 Bible Themes, Liturgical Press, College ville 1963.A necessity for every parish; opens up a new vital stream of prayer-life for the whole parish; com:rentaries, readings, litanies, free choice of music.

J.GELINEAU, "The Vigil as an Evening Service", in Unto the Altar, edited

by Alfons Kirchgaessner, Herder and Herder, New York 1963, pp.107-118.

Grail National Center, "Lenten Vigils", in The Bible Today (Feb. 1964), pp.633-674.

J.J JUNGMANN, "Vespers and the Devotional Service", in Liturgy for the People, edited by W.Ieonard, Bruce, Milwaukee 1963, pp.168-178.

J.K KEMERER, "A Priestless Sunday Service", in Worship 37 (1963), pp .520- 522.outline and why; used in mission territories; bishop's homily delivered by delegate.

J.KRAUS, "Ecumenical Week of Prayer", in Worship 37 (1963), pp.311-312. outline; used for Chair of Unity Octave, Coh.nnbus, Ohio.

K.M:::DCNNELL, "O:rganizing a Bible Devotion", in Worship 34 (1960), pp.144-

148.A pioneer WoY'ship article on Bible devotions; based on T.Maertens ' ar ticle in PaY'oisse et LituPgie 32 (1950), pp.400 ff.

6Ce lebrations of the Word

Fo McMANUS, "Resf)O!lses", in Worshp 37 (1963), po 635.Bible devotions may end with Be."'lediction of the BL Sacrament, depending on the nature and theme of the particular serviceo

R.M cNALLY, "The Word of God and the Myste:cy of Christ", in Worship 38 (1964), pp.392-402.en preaching and Bible services according to the Liturgy

Cbnstitutirn.

J. MOLEY, "Bible Vigils in the Parish", in The Furrow 15 (1964), pp.512- 516.Types used; opposition net; type of acceptance by people.

R.N OEL, "The Sunday Evening Service", in Clergy Review 49 (1964), pp.665- 675.English (Anglican and Methodist) tradition of evening services is strong; patterns suggested in the spirit of the Liturgy Constitution.

F.NORRIS, "Send Forth Thy Spirit:A Biblical Devotion", in Good Tidings 2 (May-June 1963), pp.17-19.

W.NUITING, "A Pattern for Prayer", in Worship 33 (1959), pp .537-542.

Studies matins and evensong of the Book of Common Prayer .

J.PETK>NE, "Christian Unity Octave :A People-to-People P:rogram", in Wor ship 38 (1964), pp.100-103.Hymn, collect, scripture, silent period, scrip ture, sennon, Byzantine litany of unity, prayers for unity, Our Father, hymn.

C.PFEIFER, "Popular Devotions:A New Look", in Homiletic and Pastoral Re view 63 (1963), pp.408-412. Surrmarizes reasons for this devotion and its structure; a sample service on the Eucharist.

G.DE RASILLY, "Paraliturgy for the Cbnsecration of Catechists", in Lumen Vitae 16 (1961}, pp.695 ff.

H. REINHOLD, "Timely Tracts:Past and Present", in Worship 26 (1952), pp.183-186.

A.:R:X;(IBI', "Four Ways of the Cross", in Review for Re ligious 23 (1964), pp .33-78.Scriptural pattern to revitalize Way of the Cross.

T.S'IONE, Christian Action , 12th Grade Teacher's Manual, Regnery, Chicago 1963.It contains nurrerous Bible Devotions set within the teaching pattern of CCD High School classes.

J. S'IOOELL, "Bible Holy Hour", in Worship 36 (1961), pp.35-38.Outline for eucharistic holy hour; a vital developrent of this devotion.

C. STlJHI.MUELLER, Bible Services for Christian Renewal , World Library of Sacred Music, Cincinnati 1965, 32pp.

J. SWEENEY, "Prayers at a Wake", in Worship 36 (1962), pp.113-115.There are cards and booklets for this purpose:Pax Aeterna , Pio Decirro Press, St. Louis; Prayers for Recitation at a Wake , a card adapted fran the Office of the Dead, Liturgical Press, Cbllegeville; Bible Devotions for a Christian Wake , a card corrpiled by J. Ibrnano, World Library of Sacred Music.

J. DE WIT!', "Family Missirn", in Worship 36 (1962), pp.466-471. Adaptation of Bible Devotion ideas for aek 's mission for Spanish speaking people in Southern Michigan.

World Library of Sacred Music, Inc., 2145 Central Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45214, has published many cards for holy hours and seasonal celebrations in the pattern of Bible Devotions, e.g.:J. KELCH.AK , Eucharistic Bible Devo tions - Card MP-5 (choice of readings for different occasions and a fine

Celebrations of the Word7

choice of music} ; Do FITZPATRICK, Forty Hours Devotion - Card MP-6 (uses some of Fitzpatrick ' s experimental music for the psalms and litany; an extremely interesting fo:rm) ; R. SNCM, Forty Hours Devotion (a modif ied service approved for use in the diocese of Pittsburgh , using sane experimental music by Mr.

Snow) .

As exarrples, we give here three plans for celebrations, which dif fer in style; one for peace, one for the dead, and the third for Christian unity. (Note: the following is a f ree translation of the French texts. )

I. For peace

-A- Stand

Singing: Psalm 121 (verses by the schola , ref rain by the camrunity) .

Abbot:

Almighty and eternal God, you hold in your hand the powers and the rights of all peoples. Look with favor upon those who govern us; may the life of the Church and the security of nations everywhere on earth be strengthened daily under your sovereign protection. Through Christ Our Lord.R. Amen.

-B- Sit

M:mition:

Men are divided, hate separates them. We know well where it has its source, after all: in sin. This is why there can be no deep-seated, sincere, abiding peace without a conversion of hearts , without the ac ceptance, through f aith, of the Savior.

Reading: Eph 2 , 6-22. MJrrent of silent prayer. Singing.

Stand

Reading: Mt 5, 1-12 (Christ himself tells us his program) .

Sit

Homilyo

-c- Stand

And now, let our prayer ascend towards Cod the Father , -for the Church, for all men and for our assembly.

Universal Prayer.

8Celebrations of the Word

Concluding prayer:

O God, Father of Our lord Jesus Christ, our only Savior, the Prince of peace, grant us peace, the peace that the world carmot give.

Consolation of the afflicted and strength of those who grieve, hear the prayers of those who call upon you.Whatever their sufferings may be, may all find in you salvaticn and true peace.Through Christ Our lord. R. Arren .

May the grace of Our lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the can

municn of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.

II. Fbr the dead

-A-We are gathered together to pray in a special way for those whom God has already called fran this world.All together, we fo:rm a single body:we are not really separated from our brothers.United to them we will pray, beseeching the irercy of the lord for these iren who have sinned.Trusting in this irercy, we will also tum our gaze towards the glory to which the lord, through his grace, calls us all.

Eternal rest grant to them, O lord. R. And let perpetual light shine upon them.

-B- Sit

Reading:Ez 37, 1-14. M:mant of silence.

Singing:Psalm 50, with refrain. Monition:

Hope in the resurrection must not make us forget that we also have to

follow Christ in his Passion.

Reading :Mk 15, 33-39.

Silence.

Psalm 87, listened to by all.

Mk 15, 40 -16, 3.

Singing: 11th respcnsory for Easter.

Hanily:Patristic reading, fran St.Leo's 8th semrn on the Passion, n.8.

-C- Stand

let us pray for the salvation of the living and of the dead, -with faith, let us call upon our God, the Father Almighty, who raised his only Son Jesus Christ fran the dead.

Universal Prayer.

Celebrations of the Word9

Compassionate Father, God of all consolation, you who encanpass us with an eternal love and near whom live all those who have died in peace in the faith, we give you thanks for our brothers whom, accord ing to your good pleasure, you have called back to yourself.

We ask you to hasten the ooming of your kingdom, so that, together with all those who have fallen asleep in you, we may enjoy eternal glory, through Jesus Christ OUr lord. R. Arren.

Final hymn.

N.B.Besides the readings that have been :rrentioned, sare of the following could be chosen :

Pericopes now being used in the Liturgy for the Dead. Old Testament :Is 53; Wis 3; Lam 3, 17-26.

Apostolic writings:Acts 10, 34-43; Fern 5, 1-11; 6, 3-11; 8 (above all

8, 1-4.9-23. 28-39); 1 Cor 15; 2 Cor 4, 10 -5, 10; Col 1, 12-22;

1 'Ihes 4, 13-18; Ap 21.

Gospels:Mt 25, 1-13; 25, 14-30; 25, 31-46; Lk 16, 19-31; 23, 35-46;

24, 13-35; Jn 5, 19-29; 6, 35-47; 11, 1-45; 12, 23-33; 17, 1-13.24-

26.

'Ihere is no reason why there should not also be a hanily or a reading which would serve that purpose -a reading chosen according to the cri terion given by the Consilium regarding homilies (Notitiae 1965,

pp.209 ff).A few suggestions:

Irenaeus, Adversus Haereses, 5/2/3; Athanasius, On the Incarnation, Ch.27; Chrysostom, Homily 41 on 1 Car 15, n.4; Ambrose, De bona mor tis, end of Ch.4 and sections of Ch. 12; Augustine, Sermons 172 and

173 (on 1 'Ihes; senron 173 was already used in the 11th century; cf. Martene); Augustine, City of God, excerpts (L. 22, c. 30); Leo the Great, Sermon 8, on the Passion, n.8; Caesarius of Arles, Sermon 151,

nn.2-3; excerpts from a 9th century lectionary for the dead (Revue Be

nedictine 1942, pp.25-27; Bernard, Sermon 5, for All Saints, n.5b-6.

III. For Christian unity

-A- O God, corre to our aid

Hasten to help us.

FOuse yourself, do not reject us forever

Redeem us because of your love.

10Celebrations of the Word

You make of us a point of issue for our neighbors

- OUr enemies laugh at us.

Do not hold against us the crines of our ancestors

Hasten to protect us by your mercy. Help us, 0 Q:)d, our Savior

Because of the glory of your Name. Abbot:

lord, Q:)d Almighty, bring us into unity through the bonds of peace and charity.May we fo:rm but one body and one soul in the one same hope and faith, so that we may all meet in one same love in Jesus Christ

OUr lord. R. Amen.

-B- Sit

'!he prophet announces to the exiled people the return and the reunion in the fatherland, but he also shows the way to unity:purification, gift of the Spirit.

Reading: Ez 36, 22-28. M:mant of silence.

Singing:Canticle of Jeremia (Thursday during the sumer) with refrain. When separated Christians will be reunited, the Cllurch will shine with a new luster.

Reading:Tobia 13

.lt>ment of silence. Singing.

Stand

Christ is the shepherd 'Who gathers together and leads his flock. Reading:Jn 10, 11-18.

-c- Abbot:

lord, you who will that your children be one in you, we pray to you for the unity of the Church.Forgive all that our separations awe to our pride, to our unbelief, to our lack of understanding and of chari ty; deliver us from our narrowness, our resent:Irents, our prejudices. Keep us from oonsidering as no:rmal 'What is a scandal to the world.

Teach us to recognize the gifts of your grace in everyone 'Who has re course to you, through Jesus Christ OUr lord. R .Amen. (Refoimed Lit urgy of France.)

Celebrations of the Word11

Universal Prayer:

For all those who bear the name of Orrist, that the '!NOrd of Christ may be accanplished and that their unity may be canplete:we pray to the

IDrd.

For the pastors of the diverse Christian Comnunions, that the '!NOrk of each one may build up even rrore the Body of Christ in unity:

For our Protestant brothers, that they may be rend in their attach ment to the Gospel:

For the Orthodox Churches, persecuted by the govemrrents of their countries, that they be not destroyed but rather strengthened by trial:

For the faithful of the Catholic Church, that their renewal in the

spirit of the Council may hasten the day of unity:

For those who lead the rronastic life in the different Churches, that we may be united in a greater fidelity to our vocation:

With one heart and one voice, let us say the prayer which makes us brothers:Our Father

Final hymn.

Mont-des-CatsFr. Gerard DUBOIS, O.C.S.O.

12

HOLY cross ABBEY:

A SHORI' ENGLISH VIGIL

Toward the end of August, Br. Kevin NIES of Holy Cross Abbey, Berryville, sent me a copy of the following project for a short English Vigil. It was

a pleasure to receive it and to profit by a careful study of it; and I know that many others will be glad to share the same experience. What is particu larly noteworthy is this: The project is going into its third month of suc cessful implementation. There are some projeats whih Zook very weZZ on pa per , but whiah work out less well in actual practice. In the presen t instanae, this is far from being the aase. Perhaps the best way of presen ting the baak ground of the project will be to quote in extenso from Br . Kevin 's letter and explanatory notes.-

-Fr. M . Chrysogonus

Holy Cross Abbey Berryville, Va.

Dear Father,

Reverend Father suggested that I send you a little sanple of the "Short English Vigil" which we brothers are presently having eve:ry Stmday at the same ti.Ire as the Night Of fice in choir.It is an optional Of fice which lasts between twenty - thirty minutes. There are nonnally about twelve brothers 'Wtlo recite the Day Hours in camon, and of these, nine have consistently partici pated in the Vigil.So far we have had seven Vigils, and the interest of

those participating (f ran their f avorable remarks and constructive criticisms) does not seem to have waned. This is reascn for hope of future develq:mant of our little experimant.

As you will see, the foJJnat is actually that of a sirrple Bible Vigil.

There are three readings (one O.T., one N.T., and a oc:IInelta:ry or a hanily or sooe other kind of excerpt) , each of which is follc:Med by a psalm and anti phon.The general desire for lengthier reading (expressed in the question naires, etc.) is certainly manifest in our a:mnunity.It is the foJJnat 'Wtlich might prove interesting to you, rrore so than the selected readings and psalms which could va:ry considerably, since we are not yet botmd to any set schema. Though it is nothing new, it has at least been experinented with, and it is capable of being lengthened (should that be desirable) or broadened while re taining the same basic structure of readings and psalms.

A Short English Vigil13

OUI'LINE

I. Invocation(kneel)

II. Old Testarrent Reading(sit)- Minute of silent prayer

III. Psalm and Antiphon(leader intones; can be recited various ways)

IV. New Testarrent Reading(sit)- Minute of silent prayer

V. Psalm and Antiphon

VI. Ccmrent:a:cy , Hanily, or Excerpt f ran the Fathers or Modem Authors Minute of silent prayer

VII. Psalm and Antiphon

VIII. I.ord , have rrercy. Christ, have rrercy. I.ord, have rrercy.(bowed)

IX. Prayer of the Day

X. Retire(profound bCM to crucifix)

EXPI.ANATICNS

RUBRICS (specifically external postures, etc.) are kept to a minimum. We sit for the readings, stand during the psalms , ba.v at the doxologies, and kneel for the invocaticn.There is no attention paid to any arrangenent according to order of seniority or particular place in choir.

OFFICERSThere are three readers and one leader (or president) . The leader intones the first verse of the psalm, and satetirres alternates throughout the psalm with the rest of the brethren.

READINGSWe folla.v no set schema of readings as yet.I have been choosing them each week , getting ideas f ran the Bible Missal as to the general or par ticular theire of each Sunday 's litw::gy.The New Testarrent does not necessari ly have to be the exact epistle or gospel of the day.

c::oMfilNTARIES, HCMILIES, etc.I try to scan sate of the Fathers of the Church first. Satetirres I use the sarre readings used by the choir (but not of ten) .

We have used Aemiliana Ldlr, O.S.B., two or three tirres.Twice they were ver:y good, but you have to cut out sate of the f la.ver:y language and beware of her forcing the Mass texts into her plan when they sirrply don 't fit into the theire she is tr:ying to bring out. She is steeped in the Fathers though.We used a little of Pius Parsch one tirre, a letter of St. Bernard, a passage f ran Stani slaus Lyonnet , S.J., on "The Law and Liberty in St. Paul" , f ran The Bridge.

PS.AIMSNo set schema.We try to have three that we do not have in the Day

14A Short Eng Ush Vigil

Hours, or at least a dif ferent translation of those we do say of ten. We use many dif ferent translations.Saneti.rres we anit verses of a psalm or take sane f ran another psalm and inoorporate them (nostly it 's just a matter of using a better adjective f ran one translation) .A few of us would like to canpare

the dif ferent translations and oone up with a mixture of them.Also, we would like to experirrent with the best way for any particular psalm to be :recited, e.g., by a psalmist alone, alternated with the leader, said antiphmally, or choir to choir.Much would depend on the psalm and its structure, etc.I

don 't knav if we ' 11 ever find the tine for all that though!

LENGTHOUr group seerrs satisfied with 20 - 30 minutes.One brother rernai:ked that our whole period of early rroming Great Silence is a "Vigil" , and that the greater part of this period need not necessarily include vocal prayer in choir.'Ihe:re is much neat in three lcng :readings and three psalms.

Many tell ne hav pleased they are with this Of fice.It 's very simple, just like a family praying together, with everyone intent ai listening and prof it ing by it.It seems to be making us rro:re aware of the impact God 's word can and should have on us.At the sane tine we are hearing parts of Scripture that we are not f amiliar with; and if we hadn 't gone to the Vigil, perllaps we

would be :reading sarething less worthy of the tine.For myself , I find that I am becx:xning rro:re attentive at the other Hours of the Of fice.

We would appreciate hearing f ran any of the other houses about a Vigil for the brothers.

Frate:rnally in Christ,

Br.Kevin Nies, o.c.s.o.

***The following pages presen t a concrete example of the Office described in the preceding pages.

A Short English Vigil15

NINTH SlNDAY AFTER PENTEOOST

Invocaticn:(kneel)

leader: I.et us prepare our minds and hearts to :receive the word of God. May Almighty God, who cleansed the lips of Isaia, the prophet, with a burning coal, cleanse our hearts and our lips , that we might worthily proclaim and :receive his holy word. To us it is given to knav the :reystery of the kingdan of God.

All: 'Ihose of us who have ears to hear, let us hear.

Old Testament: Jeremiah 7, 1-28 (Jerusalem Bible)

'Ihe word that was addressed to Jeremiah by Yahweh , 'Go and stand at the gate of the Tenple of Yahweh and there proclaim this massage. Say , "Listen to the word of Yahweh , all you man of Judah who care in by these gates to wor ship Yahweh. Yahweh Sabaoth , the God of Israel, says this: Amend your behav iour and your acticns and I will stay with you here in this place. Put no trust in delusive words like these: This is the sanctuary of Yahweh , the sanctuary of Yahweh , the sanctuary of Yahweh! But if you do amend your behav iour and your actions , if you treat each other f airly, if you do not exploit the stranger , the o:rphan and the wicbv (if you do not shed innocent blood in this place) , and if you do not follCM alien gods , to your am ruin , then here in this place I will stay with you, in the land that long ago I gave to your fathers for ever. Yet here you are, .trusting in delusive words , to no pur pose! Steal, would you, murder , ccmnit adultery , perjure yourselves , burn in

cense to Baal, follav alien gods that you do not knav? -and then care pre senting yourselves in this Terrple that bears :rey name , saying: NON we are safe -safe to go an ccmnitting all these abaninations ! Do you take this

Terrple that bears :rey name f or a rcbbers ' den? I , at any rate, am not blind - it is Yahweh who speaks.

Nov go to :rey place in Shiloh where at first I gave :rey name a hone; see what I have done to it because of the wickedness of :rey people Israel! And nav, since you have camnitted all these sins -it is Yahweh who speaks - and have :refused to listen when I spake so urgently , so persistently , or to

answer when I called you, I will treat this Tenple that bears my name , and in which you put your trust, and the place I have given to you and your ances tors , just as I treated Shiloh. I will drive you out of my sight, as I drove all your kinsman , the entire race of Ephraim."

16A Short English Vigil

'You, for your part, rrrust not intercede for this people, nor raise either plea or prayer ro their behalf ; do not plead with rre , for I will not listen to you. cannot you see what they are doing in the to.vns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 'Ihe children collect the wood , the f athers light the fire, the wcmen knead the dough , to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven; and,

to spite rre , they pour libatiros to alien gods.Is it really ire they spite - it is Yahweh who speaks -is it not in fact therrselves, to their CM1 confu siro? 'Iherefore , the Lord Yahweh says this: My anger and my wrath shall be poured out on this place, over man and beast, trees of the cotmtryside ,

f ruits of the soil; it shall bum , and not be quenched.

'Yahweh Sabaoth , the God of Israel, says this: Add your holocausts to your sacrifices and eat all the neat. For when I brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt, I said nothing to them, gave them no orders , about holocaust and sacrifice. 'Ihese were my orders: Listen to my voice , then I will be your God and you shall be my people. Folla.v right to the end the way that I ma.ik out f or you, and you will prosper. But they did not listen , they did not pay attention; they follCMed the dictates of their CMil evil hearts , refused to face rre , and turned their backs on rre. Fran the day your ancestors came out

of the land of Egypt tmtil today, day after day I have persistently sent you all my servants the prophets. But they have not listened to me, have not paid attention; they have gra.vn stubborn and behaved worse than their ancestors.

You may say all these words to them: they will not listen to you; you may call them: they will not answer. So tell them this , "Here is the nation that will not listen to the voice of Yahweh its God nor take correction. Sincerity is no rrore, it has vanished f:rom their rrouths. "

leader: I.et us bON our heads to the Lord.

MINUTE OF SILENT PRAYER.

leader: I.et us stand and respond to the word of God.

Psalm 61 (alternate with leader)

God, hear my cr:y for help, *

listen to my prayer!

Fran the end of the earth I call to you, with sinking heart.

To the rock too high for rre , lead rre! *

A Short Eng Zish VigiZ17

For you are my ref uge,

a strong taver against the enertlY.

I. et ma stay in your tent for ever , *

taking ref uge in the shelter of your wings.

You, God, accept my VONS, *

you grant ma the heritage of those who fear your narre.

I.et the king live en and en , *

proleng his years , generatien en generatien.

May he sit enthroned in God' s presence for ever! *

Assign your love and Faithfulness to guard him!

So I shall always sing of your name , *

fulfilling the VONS I have taken, day af ter day.

Antiphon: When I brought your ancestors out of Egypt * I gave them no or ders about holocaust and sacrifice. * These were my orders: * Listen to my

voioe , * then I will be your God and you shall be my people. * Follav right to the end the way I mark out for you, and you will prosper.

New Testament: Luke 19 , 41-48; 20 , 1-19

As he drew near and carre in sight of the city he shed tears over it and said, ' If you in your tum had enly tmderstood en this day the massage of peace! But, alas , it is hidden f ran your eyes! Yes , a time is caning when

your enemies will raise fortifications all rotmd you, when they will encircle you and hem you in on every side; they will dash you and the children inside your walls to the ground; they will leave not one stone standing en another within you -and all because you did not recognise your opporttmity when God of fered it!'

Then he went into the Tenple and began driving out those who were selling. 'According to scripture , ' he said 'my house wiU be a house of prayer . But

you have turned it into a robbers ' den. '

He taught in the Terrple every day. The chief priests and the scribes, with the support of the leading citizens , tried to do CMay with him, but they did not see hc:M they could carry this out because the people as a whole hung on his words.

NCM ene day while he was teaching the people in the Tenple and proclaiming

18A Short English Vigil

the Good News, the chief priests and the scribes cane up, together with the elders and spake to him. 'Tell us ' they said 'what authority have you for acting like this? Or who is it that gave you this authority? ' 'And I ' replied Jesus 'will ask you a question. Tell :ere: Jd1n 's baptism: did it cane f ran heaven , or f ran man?' And they argued it out this way arrong themselves , 'If

we sey from heaven , he will say, "Why did you refuse to believe him?"; and if we sey f ran man , the pecple will all stone us , for they are canvinced that Jdm was a prcphet ' . So their reply was that they did not kno.v where it came

f ran. And Jesus said to them, 'Nor will I tell you IT!Y authority for acting like this ' .

And he went en to tell the pecple this parable: 'A man planted a vineyard and leased it to tenants , and went abroad for a long while. When the time came , he sent a servant to the tenants to get his share of the produce of the

vineyard fran them. But the tenants thrashed him, and sent him awey errpty handed. But he persevered and sent a second servant; they thrashed him too and treated him shamefully and sent him away errpty-hanhe at a tine)

I was pressed, pressed, about to fall, *

but Yahweh carre to 11 help;

Yahweh is 11 strength and 11 sang, *

he has been 11 saviour.

Shouts of joy and safety

in the tents of the virtuous : *

Yahweh 's right hand is wreaking havoc, *

Yahweh 's right hand is winning, *

Yahweh 's right hand is wreaking havoc!

No, I shall not die, I shall live *

to :recite the deeds of Yahweh; *

though Yahweh has punished rte of ten , *

he has not abandoned rte to Death.

Open the gates of virtue to rte , *

I will care in and give thanks to Yahweh. '!his is Yahweh 's gateway,

through whidl the virtuous may enter.

I thank you for having heard rte, *

you have been 11 saviour.

It was the stone :rejected by the builders that proved to be the keystone; *

this is Yahweh 's doing

and it is wcnderful to see.

This is the day made rrenorable by Yahweh, *

what imrense joy for us!

Please, Yahweh , please save us. *

Please, Yahweh , please give us prosperity.

Blessings en him who cares in the narre of Yahweh! *

We bless you f:ran the house of Yahweh. Yahweh is God, * he smiles an us.

With branches in your hands draw up in procession

20A Short Eng lish Vigil

as f ar as the homs of the altar.

You are my God , * I give you thanks, *

I extol you, my God; *

I give you thanks for having heard rre , *

you have been my saviour.

Give thanks to Yahweh , for he is good, *

his love is everlasting!

Antiphon: My house shall be a house of prayer.

Ccmrentacy:(excerpt fran A. I.OHR, O.S.B., Mass through the Year , 9th Si.mday)

THE JUlkMENT OF LOVE

If we are God' s children , we have strength and certainty; and f ran these, joy flo.vs. T.he language of this joy was what the last Si.mday was telling us. Today the strength which we felt then gees on in a time of struggle, but the joy is not lost thereby.

God's children have no ranantically sirrple life to live , any rrore than his first-born , Christ , did. They are a manly people, heroic and courageous be fore death. Like Christ , they are a sign of ccntradictian for Satan and the world. T.heir call, "Father" , is as much a battle cry , as much a cry of need as it is of love. T.he Father 's nane isressicn of his being and his paver;

it gives protection to them in battle, and leads them. It is a sign, the seal of their victory. For the Father's sake , for his children's sake , Christ stands in their midst against the world. 'Ihe Father 's nane is the secret of the paver and the joy which shines on in the midst of the f rightf ulness of battle. T.he Father does not let his Christ go, as he f ights in the midst of the baptized.

In today 's gospel (Christ weeping over Jerusalem) , the Father's love canes to us in the fonn of judgnent. Christ weeps. The Father's incarnate love weeps for the lost city. She was chosen as God ' s of fspring to be the bride of his San; but she would not listen to the one who battled an her behalf , and won her.

The Father's love kno.vs no sentirrental pity; these tears are a judgrrent. The same I.Drd who wept takes up his whip in the tenple, and drives the im pious out, e:xpels those who were desecrating the house of prayer with their

worldly business. God 's life showed itself as a f ace of judgment , behind the

A Short English Vigil21

tears of Christ. Whip goes with sorrcM, both are judgment, both aim to heal

us.

The Father's d:lildren have need of both judgment and the healing lash.

St. Paul is our great witness to this fact; he opens the Old Testarrent in today's epistle before us , the story of the wandering people of Israel in the desert and the extraordimu:y picture-book in which the lord's love sets dc"'7n its providential signs of warning. "Everything which happened to them was typical. It was written as a warning to us." Israel, too, was the people of God, had received a typical baptism as it passed through the Red Sea, and lived by a food which cane dcwn f ran heaven. Nonetheless, it fell foul of God's anger because of its sin: only two of those chosen saw the land that

had been pranised all who went out of Egypt. We too are unsure of everlasting salvaticn, even though baptism has made us God's children , and Cllrist 's blood has nourished us. The way we have travelled, although it brought salvaticn ,

is surrounded an all sides by tenptation. In us the life of Christ is in ccn f lict with the world. Every m:ment can bring tenptatian and f all.

'Ihat does not nean that we are to live in terror of sin: "God is faithful.

He will not suf fer us to be tenpted beycnd our bearing." It is no way for God's children to be fearful rather than thankful for the graces of Scnship and the judgrrents of love." Directly upcn the serious adrroshrrent of the

epistle cx:nes the happiness of the gradual: "O lord, our lord, hc:M the majes ty of thy narre fills the earth." The sight of God's judgments awakens in the Father's children a joy and respcnsibility which is one of cheer. 'Ibey have a calling to carry . out his love's judgrrents. God acts through nen. '!heir holi- . ness is judgrrent against the world; therefore God 's children are to feel therreelves first and forerrost under the continual judgrrent of love. Their happiness is to be in the "law of the lord." In the holy sacrifice they seek to be near to the lord, and hence seek his judgr:rent. They knc:M that this is the place where the wol:k of their redenption and reconciliation is to be ful filled. The body and blood of Cllrist unite them to him; so they abide beneath the judgr:rent of his presence, which heals them.

'Ibis is the great content of our liturgy today: the lord, as he f irst came in flesh , and as he will at last care at the end of time , cares to judgr:rent. NCM he is the judge in his Father's house, the eaalesia.He ccrres to do judg rrent upon his CMn , to make them real sons of his CMn Father; not sons in name

22A Short English Vigil

alone, but true and holy sons.

leader: let us bav our heads to the Lord.

MINUTE OF SILENT PRAYER.

leader: let us stand and respond to the word of God.

PsaJm 17 (Grail, exce:r:pts)

You, O Lord, are my lamp, *

my God who lightens my darkness.

With you I can break through any barrier, *

with my God I can scale any wall.

'As for God, his ways are perfect; *

the word of the Lord, purest gold.

He indeed is the shield *

of all who make him their ref uge.

For who is God but the Lord? *

W:io is a rock but our God?

The God who girds me with strength *

and makes the path safe before me.

My feet you made swift as the deer' s; *

you have made me stand fi:rm on the heights.

You have trained my hands for battle *

and my a:rms to bend the heavy bav.

You gave me your saving shield; *

you upheld me , trained me with care.

Lang life to the Lord, my rock! * Praised be the God who saves me , the God who gaves me redress *

and subdues peeple under me.

You saved me f ran my furious foes. *

You set me above my assailants.

You saved me f ran violent men, *

so I will praise you, Lord, arncng the naticns: *

I will sing a psaJm to your narre.

He has given great victories to his king *

A Short English Vigil23

and sham his love for his anointed, *

for David and his sons for ever.

Antiphc:n: You, O Iord, are iey lanp, * iey God who lightens iey darkness.

lord, have rrercy. Christ, have rrercy. lord, have mercy. leader: I.et us pray.(brief pause)

lord, listen with carpassion to the hunble prayers of your pecple, and that you may grant what they desire, make them ask only for that whidl pleases you. 'Ih:rough Jesus Christ.

(Profound ba.v to crucifix and retire)

Holy Cross Abbey Br.Kevin NIES, O.C.S.O.

24

A "HG1ILEI'I'E" AND THE PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

There are said to be three things that apparently seem useless.The f irst is a full noon at noon; the seoond is rain at sea; and the third is preaching to priests and religious.Despite all that the Constitution on the Liturgy has to say about the utility of the hanily and the f act that "it is esteemed as part of the liturgy itself " and "should not be anitted except for serious reason" , we have had dif ficulty in oonvincing sane of the nonks of this abbey of this truth.

During the past year, we of this ccmnunity have been t:rying sanething that seem.s to fulf ill the functicn of the hanily , and yet is shorter and to the point.Instead of a hanily we have introduced what we like to call a "hani lette".The foundation for making this seeming innovaticn is based on a docu ment issued by the Consiliurn on January 13, 1966. Article 7 states:

It belongs to the celebrant to engage the people in this camon prayer by pronouncing a preliminary adnoniticn of great liturgi cal or pastoral importance. This instructicn , which is usually brief , and which is always addressed to the people and not to God, may be centered on the liturgical ti.Ire of the year, the therre of the feast of the day, of the life of the saint being celebrated, and should lead into the prayer which follc:Ms.This preliminary adm::>nition may be anitted for a just cause, especially if the can non prayer imnediately follCMS the hanily.

Fran the above , one gathers that the preliminary adm::>niticn of the Prayer of the Faithf ul is similar in fo:rm to a homily, and that at times the hanily may take its place.

We have made this adm::>niticn into a short "hanilette" related, usually, to the gospel of the day.

A visiting bishop recently cx:mrended our Abbot on the brevity and aptness of his hanily.Actually, Father Abbot had merely read what we like to call a

"hanilette" , an introduction to the Prayer of the Faithful based on the gospel of the day.

'lhe follc:Ming are sarrple "hanilettes" taken f ran those delivered here during the past year.They are f requently based en the documents of Vatican II or on the introductions to the Sunday Masses as found in the Bible Missal.

A "Homilette" and the Prayer of the Faithful25

FORI'Y HOURS

Christ is always present in his Church , in her liturgical celebratians But as the Constituticn en the Liturgy re minds us , he is especially present under the Eucharistic species.I.et us pray for one another in order that we

might manifest externally our belief by our devotion during this Forty Hours I:evotion.

Petitions follow. They are usually based on those found in the Bible Missal.

The petitions also vary aaaording to local needs.

1st SUNDAY OF LENT

The seascn of Ient has a twofold character: first, to bring to mind our Baptism whereby we were incorporated into the Mystical Body of Christ; and then to call us to a life of penance which will dispose us to hear rrore diligently the word of God, to devote ourselves to prayer, and to joyfully celebrate the paschal TISte:ry.I.et us pray that we may be

f aithful to our Ienten obligaticns.

Petitions follow. Concluding Prayer:

Heavenly Father, .listen to our prayers and look rrercifully upon our penance;grant that your Church , cleansed of sin, may approadl Easter with the spiritual joy of the Holy Spir it:This we ask through your Son and our lord, Jesus Christ. R. Arren .

2nd SUNDAY OF LENT

In today's gospel we behold Christ in glo:ry.He wrought this wonder to let us see rrore clearly that he became man in order to redeem and glorify all of us.For this reason, too, he gave us the Sacraments.by their visible signs and paver the whole man is af fected.I.et us pray that we may be open to the paver of the Sacraments, and thus make our bodies and

souls ready for the glorious transfiguration.Based on the Bible

[Missal.

Petitions and aonaluding prayer follow.

26A "Homilette and the Prayer of the Faithful1

!

3

3rd SUNDAY OF LENT

On the f irst Sunday of lent we beheld Jesus being terrpted by Satan.In today 's gospel our Lord explains to us how the e vil spirits strive to take possession of us .let us pray for one another for strength to be f aithf ul to our baptismal vows by :rejecting Satan and all his works, in order that the power of Christ might conquer through us.

Petitions follow. Concluding Prayer:

Heavenly Father , listen to our prayers and look on us with rrercy.Help us to be f aithful to our baptismal VCMS in or der that we might be the children of Light.This we ask through Jesus Christ, your Sen and our Lord.R. Amen.

HOLY THURSDAY

This evening we are rerrerrbering an event that happened long ago.We call it the Lord's Supper a rreal during 'Mlich Je sus changed bread into his Body and wine into his Blood.

This evening we are not only remembering this event; we are actually renewing it in the IT!YSte:cy we are about to celebrate. let us pray for one another in order that we might worthily partake of this Supper of the Lord.

Petitions follow. Concluding Prayer :

O loving Father, we are about to renew once again the Supper of your Son.Foster within us a social love in order that, by sharing in the suf ferings of Christ , we also might extend our love to the entire world.This we ask in the name of your Son and our Lord, Jesus Christ.R. Amen.

PENTECOST SUNDAY

The Liturgy of the Word in today's Mass highlights the con trast between the absence of the Paraclete and his active presence.Instead of weakness , darkness, ignorance, there is strength, there is light , there is truth.let us pray for hearts cleansed by the Holy Spirit, that we may dedicate our selves to the renewal of the Church in this post-Counciliar era, so aptly called a New Pentecost.

A "HomiZette" and the Prayer of the Faithful27

Petitions foZZow. ConaZudirzg Prayer:

Heavenly Father, you sent forth the Holy Spirit at the re quest of your Son Jesus Christ. May we who bear the name of Christians be so united by the bond of love with Christ, that we may be transfomed into ever greater tenples of the Living God: Through Christ our lord. R. Amen.

4th SUNDAY AFTER PENTEOOST

Saint Paul, in the first lesson of this 4th Sunday after Pen teoost, makes :reference to that future age when the :renovation of the world will take place. 'Ihe Constitution on the Church

.reminds us that our Church is a pilgrim Church, and in this world she dwells anong creatures who groan and travail in pain until nCM, and await the :revelaticn of the sons of God.Let us pray for the Church, for we are the Church, and thus must be a sign to the world of that glo:ry which waits to be be :re

vealed within each one of us. Based on art. 48 of the Constitution

[on the Churah.

Petitions foZZow. ConaZudirzg Prayer:

Heavenly Father, look upcn us, the pilgrim Church of your Son. We have been signed with your Holy Spirit, yet we ask of you the grace to share in that final glo:ry which has yet to be re vealed through Christ our lord. R. Amen.

Vhat we have introduced here on a local nonastic level, others might also find helpful, especially in :religious commmities where p,reaching of any type always seems to be too long. The short "hanilette" can take the place of the

hanily since it applies the gospel text and makes it relevant to the asserrbly. On a pastoral level the short hanilette might easily be introduced into the daily Mass.Variety always helps to hold the attention of the congregation. 'Ihe hanilette is especially suited to weekdays when the Prayer of the Faith ful i.nmadiately folla-.rs the Gospel. With the use of the hanilette, it is

hoped that the Holy See will penni.t the Prayer of the Faithful always to fol la-.r the Gospel, instead of the Creed.

Abbey of the HoZy SpiritFr.Anthony DELISI, O.C.S.O.

28

A I.DCAL PRQJECI' FOR REFECIDRY PRAYERS

A few days ago I received a request for information fran Fr. Cienent de BOtJR.mT of Bellefrntaine. For the past year or so, Fr. Cl.em:mt has been a member of a group of Benedictine and Cistercian cantors who meet f ran tine to tine to discuss prcblems dealing with the music of the liturgy in Frendl.

Readers of the French versicn of this bulletin, Liturgie, are already grate ful to Fr. c!Efuent for his clear and extremely helpful reports of discus sions held at Bellefcntaine late in 1966 (1) and again at BcxiUen in mid-April

of this year (2) . Fr. Clemant is currently worltlng en yet another report, but of a sanewhat dif ferent nature. The Cistercian abbots of the southern and western regicns of France have included cm the agenda for their Octc:ber m:et ing a discussion of ironastic refectory prayers, ccnsidered especially fran a practical point of view. Fr. Cienent is busy gathering material; and having heard that I too am ccnsiderably interested in the questic:n of refectoi:y prayers, he asked me for a brief status quaestionis aboutCMn work in this area.

Kncwing that rather many English-speaking superiors and cantors have a similar practical interest in the questirn of refectory prayers , I suspect that it might serve a useful purpose ifIl'elrorandun, sketchy as it is, ap pears in our liturgy bulletin. I am only too -well aware of the limitaticns and provisional nature of the project about to be described. But I also knew that similar projects are already being inplenented in a nuriber of our carmu nities; and it could well be that the appearance of a few sanples of the Gethsemani project will lead to fruitf ul discussions , and the eventual publi cation within these pages of similar but better projects. It may be said in

passing that no less than 30 pages of the first issue of Litur>gie et Monas ter>es: Chr>onique (3) are devoted to precisely sudl a collection of refectory prayers in Frendl and Dutch. Pe.Ihaps it will be possible to publish an Eng lish florilegium of such texts (with nrusic) in the near future.

But before describing the local Gethsemani project, let me insist on the

limitaticns of this nenorandum.

Re feator y Prayers29

The Need for Biblical Research

I have absolutely no intention of even touching an certain absolutely fun

dan:ental questions -particularly that of the theological significance of our neals in camon. At the sarre tine, I wish to insist an the priority of

irrportance which should be accorded this question by anyone even rerootely in te:rested in a :revision of our :refecto:ry prayers. The:re a:re few hunan actions so rich with deep neaning as that of our sharing a neal together. Neither F:reud nor Jtmg would disag:ree with this staterrent. And any student of carpar ative :religicn could write or speak at g:reat length en the :religious inport

of the ca:mon :repast in all cultu:res, at all tines, and in all places. But if this is true in a general way for all :religions and cultu:res, how much rro:re true is it not for Christians, whose food is the Body and Blood of the Lord, and for whan eve:ry neal taken in ccmncn partakes of sarething of the natu:re

of the Eucharist? Clearly , any :revision of our :refecto:ry prayers should lie in the general di:rection of our making rro:re evident the :religious and specif ically Olristological significance of eating together in a fellowship of

faith and love. OUr ef forts at :revision of our :refecto:ry prayers will be without success unless they sa:rehow lead us to a deeper experience of the Iey'ste:ry of Olrist p:resent and living in our camm.mity. I the:refo:re urge as a neoessa:ry preparation for shaping up sudl a project, a neditative study of those biblical texts which best bring out the :religious significance of the neal. I wish to :recarm:md, in particular, two works which will be ext:r::emely helpful in this :regard. The first is the essay by Fr. Jean DANIEwU, S.J., "The Banquet of the Poor." This is easily accessible to English :readers in

the collection of the author's articles gathe:red under the general title, The Lord of History(4) . Richly :resonant as the English title of the essay is, however, it fails to suggest the sccpe of the a:rea actually cove:red by Fr.

Danielou, and indicated by the title of the original Frendl version , "I.es re

pas de la Bible et leur signification" (5) . Perllaps even rro:re helpful a:re the two voltmes of Bible Themes -A Sourae Book , by Dan Thier:ry MAERI'ENS,

o.s.B. (6) . A close study of the :references and camients corresponding to the words "neal" , "b:read" , "wine" , etc., as given in the alphabetical index by subjects, will provide the :reader with a superabtmdance of material.

The Need for Historical Research

Another a:rea of fundarrental inportance which this mem:>randum does not di

:rectly deal with is that of pu:rely historical :research. lihat is the source of

30Re fectory Prayers

our present refecto:ry prayers? Are these prayers truly representative of a real traditian? Hav have nonks prayed in the refecto:ry in past ages, and in dif ferent cultures and fomi.s of nonastic life? What can we leam f ran a study of these sources? 'Ihese questions should be asked - and answered. For my self , I realize ha.v superficial have been my own explorations in this field

of historical research. I wish , ha.vever, to mention the titles of a feM books

and editions of source material which I found particularly useful. La Maison

Dieu 18 (1949 ) , contains , besides the article by Fr. Danielou mentioned

above, a nurrber of other extrerrely helpful essays in keeping with the general there of the issue , "'Ihe rreal, bread, and wine." {Sanewhat less practical, I suppose , but wcnderfully enjoyabl e, for all that, is the exce:rpt fran RABE LAIS' pen, which appears in the sane issue - "Exposition de caballe nonas tique en matiere de boeuf sale." )

For specifically rronastic usage , the classical older a:.mnentaries an the Rule are invaluable -particularly those by Paul WARIBFR:ro (7) , HILDEMAR (8) who fella.vs Paul Wamef rid ve:ry closely, SMARAGDUS (9 ) , Peter BOHIER (10) , and Cardinal John TURRECREMATA {To:rquernada)(11) . 'Ihough not quite a carmen

ta:ry in the strict sense, BENEDICT of Aniane' s Concordia regu forum , in which passages f rom the Rule are folla.ved by pertinent parallel passages taken f ran

sate one or nore of the 26 other rules fran which he quotes, is extrerrely helpful. Of the later ccmnentaries, the classic one by Dan MAR:rlNE, O.S.B., reproduced in PL 66 , is alnost the nost practical one. Alrrost, because the

one by the encyclopedic Prior of Af f lighem, Dan Benedict HAEFTEN, O. S.B., in disputably should hold pride of place. The whole of the tenth "disquisitio of his Disquisitionum Monasticarum Libri XII is devoted to questions toudling an the refecto:ry , food, and f asting (12) It is to be regretted that copies of this carmenta:ry, to which Martene and others ave so much , are extremely rare. By folla.ving up the references given in these pages, one can easily obtain a small libra:ry of source material which includes, besides St. Benedict's Rule, the earlier Regula Magistri , as well as texts by Cassian , St. Basil, St. Pa chanius and his disciples, and a host of others.

No less irrportant than the oomrentaries an the Rule are nonastic rules other than the one attributed to St. Benedict, and the custan-books which show ha.v these rules were actually put into practioo. For the nonastic cus tanaries, Dem Bruno ALBERS ' Consuetudines monasticae{five volurres in four)

(13) retain their ccnsiderable value , even though they have been replaood in

Re fectory Prayers31

part by the critical editions of texts included in the first three volumes of the new mcnumental collection edited under the general supervision of Dan Kassius HALLINGER, O.S.B., Corpus Consuetudinum Monasticarum , Sieburg

1963 - Pp.LIX-LXXIX of Vol. I of this latter series of fer a rich bibliog raphy of available editions of the rrore important custan-books. Anyone ccn cemed with the questicn of refecto:cy prayers would do well to consult as much of this material as is possible. For the Cistercian tradition, the fun damental texts are contained in the earliest redacticn of our usages (extant in a manuscript written shortly before 1134 ) edited by the late Fr. Bruno GRIESSER, S.O.C., Die "Ecclesiastica Of ficia Cisterciensis Ordinis" des Cod . 11?1 von Trient , in Ana lecta S.O .C. 12 (1956 ) , pp. 153-288. This editicn in

cludes the variant readings of the f amous manuscript type ( ca. 1183) nCM cat alogued in the Dijon Municipal Libra:cy , Ms. 114 (82 ) , as well as of several other 12th oentu:cy redactions of the Cistercian Usages. These, plus the par allel sections of the 1689 Rituale Cisterciense , demcnstrate clearly enough that the Cistercian refecto:cy prayers have undergcne precious little evolu tion in the past 800 years.

But we should also include arrong other oojects of historical research a number of ccnterrpora:cy publications. Af ter all, publications of our CM1 time belcng just as much to histo:cy as any of the source material indicated above . Possibly the rrost practical collecticn of refecto:cy prayers is the substan tial carpilation by Fr. M.D. BOUYER, O.P., Le Livre de la table : Priere s pour le repas , Paris 1966. A preview of the general style of the contents had been given at an earlier date in a series of projects by P. OOUROUBLE, "Benedic ticns de la table" , which appeared in Notes de pastoraleliturgique in 1962-

1963 (14) . 'lhe collection included in Liturgie et monastere s : Chronique I, has already been rrentioned above. In Gennan , Dan Michael vcn WI'IOOSKI 's Tischgebete (15) , edited by the Byzantine Rite priest , Fr. Johannes PETERS , is a bit disappointing to anyone expecting a series of texts phrased in the

rich image:cy of the Christian East. As a matter of fact, even the traditicnal Byzantine "Of f ice at Table" provides surprisingly few really noteworthy texts

(16) . In English, rrention may be made of the chamri.ng collection carpiled by Paul S. McELROY, Prayers and Graces of Thank sgiving (17) . Unfortunately, the great diversity of material included in this slender tare precludes the pos sibility of any kind of stylistic unity; but many of the texts invite adapta tion, even when they cannot be adopted as such. No less chamri.ng is W. L.

32Refectory Prayers

COOK ' s collection, Mealtime Graces for the Family (18) , even though biblical sources are scarcely alluded to, and even though the prayers are sanewhat shapeless and highly individualistic. Still, the texts are inspired by deep

Olristian sentiments and the facts of ew:ryday life. It is true that the nealtime prayers "For a Family Picnic" (as well as those "For a Family Pirnie

-Rained In") might seem less pertinent for nonks; less pertinent, too, the graces for days "When Dad Gets a Pay Raise" or "Son or Daughter Makes the Honor Roll" . But rrost rronks will find in such a series of hanely prayers the sort of spontaneity and irrmediacy which we miss in the s.irrple, chaste, clas sical prayers found in the rronastic sources.

A Few General Emergents

A :reasonably caref ul study of the material rrentiened above :resulted not only in the acCllmUlation of a formidably massive pile of notes, but in the energence of a few general .irrp:ressions.

1- I could not help but be .irrp:ressed with the sheer amplitude of most of the :refecto:ry prayer fomrularies. Often enough , the prayers take on the fo:rm of a fully structured Of fice, carplete with psalnody. All this is rather dif ficult to explain if it is ne:rely a questien of "blessing the food." My own feeling is that, in practice, the theological foundations lie deeper. The im portant thing seems to be less that the food gets blessed, than that the brethren gather for a ireal in camion. The ccmmm.ity ireal, then, takes en an ecclesial dinension of deep religious .irrport. Would it be going too far to suggest that the f amily neal is as much an "epiphany" of the local church as the carmon celebration of Sext or Canpline? Thus , our praying together in the refecto:ry takes en the nature of a carmunity celebratien in the deepest sense of the word.

2- Yet another general .irrpression was this ene: Although the present re fecto:ry prayer fonnularies contain many riches, they f ail to ccnvey these to the average :religious in any :really ireaningf ul way -at least over a leng period. Further, the present :refecto:ry prayers entail a number of illogically grouped elenents and vestigial relics which have long since lost their raison d 'etre. To :recognize this fact, and to take the steps necessai:y to correct

it, is s.irrply to be f aithf ul to the directives for liturgical :refonn given by

the 2nd Vatican Council. Thus , there is no question of our losing anything, but rather of our recovering what has already been lost, so far as the great er number of us are ccncemed.

Refectory Prayers33

3- In general, very few of the traditional refectory prayer fonnularies draw extensively on the inmense wealth contained in the biblical sources.

I am also in sufficient contac. with rrw ONn cannunity and other carmuni ties to knCM that many of the brethren feel a need for a drastic simplifica tion of the refectory rubrics.Though it is easy enough to justify each par ticular point when taken singly, the individual rubrical prescriptirns do tend to accmtulate and to take an -according to same of the brethren -op pressively massive proportions.So many bows! so many turnings this way and that!Granted that the problem is often grossly exaggerated, the c:::arplaint nevertheless has its elerrent of truth.

Inmediate Background of the Gethsemani Project

Although rrw cannunity has always taken advantage of pennission to use the rrother tongue so often as this faculty has been legitimately available, I hesitated for as long as possible before tackling directly the prcblem posed

by the refectory prayers.In general, rrw feeling is that it would be against

the interests of fruitful refo:rm to abandon Latin so often as the rite in English will raise as many or even more problems.In most instances, the ad vantages of using the rrother tongue far outweigh the conccmitant disadvanta ges of using the rrother tongue.But in the case of the refectory prayers? I felt that, in general, the use of English would only thrc:M into greater re lief the intrinsic deficiencies of the present fonnulary .Thus, even though we had available an official Cistercian translation of the refectory prayers

(17), I preferred to continue with the Latin version, pending the revisirn of the rreal prayers themselves, persuaded that the refectory prayers in English would raise even rrore problems than the sarre refectory prayers in Latin.

There was yet another reason behind rrw hesitation to adopt the English ver

sion.For sare tirre our carrmmity here at Gethsernani has been busy rebuilding our rronastery quadrangle, wing by wing.Our refectory is nCM in a state of utter derrolition, and we have been taking our meals in a terrporary refectory an the second floor of what used to be the old guest house.The tercporary re fectory straddles two separate large roans connected only by a narrc:M pas sageway.'As if this were not bad enough, the whole area has already been treated with "acousticon", with a view to eliminating as much noise as pos sible in what will later be used as an area for offices and roans for visit ing fathers and brothers of the brethren. Thanks to our Br.Kilian, who has a

34Refectory Prayers

charism for all tlrlngs electronic, our excellent public-address system makes it possible for the reader at table to perfonn his functicn without difficul ty.But for all other pmposes, the sound sirrply evaporates.Accordingly, we are in the worst possible situation for praying together with dignity and beauty .It see:rred to rre that the concrete situaticn was such that it preclud ed the possibility of any really fruitful ad experimentwn project for the re fecto.cy.

As it tw:ned out, I was wrcng.

Reverend Father's private council rea::mnended the adopticn of English for the refecto.cy prayers at the earliest possible date.'Ihere was an initial un successful atterrpt to obtain pennission to revise the prayers themselves; but this difficulty was renoved in the i.nnediate aftennath of the recent General Chapter.As a result, I was able to revise one of my earlier projects with a view to its imrediate irrplerrentation in the context of.our terrpora.cy refecto

.cy. 'Ihis project had a rather short-lived existence.At the end of the first five days, I could see that it called for further revision.But let rre ex plain.

The First Project

My intenticns were of the best.'Ihe fonnula is familiar to the point of being trite: oontinuity with the best of traditicn, openness to the concrete exigencies of the i.nnediate local situation.In my initial project, I failed to achieve an ideal balance between the two.

Atterrpts to ensure "continuity with traditicn" can sanetimes result in too material an atterrpt to retain the letter of the law.I had made a careful study of our venerable Cistercian refecto.cy prayers, and rather hoped to main tain major sections of them relatively intact.So let us now examine the gen eral structure of our traditianal dinner and supper prayers, secticn by sec ticn, and see how, in my initial project, I atterrpted to maintain a more or less parallel structure in the dinner fonnula.cy. Perllaps it will help the reader if he has before his eyes the outline of this first project, pp.40-41. As for the notes 'Which now follow, these will be anly the sketchiest of de scriptions; nor will any atterrpt be made to indicate all the scholarly ref erences necessa.cy for oontrolling many of the statercents.

Re fectory Prayers35

Before Dinner

a- Benedicite. I have the general irrpression that na.vadays most of us

think of the "Benedicite" in tellilS of the ordinacy introduction to our speak ing. In point of f act, there was once a time when the phrase was used in western rronastic circles to initiate ahrost any and eve:ry action (18) , wheth er it was a chapter meeting, the day 's work , or a rreal. The word itself is a tnmcated ra:ruest for a blessing. Ha.v should it be translated? Should it be translated? Should it even be retained? After pandering the matter at length, I concluded that an overly literal attempt to salvage the "Benedicite" would be inadvisable. In the Latin formulacy , "Benedicite" presents dif f iculties when thought of as a ra:ruest for a blessing: the blessing cores only af ter a series of versets , the short litany, and the lord's Prayer. Further, a number of correspondents have told rre that they think of the fo:rmula more as an in

vitation to pray - "I.et us bless the lord." 'Ihis is, of course , sanething along the lines of an acclamation-fonnula. As sudl, it seems to of fer an ex cellent way of beginning a ccnmunity action; and the liturgy abounds with in stances of versets used in precisely this way. I felt, then, that a fo:rmula similar to "I.et us bless the lord" , sung by the cantor or sane other desig nated person , would serve our pw:pose ve:ry well. At the same time , I felt

that we had here an ideal chance of introducing a certain discreet variety. What about a variable acclamation , the text of which would be brief , but in keeping with the liturgical season or the feast? The idea seared to be a good cne. (It still seerrs to be a good one.) Accordingly , I proposed that the can tor sing a short introducto:ry acclamation , to be repeated irmediately by the a:mnunity. This is what we did -and it is also what we still do. So far, however , we have used only a single formula, i.e., "Blessed is the man who shall feast in the kingdan of God! " OUr return to our pe:rmanent refecto:ry

will doubtless mark the adoption of a certain number of other texts. In the rreantirre, the present formula serves admirably to set the theological tone of the camrunity rreal: each of us is this man called blessed, because he is feasting at table with Olrist, in a rreal which has about it sanething of the

eschatological messianic banquet in the kingdan of the Father.

b- Versets. The "Oculi annium" versets, followed as they are by the doxol ogy, seem to be a vestigial relic of the longer psahrody attested to by so many of the early documents I examined, and in which psahrody seerred to play

an inportant role. Accordingly, I did not hesitate lcng in recasting the

36Re fe ato:rry Prayers

"Oculi amium" text as an English psalm-section consisting -with the doxol

cx;JY -of four lines.

c- Kyrie.The short litany here or elsewhere enjoys no independent exist ence.Traditionally, it has been used in this and similar contexts to prepare for the Lord's Prayer, as Fr.JUNGMANN, S.J., rightly insists in his reveal ing article, "The Lord's Prayer in the Ranan Brevicu:y" (19). Since I had ev e:ry intention of preserving the Lord's Prayer as the rreal-prayer par excel lence ("Give us this day our daily bread"), it was all but inevitable that I think in tenns of retaining the traditional short litany.Which I did.

d- Lord's Prayer.For sare time, I have been enthusiastic about restoring the Lord's Prayer to its rightful place of irrportance in the rronastic Office

-a place of irrportance not accorded it at the present tine.As a result, it was only natural that I should attempt sarething similar with the Lord's Prayer in the context of the refecto:ry prayers.Anyone.who has studied the use of this essential prayer in the liturgy knavs that its particular reso nance depends in large rreasure on the context in which it is used.Often, in deed, it is the ftmction of an embolism or sare similar carpanion-for:mula to suggest hav this or that petition of the Lord's Prayer applies to any given context.Just as there is an embolism attached to the Lord's Prayer in the Mass, extending the "Deliver us fran evil" clause, there would nav be an em bolism attached to the Lord's Prayer in the refecto:ry prayers, extending the clause, "Give us this day our daily bread," and shaving hav this petition ap plies here and nav. It would take rre too far afield to explain my historical and pastoral reasons for being opposed, even bitterly opposed, to praying the "OUr Father" for the rrost part in silence.In brief, my plan was to have the Lord's Prayer begtm by the hebdanada:ry priest, but joined in by the ccmm.mity at the operative words, "Give us this day." Finally, a variable embolism prayed by the priest would serve as the blessing formula.Being variable, this embolism would make it possible to relate the carmtmity meal to the feast or fast or liturgical season, or to sare other precise context. I also intended to avoid all those distressing discussic:ns about the exact nature of our blessing-for:mula -is it a blessing for the food? a blessing for our selves? or a blessing for both? Further, I was not tmaware of the fact that there are brethren who feel that, tmless accarpanied by the sign of the cross, no blessing-for:mula will "take effect." It is certainly a truth which we cannot ever adequately appreciate, that eve:ry grace and blessing cares to

Refectory Prayers37

us through the love of Christ revealed upa1 the cross, and it is only natural that this fundarrental truth be expressed at tirres in cm.responding gestures. But 11 avn impression has been that1 in practioe, the refectory signs of the cross lend themselves too easily to a perfuncto:ry, pro forma kind of execu tion; and at times in the past they have even led to heated discussicns as to the precise direct.ion in which the cross is to be made (pace, 12th centu:ry Cluniacs and Cistercians) My intention, then, was to leave the matter of making the sign of the cross entirely optionaL This is not to suggest any lack of concern on 11 part for the centrality of the cross in our CC11text.On the contrary, 11 purpose was to thrav this into new relief.The refecto:ry prayers would be prayed by the brethren turned tavard the refecto:ry cross.A rroderate bow at the do:xology would obviate the necessity for a profound bow made turned "in choir".Thus, fran beginning to end, the eyes of all could be trained on the cross, and the opening psalm verse, "The eyes of all look hopefully to you, O Lord," would take on a particularly rich resonance.In IT\Y avn rronaste:ry, this is particularly meaningful, because the refecto:ry cross, not having a corpus , takes en the fonn of the eschatolCXJical cross, the sign of the Son of Man caning in glocy v the herald that precedes the perfect can ing of the kingdan and the everlasting marriage-feast of the Lamb, the messi anic banqueto

e- The Blessing of the Ieader.'Ihe so-called "blessing of the reader" is no blessing of the reader at all, as is clear as soon as one examines the fonnulas.It is really a reduplication of the fo:rmula for the blessing of the rreal, or of the ccmnunity gathered for the meaL It seemed imprudent to anit any such blessing camected with the reading, however, since the refecto:ry reading is an :important part of the meal in our tradition.Would it be pos sible to integrate sudl a blessing with the embolism to the lord's Prayer?

Pel.haps, but this would result in a two-rrember embolism petition which oould be a bit unwieldy.Besides, the reading :is, per se f separable fran the meal. My solution, which has worked well, was to have the presiding Superior add, after the embolism, a short blessing quite parallel to those used for the Night Office.'Ihese blessings, incidentally, are not intended for the reader, but for those listening" Accordingly, I shaped up a small reperto:ry of varia ble prayers to be used when there is reading at table.

After dinner

a- Confiteantur" The Lat.in text is, once again, a vestigial fragrrent of a

38Refectory Prayers

longer psalm with doxology -the capiteUa or capituZum of certain early source material.Excellent as this text is in this place, I decided it would be better to substitute the universalist call to praise and thanksgiving of fered by Ps.116, since this psalm is only rarely said after supper in rrost of our rronasteries, where the brethren are free to leave at the end of a quarter-hour of public reading. I did, hCMever, introduce the psalm by the cantor's introductory invitaticn, "Let us give thanks to the Lord our God!" There is scmething a bit too abrupt about launching into a psalm with no pre vious preparation.

b- Agirnus tibi.The fonnula is concise and apt.But it seems a bit out of place if one examines the overall structure of the Latin fonnulary .A collect is the nonnal way of concluding a rite such as the present one. In point of fact, this fonnula occurs before Ps.50, which is follaved by the silent Lord's Prayer and a series of versets; and though it all ends in the "Retri buere" (designated as a verset in our liturgical books), this is a prayer for our benefactors rather than a prayer of thanksgiving.But the question of the collect is inseparable (I think) fran that of Ps. 50 and the procession to church.So let us consider the "bloc" of fonnulas connected with this p:rooos sicn.

c- Ps.50 and Procession.There seems to be a general disaffection for the after-dinner procession to church.Does this procession have any real theo logical significance? Probably so, since it appears tine and tine again in so many of the sources.Early d.ocmtents, hCMever, speak not of a procession to church, but of a procession to the altar.Evidently, there is here a ccn scious attenpt to link the carrm.mity meal with the Eucharistic banquet:and this should provide us with much food for thought.At the same tine, rrost cantors are persuaded that there are few things more trying to the patienoo of the conscientious cantor than the after-dinner procession to church.Dif ficulty is also caused by the fact that a number of the brethren have to re

main in the refectory for dishwashing and connected chores, and this sare tines means that only about half of sore cannunities are able to take part in the cannlmity visit to the altar.There is the further difficulty caused by the lack of variety in the psalm and versets; they can be prayed all too eas ily in a :routine manner.Hav then could we shape up a rrore prayerful, func tional fonn of thanksgiving, and make clearer the riches navadays only im plicit in the traditional p:rooossian to church? The answer, I felt, lay in

Refectory Prayers3

using variable prayer texts which would errphasize the Eucharistic thenes in herent in the traditional fonn:ulas, and in introducing a short litany-prayer which would cover the sarre area covered by the post-Ps. 50 versets with the

p rayer for benefactors, and the versets f or the departed and for absent brethren. 'lhe result was a new arrangenent of fonnulas: a short litany con sisting of variable petitions detennined by particular events, and ccncluded by a variable collect of the "Agimus tibi" type. I was decidedly happy with

the idea of the variable litany. 'lllere would be , of course, standard peti

ticns always at hand -petitions for the poor, the hung:ry, for benef actors, for the departed in general; but it would also be possible to use petitions occasioned by death notices received in the noming mail, or by events on the local or international scene. All in all, the psalm-litany-coll ect arrange ment seened a good one.

Before Supper

'llle general structure of the Latin fonnula:ry is identical with the cne for dinner. At the present time, hc:Mever, supper is a "celebration" considerably less anple than dinner; and even the thanksgiving af te:rwards is prayed by

each indivi.dual qua individual, whenever he happens to f inish his meal. 'llle prayers before the meal , then, invited revision in the direction of sanething rich, but less anple. 'lhis. was an excellent opportunity, I felt , for restor ing to our prayer reperto:ry the traditional blessing-prayers of the biblical type, "Blessed be God, who has "'llle structure of this kind of prayer is sinq;>le but theologically profound.God is first praised because of sane cne

of his precise interventicns in Holy Histo:ry, or because of his mercy, his un f ailing goodness , etc.'lllen his blessing is invoked upcn us -the notive of this request being the actions or attributes alluded to in the opening phrase of the prayer. In order to provide a meaningful setting for this blessing for mula, I had it preceded and follc:Med by an acclamaticn sung first by the can tor and then repeated by the rest of the brethren.

On the follc:Ming two pages you will find the original project, but without any of the variable texts meant to be prayed by the hebdanada:ry.Sles of such texts will be given in the final pages of this article.

Refectory Prayers

F I R S TP R O J E C T

For all the following prayers , we remain turned toward the refectory cross, making a moderate bow only at the doxology, "Glory be to the Father etc."

BEFORE DINNER

The Cantor sings the following acclamation, which all repeat after him :

((: )BEl0acm1e10g 'I

BLESSED is the man who shall feast in the kingdan of God! ij.

IBIQ..I

C:

1- The eyes of all look hopef ully to

2- You o-

3- Glo:ry be to the Father, and

4- As it was in the beginning, is nav,

(;

you, pen to

and ev-

/

0Lord, *AU continue, your handsinging every- theSon,thing.

ershall be,

IOIc

0If

00n b

1- and you give them their food in due season .Cantor I.ORD, have rrercy.

2- and satisfy the desire of ev'-:ryliving thing.

3- and to the Ho-lySpirit.

4- world without end.A-rren.

The hebdomadary priest prays

"- - ---+o'lel'- - - - - - -'--'"e'a8- - - - - - - tlthe first part of the Lord 's

------0 -,,, , ;;;;;;-,:--------0---......0.....,.---tt-Prayer. We join in at the place

AU QiRIST, have rrercy.Lord, have rrercy.

HebdomadaryOUR Father, who art in heaven ,

hallowed be thy narre; thy kingdom care;

indicated.

thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

AUGIVE us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive those who trespass against us ; and lead us not into terrptation ,

but deliver us f rcm evil.

The hebdomadary continues the prayer with a variable embolism, at the end of which we answer Anen. If there is to be reading at table, the presiding Su perior asks for God 's blessing upon us, and we answer once a.gain, Arren.

AFIER DINNER

The Cantor sings the following invitation to thanksgiving, which all repeat: