Vocation Awareness Days Spring 2009

During Easter Week, 260 students from 16 Catholic Schools in the rural region of the Archdiocese of Omaha, and 30 students enrolled in the Schuyler Religious Education program, gathered at St. Benedict Center to learn more about vocations to the Consecrated Life and priestly ministry. The events are co-sponsored by the Vocation Office of the Archdiocese, the Omaha Archdiocesan Association for Consecrated Life, and the Knights of Columbus Councils in the area who graciously made funds available for the events. Students took a test to prove their knowledge on vocations in the life of the Church; they listened to several presentations by sisters and brothers from various religious communities and priests from the Archdiocese; interacted with the presenters and enjoyed a game of Bingo as well as refreshments and lunch. It might have been the first time in the history of the Benedictines on Mission Hill, that a basketball game between a student and presenter took place in the St. Benedict Center Chapel! The point of this activity was to stay tuned – to communicate between players – and to be open to communicating with God who calls each one of us by name to a unique way of life. The Celebration of Eucharist and a brief awards ceremony concluded the event. Fr. Paul Hoesing, vocation director for the Archdiocese, presented 30 students with a Bible in recognition for their perfect score on the vocation test. Let us continue to pray for vocations to the Consecrated Life and ordained ministry!

Two Monks Head North

After sharing hospitality with the Senior Class of Mount Michael on Wednesday, February 18th, Brothers Andrew and Damian headed to Bow Valley and Wynot (a two hour drive north of Schuyler) to give two presentations about monastic life to over 150 students.  The first destination was East Catholic Elementary School in Bow Valley, where the two monks spoke to all 60 students (first to sixth grade) about the Benedictine way of life.  Br. Damian shared a powerpoint presentation of a day in the life of a Schuyler monk and told a few stories from the life of Saint Benedict.  Following the presentation, both monks answered questions from the students, some of which were quite entertaining (“Do you like Elvis?”).  After distributing Saint Benedict medals to the children, Brothers Andrew and Damian enjoyed the hospitality of a deacon candidate and his family at their home, along with other deacon candidates from the area.  It was then off to Wynot for a repeat performance, though this time with around 100 CCD students from the clustered parishes of Cedar County.  Even with such a large audience, the students (ranging from first to twelfth grade) remained attentive and asked a great number of good questions about monastic life.  When asked how many present had ever met a monk before that evening, not one student and only a few of the adults raised their hands.  The great benefit of these school and parish visits is exposing younger generations to the monastic vocation and presenting it as a life-giving way to serve God and the Church.   

Brothers Andrew and Damian with their gracious hosts

The Incredible Gift

For the past ten years, members of the Schuyler Lifeteen ministry have collaborated with the monks of Christ the King Priory to produce a Christmas pageant during the annual Christmas on the Hill event at St. Benedict Center.  It is a wonderful opportunity for the teens, youth ministers and monks to work together to preach the Good News of Christ’s birth in a new and dynamic way each year.   Each member of the production dedicated several weeks of their time and talent to create a meaningful and entertaining pageant.   

This year’s pageant, The Incredible Gift, was based on the opera Amahl and the Night Visitors.  It is the touching story of a young handicapped boy who journeys with the Three Wise Men to pay homage to the Newborn King.  The boy offers the only thing he has to Jesus, his wooden crutch, and is healed of his handicap.  The Three Magi, each one presented with distinct and humorous personalities, are also healed of their human shortcomings and weaknesses.  The story is ulitmately a lesson in trust, perseverance, and the personal transformation and healing that comes from the love God shares with us through his Son.

Over 400 guests at four separate shows braved the winter chill to follow the star of Bethlehem with Amahl and the Three Magi around the grounds of Saint Benedict Center.  After the show, all were able to warm up to a cup of hot chocolate or cider and a selection of Christmas cookies.   Younger guests also enjoyed a Christmas storytime and a visit with Santa Claus, while the older ones had a chance to browse through the craft show.  The events were a fitting way for all to prepare for the joy of the Christmas season.

Click on the slide show to view the entire photo gallery:

 

Destroyed: Schuyler Life Teen Retreat

“Abba Alonius said: ‘If I had not destroyed myself completely, I would not have been able to rebuild and reshape myself again.’”  -from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers

Saint Paul writes in his Letter to the Galatians of how he “persecuted the church of God beyond all measure and tried to destroy it” (Gal 1:13).  Following his conversion he would go on to preach: “He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began, but now made manifest through the appearance of our savior Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim 1:9-10).  The same man who attempted to destroy the faith through persecution was overcome by the power of Christ’s destruction of death through the glory of the cross.

The Life Teen ministry of Divine Mercy Parish in Schuyler hosted their annual fall retreat at Camp Rivercrest.  The theme for the weekend was “Destroyed,” and was inspired by the life, conversion, and ministry of the Apostle Paul.  This theme is particularly appropriate as the Church celebrates the “Year of Saint Paul.”  Retreatants were challenged to destroy all the things within themselves that are not of God, to be rebuilt in Christ and to be filled with the Holy Spirit.  Fathers Germar and Thomas served as confessors during a celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Brother Damian was present the entire weekend as a small group leader.   All three monks were impressed with the great openness of the young people to the movement of the Spirit, their prayerfulness and great faith.  They were filled with a renewed hope in the witness of young people in the Church and the world.