At our meeting this morning, with all our members present, I extend to you three novices my congratulations on your decision to pronounce vows in this community today. We accept you to journey with us. Welcome. We are pleased with your presence in our community. Let´s continue to journey together.
We have offered you almost two years of monastic formation. We tried to give you the best formation possible within our limitations. I believe we gave you a taste of Benedictine life. Apparently, you liked it, and want more.
I want to take the opportunity now that we are all together to share about who we are, and about how I see our mystic-prophetic posture.
We are men in a Benedictine Priory of international character, and at the same time, well rooted in Midwest Brazil, specifically, in the State of Goiás. We are the only Benedictine monastery in this region. We were born during the dynamics of Vatican II; we grew up with the theological and pastoral challenges and joys of those times. They continue to mark our life-style and ministry. We were received in the Diocese of Jataí by Bishop Benedict Cóscia, OFM, a young bishop, foreigner like our founders, a Council Father, Franciscan, missionary. He supported us as we supported his vision and efforts to build Church on the budding Brazilian frontier.
We are a dependent Priory, distant from our Abbot. We have his blessing and confidence. We are dependent on the Abbey, and the Abbey always treats us with respect, as if we were independent.
We are distant from other monasteries, not however, aloft of their qualities and significance in the history of Brazil. We are participating members of the Brazilian Inter-Monastic Conference since its beginning. We have been beneficiaries of the hospitality and friendship of other Brazilian monasteries.
Our history is parallel to that of the Benedictine Sisters, also established in Mineiros, since the early 1960s. We are graced to have journeyed together with them, with respect, collaboration and fraternity.
We have buried some of our monks – Father Otho, Bishop Matthias, Fr. Henry, Fr. Eric, Brother Robert, Father José Machado, and our founding abbots – Cuthbert, Thomas and Brendan, all of very happy memory. We are eternally grateful for them, and count on their intercession.
We continue to be few members of St. Joseph Priory. We are not saints. Because of this, we need the monastic life, and one another. We are sojourners.
I´m professed 49.5 years; Fr. Joaquim, 34.8; Fr. Josias 29.9; Fr. Rodrigo, almost 13 and Fr. Vinícius borders on 7 years. With Brothers Diego and Haroldo, that gives a total of 125 years among us gathered here today, of monastic life and witness in St. Joseph Priory.
We know the Cross, and joy of the Resurrection. Before one another and the people we serve, before our bishops, we are responsible men, zealous, creative. We are honest, without fear or laziness. We are committed. People, who know us by association or having heard about us, always manifest confidence and count on us.
We are humble, perhaps too much so that we don´t propagate all the great things we do. We seek God, and respond with faith and conversion, as well as abnegation, discipleship, mission and communion. As presbyters in many communities, and rooted in liturgical theology where we celebrate live and faith in the Sacraments, we encounter the Lord of Life. Life given for life. We encounter what we seek; we live the mystery that is God. We bend ourselves before and over Sacred Scripture to nourish ourselves and to be able to nourish our people.
We respect the dignity of the lay vocation to evangelize family, culture, science, arts, politics, church pastoral programs and friendships. We treat with priority communal prayer of the Divine Office and personal prayer.
The Lord Jesus is constant and faithful friend and master, not only One whom we seek, but One we encounter. From this and other friendships, we maintain attitudes, sentiments and beliefs that mark our lifestyle.
We are not strong on formalities. We practice solidarity, present to one another.
We are not pious, but believers and dedicated, ecumenical, promoters of peace and justice.
We are conscious of our history, the reality we live in, and of our frailty. Signs of the times have great significance for us. We know where we want to go as Benedictine monks.
We are creative in our pastoral zeal, respectful in our friendships, obedient and disposed. We have time for one another.
We are few; and we leave a marked presence in the dioceses where we serve.
We have economic stability, and we value frugality. We humbly recognize with immense gratitude all we have received from the generosity of benefactors who love us and believe in us. We never want to abuse this gratuity.
We have plans to intensify vocational promotion. This is work of everyone - making contacts, giving witness, and personal prayer and sacrifice. I invite all to dedicate time, creativity and effort to this. May the Lord of the Harvest bless our Priory and us all.
Duane Roy, OSB, Prior
Goiânia-GO, December 17, 2010
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