Emmanuel, God With Us

Greetings from Our Prior

There are different traditions in the church that speak about the different comings of Christ that we celebrate during Advent. One tradition is the “twofold coming of Christ.” For example, St. Cyril of Jerusalem wrote that “There is the birth from God before the ages, and a birth form a virgin at the fullness of time. There is a hidden coming, like that of rain on fleece, and a coming before all eyes, still in the future.” There is also a tradition which I like very much of the three comings of Christ as taught, for example, by St. Bernard of Clairvaux. The first is the promise, Christ entering the world with a human nature in the womb of Mary coming to seek out and save that which was lost. The third is the final, the fulfillment of the promise, the Advent that brings him again in the world to judge the living and the dead and draw all things to himself. But between those two St. Bernard speaks of a second coming, the one that I think is the most

important for us: Christ being present in our souls, his passage not only through the world, but through our lives.

So often we see Jesus proclaiming the good news of the reign of God not as something in the future, but as something here, “already in your midst,” as in the first chapter of Mark: ‘The time is fulfilled; repent, and believe in the good news, the kingdom of God has come near.’ And he sends the disciples to say the same thing: Then Jesus called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal. (1)

The point is this: focusing too much, as we usually do, on definitive breaks in history––back then or later––can be a real temptation to distraction. As a friend who is a scripture scholar loves to point out, “If not now––not then!” And I always add, “If not here, not there!” Jesus’ ministry was based on the reign of God that has come near, on our lips, in our hearts, fulfilled in our hearing and, even more, fulfilled in our living it. And our lives ought to be based on that too. I can’t help but think yet again of that great line that the angels have for the apostles at the ascension: ‘Men of Galilee, why are you looking up in the sky? This Jesus who has been lifted up into heaven will return.’ (2) Why are you standing there looking in the sky? Jesus saw the reign of God coming imminently, with his own preaching of it. Origen’s famous word for this was autobasileia–the self as kingdom. Jesus embodied the reign of God all by himself, in his person. That means that wherever Jesus is present, the kingdom of God has come near.

Remember his inaugural address in Luke's Gospel? (3) Jesus goes into the synagogue, opens the scroll, and reads: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ The kingdom of God is at hand! And again in Luke 17, when Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered: ‘The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, “Look, here it is!” or “There it is!”

For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you. (4) How many times a day do we pray, in the words that Jesus gave us, “thy kingdom come,” and then we immediately define what we mean by that by saying “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”? Those two phrases are intimately connected: “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth”––in me! The Kingdom of heaven, the reign of God is nothing other than the Holy Spirit reigning over our thoughts, words and actions, the inner energy of the Spirit of God governing our souls and our bodies, “on earth as it is in heaven.” In the words of Jean Yves le Loup, the Kingdom of God is “the reign of love, love that informs and directs our other faculties.” (5) Then we are autobasileia; where we are the reign of God is at hand––reigning in me.

If not now, not then. If not here, not there.

(1) Lk 9:1-2

(2) Acts 1:11

(3) 4:18-21

(4) Lk 17:20-21

(5) Being Still, Jean Yves le Loup, 47.

 Fr. Cyprian Consiglio OSB, Cam

 Prior, New Camaldoli Hermitage

MESSAGE FROM THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR

Please join us for NCH Sponsored Programs 2024:

Feb. 9^th -11th : “The Gospel Mysticism of Ruth Burrows , Part 3” w/ Fr. Stephen Coffey; Hybrid

Mar. 1st-3rd: “The Divine Work of Bees” with Vickie Conte ; In-Person only at NCH

Apr. 5^th-7^th: “At Play in Creation: Thomas Merton’s Hagia Sophia w/ Fr. Stephen Coffey”; Hybrid

May 24^th -26^{th: :} “Finding Sanctuary in Nature, A Guided Hiking Retreat with Gary Marcoccia”; In Person @ NCH only.

June 23^rd-28^th: “SB Iconographer’s Workshop”- In person only at NCH; SOLD OUT

July 12^th-14^th: “ Journey to the Wild Heart of Contemplative Wisdom with Amy Frykholm”; Hybrid

Aug. 2^nd-4^th: “Writing from Silence with Heather King”; Hybrid.

Sept. 6^th-8^th     Annual Oblates & Friends of the Camaldolese Retreat and Assembly @ Villa Maria del Mar;    Hybrid

Sept. 26^th-29^th: “Nature, Beauty and Gratitude, a Guided Hiking Retreat with Gary Marcoccia”; In-Person @ NCH only

Oct. 4^th -6th: “Maintaining Contemplative Calm in A Chaotic World with Judith Valente”; Hybrid.

Nov. 1^st-3^rd: “The Gospel Mysticism of Ruth Burrows, Part 4 with Fr. Stephen Coffey”; Hybrid

Dec. 6^th-8^th: “Preparing the Way for the God of Peace with Fr. John Dear”; Hybrid.

For more info or to register, please go to Eventbrite/New Camaldoli/Events:

https://www.eventbrite.com/o/new-camaldoli-hermitage-10900976400

Be sure to follow New Camaldoli on Eventbrite for the most current information about upcoming programs and events delivered right to your inbox.



Questions? Please email: louise@contemplation.com

Message from the Oblate Chaplain of Incarnation

Advent awakens all the great themes, memories, dreams, events, and traditions of our faith. Among them: Emmanuel, God with us.

The sacred season of Advent also stirs up to the surface all the deep desires and longings of our hearts, minds, and bodies for Emmanuel, God with us.

Lost in the stunning beauty and wonder of advent, new images, sensations, words, and feelings grow gratuitously within us collectively and individually. The human and the Divine begin their dance which they have always done since the beginning of time. Emmanuel, God with us.

As our Advent journey continues to unfold before us

towards the mystery of Christmas,

we will discover

ever-deeper

the many unexpected and surprising ways

Emmanuel is, indeed,

with us.

Let us be aware,

with startling revelation, that

step by step,

breath by breath,

second by second,

Emmanuel will continue

to be in union

and synodality

with all of creation.

Happy Feast of the Incarnation of Jesus, our brother!

Fr. Arthur Poulin OSB Cam

News from Incarnation Monastery

During these Fall months, three of our monks have been traveling. Br Thomas Mazzocco spent the month of October

at the Vatican, leading Morning Prayer as part of the Camaldolese scuola during the Synod on Synodality. Streaming and following our Camaldolese monks in Morning Prayer provided continuity to Incarnation Monastery's previously held Zoom presentations and discussions on the Synod. 

Back in Berkeley, twelve of us continued singing with our first ever, Camaldolese in Harmony. ,It was great fun going through our Lauds and Vespers book singing the psalms and hymns that are written in two/three - part harmony.

We had our second Quiet Collage Day, a time of exploration in a prayerful and collaborative community. 

We continue in our fourth year of weekly Collatio on the Sunday Gospel. Held on Zoom, our community includes those both near and far. All are welcome to join on Saturday mornings.

In November, Frs Bede Healey and Arthur Poulin were at Camaldoli for the General Chapter. We look forward to their return and hearing about their experiences (unfortunately a hospital stay for Fr Bede). We are grateful for Frs John Gribowich and Raniero Hoffman for presiding at Incarnation during November. 

The Thanksgiving season brought us a donation drive for Dorothy Day House in Berkeley. Led by JP Misheff, a resident of Incarnation Monastery Guesthouse and a volunteer at Dorothy Day House, this was an opportunity to shift our focus from celebrating a Thanksgiving feast together to giving to those in need.

God is With Us in this Advent and Christmas season. At Incarnation Monastery we reflect on those in our Camaldolese community who have gone to be with God. In September we had a special mass for Don Emanuele Bargellini (beloved monk and former Prior General) and Yvonne Rose (longtime oblate), who both passed in the same week.

We also remembered Br Joshua Monson, of New Camaldoli Hermitage, with a piano concert in his memory, with music Br Joshua requested for his funeral.

Jackie Chew

Oblate

On Sunday, December 10th, Oblate Jacqueline Chew presented a beautiful heart-felt piano concert in loving memory of Brother Joshua Monson at New Camaldoli Hermitage. Each piece chosen by Jackie carried with it a special memory of Br. Joshua. Those in attendance were moved by the performance and shared their own "Joshua stories" informally with each other. What a perfect way to honor and remember Br. Joshua.

Mary Pat George

Oblate

Message from the Oblate Chaplain of NCH and MRC

Oblate life is formed by the Rule of St. Benedict. Of course there are parts of the Rule that are obviously more apt in this formation than others. Perhaps the most pregnant of the Rule’s pearls of wisdom is the bold statement: “Prefer nothing to the love of Christ.” Its context is rich in providing further light on what it means to live according to the Rule of St. Benedict. This statement marks the end of the first section of Chapter 4: The Tools of Good Works.

The beginning, the middle, and the end of a section give helpful hints in interpreting the mind of St. Benedict, given his love for the “sandwich” technique in composing the Rule. The meat of the sandwich then is “Renounce yourself in order to follow Christ,” while one outer slice of bread is the conclusion “Prefer nothing to the love of Christ.” And the other slice of bread is the chapter’s beginning exhortation: “First of all, love God with your whole heart, your whole soul, and all your strength, and love your neighbor as yourself.” This exhortation is found in all three Synoptic Gospels, and it echoes the heart of the Rule’s Prologue: “Having our loins girt with faith and the performance of good works, let us set out on the way under the guidance of the

Gospel.”

Of course, a good sandwich contains more than meat and bread and this section of Chapter 4 is no exception. Following the Gospel as guide, Benedict cannot divorce love of God from love of neighbor, so the next ingredient in the sandwich is the second tablet of the Decalogue culminating in the Golden Rule: “Never do to another what you would not want done to yourself.” And immediately follows the meat of the sandwich: “Renounce yourself in order to follow Christ.”

Notice that the exhortation to “renounce” oneself follows the negative pattern that has been established from the commandment “you are not to kill.” But then Benedict subtly initiates a shift in direction by supplying the motive for renunciation which is not at all negative, namely, “in order to follow Christ.” After recommending discipline and fasting, Benedict then enumerates several corporal and spiritual works of mercy to illustrate concrete positive ways of loving neighbor, all rooted in the Gospel. Another ingredient to enrich the flavor of this gospel sandwich! Thus for Benedict loving neighbor, following Christ, and preferring nothing to the love of Christ are all interrelated aspects of Gospel living. Indeed what Benedict subtly hints at is that Christ is the God who became neighbor, and the one who reveals God’s love in his Incarnation.

Our liturgical Advent-Christmas season helps us each year to more deeply realize the profound implications of the mystery of the Incarnation and its significance for oblate life. Advent is a good time to reflect on the hymn in chapter 2 of Paul’s Letter to the Philippians, where he exhorts that community to imitate (follow) Christ who: “Though in the form of God did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at but rather emptied himself.” He emptied himself first in Incarnation, and then in death. For Benedict our “renunciation” is not that of lone rangers, but in union with that of the one who “emptied himself.” This is the very meaning of the word “oblate”: to make a gift of oneself, to renounce oneself, to prefer nothing to the love of Christ! The little Rule of St. Romuald reflects his Benedictine spirituality so succinctly: “Empty yourself completely and sit waiting, content with the grace of God.”

Fr. Stephen Coffey OSB, Cam

Oblate Chaplain

MRC and NCH

From Monastery of the Risen Christ

O Antiphon, Dec. 21

"O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice;

come and shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death."

Mary Pat George

Oblate

Happenings in the Hive

As a beekeeper, on the Big Sur Coast, Winter is a time to prepare equipment in anticipation of the growth taking place inside the hives. After the Winter Solstice, the day light hours begin to lengthen. The longer days trigger the Queens of the hives to start laying eggs.

It is also the rainy season; the rains bring flowers.

The 1st major nectar flow, here at the Hermitage, is the Blue Gum Eucalyptus. Then, comes the citrus, California Pepper trees, cape ivy, and manzanita.

The honeybee colonies have both pollen and nectar to gather and fed to the growing young. It is a time in which the colony is quickly multiplying in numbers. The queen can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day. It takes 21 days for a worker egg to go through a complete metamorphous and a new bee emerges from its cell.

By mid January, the colonies are in full swing.

The temperatures can be too cold to open the hives for inspection. It can be a frustrating time for a beekeeper who is wanting to manage the colonies.

Bees are great teachers of patience and humility.

The greatest skill you can learn as a beekeeper (believer) is listening.

Listening to the very heartbeat of the hive (God).

During this season, as we gather around the tables of family and friends in celebration, may we give thanks for the Creators great design.

The very food we eat is due to the process of pollination by a tiny insect.

May our hearts grow in gratitude as we live out our lives on this beautiful planet called Earth. May we be good stewards of the land we each live on.

Vickie Conte

Hermitage Gardener and Beekeeper

Oblate

Welcome New Oblates

My journey to becoming an oblate at New Camaldoli Hermitage goes way back to 1971. I was 17 years old and in La Salle Academy High School in Providence, RI. I was not religious at all and was caught up in all the changes of that time. Our religion teacher invited a group of young persons who were in the local St. Patrick charismatic community. This was a dynamic community where people were living together in apartments in a low income area, started a food bank, used furniture store, etc. and had over 300 people coming to weekly prayer meetings. I was taken by their message and had a strong encounter with God at this time.

At one of the first meetings, I went to the book table and purchased ‘Contemplative Prayer’ by Thomas Merton. That started my study of Merton and his approach to inner prayer. He totally captivated me in his many writings. I developed an interest in joining a monastic community.

However God had other plans and I met my future wife, Sandra, at a prayer service and we eventually married in 1975.I was very entrenched in our local prayer community at university and led prayer meetings. I also felt God leading me to social justice issues and became attached also to the Catholic Worker, visiting NY’s St Joseph House and being involved in local social justice issues in Rhode Island.

Life changed for me though in the 1990’s. As my family grew and work became more a central concern of mine, I became less involved in the local church. At this time, my wife and I also had a conflict with our pastor and I was dealing with other issues that caused me to drift away from my faith. Through all this though I still had a strong connection to Merton’s writings and contemplative prayer, even if not as intense. There were times though that I questioned my faith completely and it became a minor influence on my life.

Jump ahead to 2020. My best friend gave me 3 books for my birthday – biographies of Thomas Merton, Dorothy Day and Daniel Berrigan all by Jim Forest. This initiated a renewed encounter with the living God in my life. I began to regularly pray and started reading the psalms for Lauds and Vespers as well as reading the daily gospel. I also craved the Eucharist and began attending mass again. Reluctant to join a parish though, I was invited to be part of a weekly zoom centering prayer group that started at the beginning of Covid in 2020. We are now entering our 4th year and I consider it my faith community.

During Covid, I read about New Camaldoli and loved its emphasis on the balance of the eremitical and cenobitic life. It was what Merton was about as he evolved. I contacted the Monastery about becoming an Oblate and was mentored by Helena for a year (wonderful job Helena!). This year I worked with Helena, Mary Pat and Fr. Steve on a time for a week retreat and oblation (which was Oct 7).

As I write and ponder this journey through all the years leading up to this, I can see that God was with me (Emmanuel) in the good times and bad. It is hard to see God's presence in the tough times, but when we look back, he never leaves us – we are just not always aware of his presence. Emmanuel ‘With us is God’ (the literal Hebrew translation).

John Romano

who made his Oblation at New Camaldoli on October 7, 2023

Nathan Lerud making his Oblation at New Camaldoli on October 10, 2023

From the Donor Relations Manager

As we read the life of Saint Romuald by Saint Peter Damian, and the Constitutiones of Rodlofo I, we can read between the lines the role of the proto- Camaldolese Oblates.

In chapter II of the Constitutiones, Rodolfo narrates how Saint Romuald, after building a hermitage of five cells for five brothers, (the two Peters, Benedict, Gizo Teuzzo), he goes downhill to settle a “Hospitum” in the place called Fuonte Buono. This Hospitum was established with one monk and three “conversos”. The conversos were not monks but lay people who prayed with the monks and shared their talents to support the monks. This lodging for visitors has been considered the triple bonum: The first

one is the hermitage; the second is the monastery; the third the Hospitum. The monastery was the place of formation for those who would become candidates, to live the solitary life. The Hospitum was the place to welcome the pilgrim. This way, the Hermitage was isolated and far from the noise of the world.

These conversos, in their direct interaction with the world, were the filters and support between the hermitage and the world, always responding with gentleness and providing with charity.

One thousand years later, our oblates continue praying with the monks using their Camaldolese Psalter. We continue giving with charity the support the monks need to keep their hermitage far from the noise of the world. We support those who we come in contact with and those who come in contact with the hermitage.

As the year ends, we can review our response of gentleness with the stranger and oblates. Did we follow the Benedictine rule of hospitality? We can also review whether we provided with charity. I think these two considerations are key to our participation in God With Us, as we welcome the other at all times, and in all circumstances and as we provide with charity whatever talents time and treasure we have to offer.

As we close another financial cycle for the hermitage, I am always amazed by the charity and gratitude of many donors and friends, be it in the kind gesture, the thoughtful text, the timely gift, or the generous financial donation to our monks.

Meeting our budget of 2 million dollars is never an easy task. Frequently we fall short due to closures and calamities. The monks and I are always grateful for all of the gifts you offer and for your spiritual and financial support throughout the year.

I wish you all a blessed Advent and Christmas season and a joyful New Year.

Gabe Quiroz

Donor Relations Manager

small in the arms of Mary

One day ... when it is in accord with His perfect Will

I will fly to His side ... and reside

Reside by Him who has called me

To perfect eternal life, in Him

He loved me from the beginning of this world

To be Holy ... and reside in this Temple.

A Temple made of living stones

Beautiful in His sight.

Rejoice, for Our Lord draws near to those who love.

Draws near to all those who do His will

Come and rejoice ... the end is near,

Near, in every moment of Life

Year turns to year, in Grace toward life in Him

Advent, a moment in grace ... to know Him

Who comes in glory and appears

So every Soul, born in the flesh.

Incarnate, yet small and held in Mary's arms

Born like us in all things .. .loved into Being

To live and die and live again

So that we might live always in Him

Alleluia.

Jackie Sterios

Celebrating Upcoming Oblate Anniversaries

JANUARY

2006 – Miki Ilaw

2011 – Mary Alice Nolan

January 3, 2019 – Daniela Kuehn

January 3, 2020 – Ivan Gaal

January 4, 2023 – Randy Morales

January 7, 2017 – Charles McCarron

January 19, 2014 – Rob Herrmann

January 22, 2016 – Phillip Saunders

January 23, 2007 – Regina Boisclair

January 23, 2016 – Cameron Borton

January 26, 2004 – Deborah Smith Douglas

FEBRUARY

February 1, 2009 – Marty Badgett

February 3, 2019 – Michael Perko

February 3, 2019 – Kathleen Van Sickle

February 7, 2019 – Frank Barrett

February 14, 2016 – Lisa Bruzzone

February 14, 2016 – Bill McLennon

February 19, 2023 – Steven Hendrickson

February 21, 2021 – Pat Collins

February 21 – Ron Tompkins

MARCH

March 3, 2021 – Lynn Baker

March 17, 2012 – Charlotte Pace

March 20, 2007 – Kay Gilles

March 27, 2009 – Richard Flout

March 2022, Laetare Sunday – Doug Herbek

Blessings 

Jackie Chew

Oblate

Wishing you and yours a blessed Christmas!