Benedictine Monks from Oklahoma Become Missionaries to the Irish Church
Are we witnessing the beginning of a monastic renewal for a new missionary age of the Church?
Dom Mark Daniel Kirby, and the brothers gathered with him, represent the best of the monastic life. They are moving their entire community to Ireland, a land which once gave the world monks, missionaries, and martyrs. They are doing so in order to help bring about the healing of a wounded Irish Church.
Our Lady of the Cenacle Icon of the Monastic community
PrintCHESAPEAKE,VA. (Catholic Online) - In March of 2010, Pope Benedict XVI wrote a letter to the Catholics of Ireland. It can be read in its entirety here. I encourage you to read this letter for two reasons.
First, because it counters the nonsense caliming the Church has not acted in the face of this crisis. But more importantly, because it gives us a profound insight into the gift of the Catholic Church and the quality of her leadership.
Pope Benedict XVI "pulled no punches" as they say in writing this strong letter. The Irish Church is undergoing a time of profound purification. She is in need of repentance and renewal.
However, the Pope also laid out a vision for the future. He reaffirmed the history of the Church in Ireland and her missionary accomplishements around the world. He encouraged the Irish faithful by rekindling their hope. He knew their hearts had been broken and expressed his fatherly concern for their well being as well his solidarity.
He ended his pastoral letter with a prayer he composed, telling the faithful, "I wish to conclude this Letter with a special Prayer for the Church in Ireland, which I send to you with the care of a father for his children and with the affection of a fellow Christian, scandalized and hurt by what has occurred in our beloved Church."
Here is the Prayer: "God of our fathers, renew us in the faith which is our life and salvation, the hope which promises forgiveness and interior renewal, the charity which purifies and opens our hearts to love you, and in you, each of our brothers and sisters."
"Lord Jesus Christ, may the Church in Ireland renew her age-old commitment to the education of our young people in the way of truth and goodness, holiness and generous service to society."
"Holy Spirit, comforter, advocate and guide, inspire a new springtime of holiness and apostolic zeal for the Church in Ireland."
"May our sorrow and our tears, our sincere effort to redress past wrongs, and our firm purpose of amendment bear an abundant harvest of grace for the deepening of the faith in our families, parishes, schools and communities, for the spiritual progress of Irish society, and the growth of charity, justice, joy and peace within the whole human family."
"To you, Triune God, confident in the loving protection of Mary, Queen of Ireland, our Mother,
and of Saint Patrick, Saint Brigid and all the saints, do we entrust ourselves, our children, and the needs of the Church in Ireland. Amen."
Today, I discovered one of the ways in which that beautiful prayer is being answered. This extraordinary story takes us to Oklahoma. To a group of Benedictine Monks at the Monastery of Our Lady of the Cenacle.
These contemporary sons of St. Benedict, show us all that the Holy Spirit is at work in the Church today. The same Holy Spirit which has used monks and monasteries throughout Church history is bringing about a monastic renewal in our day - for the sake of the whole Church.
As they did in the first and the second millenniums, monks and monasteries will serve a significant role in the mission of the Church of the Third millennium.
The powerful story of this new Benedictine community must be read by my readers. You can find it in its entirety here. Here is a short excerpt:
"The Monastery of Our Lady of the Cenacle is a community of men dedicated to the traditional monastic life according to the Rule of Saint Benedict, and to intercession for the sanctification of priests, in adoration and reparation before the Eucharistic Face of Christ.
"We were established during the Year of the Priest (2009-2010) in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa, Oklahoma, by His Excellency, Most Reverend Edward J. Slattery.
"By the grace of God, we have been invited by His Lordship, the Most Reverend Michael Smith, Bishop of Meath, to move our fledgling community to County Meath, Ireland. God willing, we will complete this move in February-March 2012.
"You can read more about our plans in the first issue of our newsletter.
"Our founder and prior is the Very Reverend Dom Mark Daniel Kirby. He may be contacted here. Father Prior's weblog, Vultus Christi, can be found here."
This Benedictine Prior, the Very Reverend Dom ...
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Sure'n we've come a long way since "The Bells of St. Mary's" and "Going My Way", now, haven't we?
Whats wrong with the leaders of the Church?
thousands of Catholics call for Cuomo to be publicly excommunicated, for promoting Christian persecution, abortion, pro-homosexuality and pro “same-sex marriage– and also living as a divorced man with a divorced woman–not his wife–he needs, for the good of the faith,
Millions of Catholics call for Gov. Cuomo to be publicly excommunicated for his pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality and pro “same-sex marriage– and also living as a divorced man with a divorced woman–not his wife–he needs, for the good of the faith, to be excommunicated. The corrupt political process in New York State,” with more than half of all New Yorkers oppose this legislation. Yet, the governor and the state legislature have demonized people of faith, whether they be Muslims, Jews, or Christians, and identified them as bigots and prejudiced, and voted in favor of same-sex ‘marriage.’” An employee with the New York Archdiocese warned of an “impending persecution” after New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called same-sex “marriage” opponents discriminatory and “anti-American” last week
CNN/YNN Elite Media is still promoting the Cuomo Skelo and Silver Pork Barrel Socialism.
CNN/YNN Elite Media is still promoting the Cuomo Skelo and Silver Pork Barrel Pro-Gay Socialism. Gov. Cuomo's job plan is working, the US Census showed that New York is still the country’s favorite place to leave, if you want a job. New York’s regulatory system remains one of the worst in the country. But Cuomo has more important thing to work on. The number of New Yorkers on food stamps has skyrocketed in past years. As of September 2011, 1.8 million New Yorkers were receiving food stamps. But many understand the CNN/YNN Pro-Gay Propaganda machine are on the extreme end of Liberalism. Slandering and Insulting anyone who opposes the Obama Saul Alinsky Socialist Party.
The Bible says that "the whole world lies in the evil one" (1 John 5:19) and "The love of the money is the root of all kinds of evil," in 1 Timothy 6:10.
1. The control of money is a key element in the strategies of Satan.
2. Satan has a vast influence over this Government, Media and Education System.
3. The Media, Education System and Government Leaders approves the propaganda messages that sway the minds of the people.
The mass media keep people focused on issues like the Gay agenda, Green agenda, and the love of the money, while the agenda of the Elite are controlled by Satan. Satan and the public schools have a all out attack on Bible believing christian children, they promote the lie that Bible believing children ( are not living in a reality-based environment.) Because they believe the Bible is the Word of God. The schools are set up to destroy the faith of Christian kids. This is why Karl Marx's 10th plank of the Communist Manifesto called for a public school system? The entire public school system in America was set up to destroy the Christian faith of young people, to allow the government to INDOCTRINATE children into the lies of Evolution and gay agenda.
Thank you, dear Benedictines, for coming to us in our abject need here in Ireland!
Now it has become full circle,we used to have Irish monks and PRiest,now you are going back to them
I lived with Benedict Priest and one monk in Sacred Heart Oklahoma, baptised there.
one of them was Irish, his Farther and mother were my God Parent
My they have the wind at their back on an easy road.
Charles E Blythe
Now of Dallas
This is wonderful news for the Church in Ireland, so desperate for Catholic restoration. Benedictine monks did it before in ancient times, why not try it again. By the way, Fr. Mark Daniel Kirby is an excellent liturgist...highly trained. At one time, he has a certain disdain for the Traditional Latin Mass, but now he loves it and offers it daily. The Traditional Mass will bring Ireland back to its roots, as well as bringing men back to Mass. The New Mass has never appealed to Irish men.
Or called "The people of GOD", for GOD, from among the members of the Catholic fold.