Benedictine monks' calligraphy brings
beauty to the written Word of God

ELKHORN, Neb. (The Catholic Voice) - To hear Abbot Theodore Wolff talk about calligraphy is similar to listening to a sommelier talk about fine wine. He points out the varying thicknesses of the letters such as h, a, g and b.

"The art comes from the thick and thin, but the hand doesn't always want to do that," he said. "That's the discipline of it, and that's where the practice comes in."

Calligraphy is one of his passions. He learned the art as a junior at Conception College back in the 1940s when he sat beside the late Father Norbert.

"He was a professed member of the community who had the pens and shared them with me," Abbot Wolff told the Catholic Voice.

As leader of the Benedictine community at Mount Michael Abbey in Elkhorn from 1989 to September 2007, Abbot Wolff spent only minimal time doing calligraphy.

Since his retirement last September, he has been working collaboratively with Brother Jerome Kmiecik. The two have created several note cards, some purchased by Abbey Press, and numerous pieces for display at Mount Michael or for sale at the community's gift shop.

"I love doing it," he said. "I find it easy. The frustration comes when Brother Jerome gives me a piece of artwork and asks me to put words on it.

"If I make a mistake, I blow it. I don't have the equipment that removes mistakes. The piece is ruined if that happens."

Illuminating the Rule

Luckily Abbot Wolff doesn't make mistakes often because he plans things out ahead of time, said Brother Kmiecik.

Abbot Wolff said he enjoyed the St. John's Bible that was on display at the Joslyn Art Museum last year. It led him and Brother Kmiecik to discuss some ambitious possible future projects, including illuminating the 73 chapters of St. Benedict's Rule.

"To have that bound would be really special for ceremonies out here," said Brother Kmiecik. "We might have to work for about a year on that. It would be a big project."

Abbot Wolff said he isn't sure about the Rule. He will continue working on the cards and wall pieces and would like to give calligraphy classes to students at the Mount Michael Benedictine High School or adults.

While he acknowledges that calligraphy is a popular pastime, he and Brother Kmiecik said it is a way to continue the legacy of the Benedictines.

"It is probably important for the Benedictines to keep calligraphy going since that is what they did for so many years -- illuminating the copies of the Bible and other important manuscripts," Brother Kmiecik said.

Part of the reason for illuminating the words is to add to their beauty. The beauty of the written word is one way to grow closer to God, Abbot Wolff said.

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"We are drawn to beauty because God created us as beautiful people," he said. "As we surround ourselves with beauty and find that in the world, the more spiritual we become because we see God in that beauty."

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This story was made available to Catholic Online by permission of The Catholic Voice (www.catholicvoiceomaha.com), official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Omaha, Neb.