www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Holy Trinity Monastery now autonomous

I am surprised this passed with notice. On October 1st Holy Trinity Monastery in Butler officially disaffiliated with the Benedictine Order and became an autonomous monastery under the omophor of Metropolitan Basil.

So, we now have a monastery. I know virtually nothing about Holy Trinity. I gather that this is good news.

CDL

I hope there will soon be additional information about what this change means for the brothers there, and for the church which will want to help their efforts.

Father Deacon Lance,

Any word on the reason for the change?

Gordo

They wanted to bring the monastery more in line with the CCEO. Also the monastery is small, 5 members, and Benedictine rules would have required them to join another monastery or become a dependency of one I believe.

The intent is to organize monastic life along Eastern lines. In the East, monasteries are usually not connected to centralized religious orders, but are organized on a "stand-alone" basis, and may have "sister" monasteries which evolve from the original monastery. They are all blessed by, and operate under the omophor of the local bishop. In the Byzantine world, at least, the monastic rule to be followed is that of St. Basil (The Basilians-of the Byzantine Rite, that is, follow the Rule of St. Basil, but they were "reformed" a few centuries ago by the Jesuits, the results being centralization as a religious order, and Latinization). What is peculiar about this move, at least what I have inferred from the article in Byzantine Catholic World, is that the monastery will continue to follow the rule of St. Benedict. Of course, Benedict copied Basil, and applied his work in the West. If you want good recommended reading on this topic, get a hold of "Eastern Monasticism and The Future of the Church" by Archimandrite Boniface, which is available from Eastern Christian Publications. Here is a link.
https://ssl.webvalence.com/ecommerce/kiosk.lasso?merchant=ecpubs&kiosk=books&class=6

In Christ,
Dn. Robert

Won't they have to until a rule is accepted? Just wondering.
Joe

No. They already have already been accepted directly under Met. Basil's ompohor. They could easily have switched to the Rule of St. Basil, and I'm sure the Metroplitan would bless that. He is the only one needed to accept or reject their rule.

Dn. Robert

They still follow the Rule of St. Benedict but supplement it with their own Typicon blessed by the Metropolitan.

I believe that this will just save them a couple of years unless they are able to attract some younger members.


David, Byzantine Catholic and Carmelite pre-novice (postulant)

There are any number of Roman Catholic monastic and paramonastic communities which follow the Rule of Saint Benedict, more or less, but which have no connection with any of the organized Benedictine confederations.

Fr. Serge

That's fine for Roman Catholics, but how about Byzantine Catholic monastic and paramonastic communities? Is it in line with the CCEO to maintain a Western Rule in an Eastern monastic community?

I am aware of "Byzantine" Carmelites, Franciscans, Benedictines, Jesuits ...

What is the difference between a Byzantine Catholic monastic community following the Benedictine Rule in a Benedictine confederation and one that is not in a confederation? Is it more a jurisdiction/independence change rather than a monastic life/Typicon change?

It seems that a wholesale change (not a "supplemental" change) in Typicon/monastic life often leads to DISaffiliation from the Metropolia. This phenomenon happened a few times in our sad history.

BTW, and this is a more general question. Is Eastern Catholicism a supplemental Catholicism? Just wondering. I keep hearing this word - "supplemental" - in my years as being an Eastern Catholic. Its bothersome. I believe Fr. Robert Taft uses the phrase "salt and peppered". Maybe this should be the beginnnig of another thread?

Joe

"Is it in line with the CCEO to maintain a Western Rule in an Eastern monastic community?"

It is in line with the CCEO, as the CCEO specifically note that some Western Orders have Eastern affiliates or branches.

I suppose the real question is it in line with being true to our tradition. In the case of the Rule of St. Benedict I would say yes. Of all the Western Rules that of St. Benedict is entirely compatible with Eastern Monasticism as evidenced by the former presence of the Benedictine Rule Amalfion Monastery on Mt Athos and the continued use of this rule by ROCOR's Western Rite Monasteries.

Fr. Deacon Lance

Great points, Father Deacon Lance.

Gordo

They are not the first Greek Catholic monastery to do this - Holy Transfiguration Skete in Michigan also follows the Rule. http://www.societystjohn.com

Remember that the Rule of St. Benedict is a rule of monastic life and not a liturgical legislation. There is nothing in the Rule that is inherently inconsistent or opposed to Byzantine monastic life.
FDD