Abbey-Roads2

A friend asked me about it.

Many people assume there are no fat monks - and I say, “But there are Blanche!  There are!”  Maybe not in all monasteries, but the monasteries I visited/lived in had fat monks.  And don’t forget Blessed Columba Marmion was kind of a porker. 

I did some research, and the idea of fat monks wasn’t alway so unusual.  In fact, in many respects, conventional monasteries often reflect the standards of nutrition and convenience of the upper middle class and wealthy of their day.  Today, all one need do is  visit any new or established abbey and check out their kitchens, laundry, common rooms, and in the case of some Benedictine abbeys - check out the individual cells. 

So yeah - maybe we don’t see many fat monks today, but it could be because they have a gym in the monastery, a fashionable lean diet, as well as peer pressure not to look like a slob.  Very few monks and nuns in the developed world go without anything they need, and in many cases what they want - not that anything is wrong with that.  (Of course - there are always exceptions, such as strict observance Carmelite nuns and Poor Clares, as well as other communities.)

Back to obese monastics.

I found a very interesting site that discusses this very subject.  I believe the study is factual and in my opinion and experience of contemporary religious life, understandable and believable.  I’ll post a few of the points I uncovered:

The jolly image of rotund Friar Tuck could be only partially true, according to a recent study of skeletal remains from monks that lived during the Middle Ages.

Analysis of monks who lived from 476 to 1450 AD revealed most were overweight, but perhaps not entirely jolly. They suffered from conditions associated with obesity, such as arthritis and back problems. 

The findings, presented at the recent International Medieval Congress at University of Leeds in England, has shed light on their monastic lifestyle.

The research could also help to explain civil unrest aimed against monasteries toward the latter part of the medieval age.Philippa Patrick, author of the conference paper and an archaeologist at University College London, analysed the skeletal collections at the Museum of London.    Patrick said that by the time most monks were 45 and over, they were three times more likely than the overall population to develop a condition linked to obesity known as DISH, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. DISH affects the spine with lesions, making it harder for the person to walk and move.  The monks also were three times as likely to suffer from weight-related forms of arthritis.

Monks were the couch potatoes of their time.

 She said the monks’ sedentary lifestyle coupled with overeating led to the weight gain. Obesity was unusual in medieval times, a period when many people suffered from poverty, malnutrition and deadly plagues.“[The monks’] diet has been classified as ‘a form of high class diet’. That would mean very few people, only the upper echelons of society, could have managed to match the monks in terms of quality and quantity of their diet … but the inactivity probably didn’t help either,” said Patrick.She added that the monks ate animals they raised and used for secondary products, such as milk, butter, eggs and cheese. Monasteries also had extensive complexes of fish ponds to supply fish. - Read the whole story.  

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Confusion in the pews.

In the new calendar April 30th is the feast of Pius V who actually standardized the Mass.  (Trads-more-trad-than-trads love him!  In their opinion, there hasn’t been a pope (like him) since.)  But in the old calendar, today is the feast of St. Catherine of Siena, who BTW wasn’t a Doctor in the old calendar, although she is a Doctor of the Church in the new calendar - oh, and her feast was yesterday.  Then tomorrow is Ascension Day in the old (and in the new) calendar, but we don’t have to attend Mass in this archdiocese to observe the feast until Sunday - because it was transferred.  So, if we want to do a novena from the Ascension to Pentecost, doesn’t that mean it is shortened?  Is that a real novena then?  (It doesn’t really confuse me - but maybe some of my readers get confused.)

And then there is the question of Rogation  days and Ember days!  What are they anyway?  Isn’t that funny?  It doesn’t bother me, though it may bother people who follow the old calendar exclusively.  You see, for many of these folks, freeing up the TLM was never the only issue - not a few have problems with Vatican II itself.  [As do many others who insist they simply want the option of the TLM, while claiming  they accept the Conciliar reforms of Vatican II.  Right.]

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I found another explanation… 

According to Christian ascetic tradition, “foolishness” included consistent rejection of worldly cares and imitating Christ, who endured mockery and humiliation from the crowd - who even declared he must be insane.  More deeply,  the spiritual meaning of “foolishness” stems from the early ages of Christianity and was associated with the penitent’s rejection  of ordinary social conventions that consisted of prevarication, hypocrisy, brutality and thirst for power, riches, and honor.

The hermit, St. Anthony the Great said the following concerning the end times: “There will come a time, when people will behave like madmen, and if they encounter any one who does not behave as they do, they will condemn him and say: “You are mad”, - because he is not like them.”

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The life of St. Basil of Moscow, Fool for Christ.

Long ago, in the year 1464, a baby boy was born into a poor peasant family living in the village of Yelokhovoe near Moscow. As soon as he was old enough, his parents sent him off to learn a trade.  He became the apprentice of a shoemaker, although he was not very good at it.   After awhile, his master noticed that Basil was often distracted from his work.  The shoemaker became disgruntled with Basil because he was such a bad worker and his labor was not profitable.   

However, the master soon understood that the apprentice was not an ordinary peasant - there was something very special about him. According to legend, a well-to-do merchant visited the shop to order a pair of high boots to be made for him.  He said he wanted them made so well that he would not be able to wear them out in a year.  Basil replied, “Yes sir, we shall construct them, and you will never wear them out.”  Not long after that, the rich man died.  The news filled the master shoemaker and all who heard of the incident with fear.

He left home at a very early age.

Though he was only 16,  Basil left his family and employment and set off for Moscow, where he lived homeless and poor for the rest of his life.  He embraced the life of “foolishness for Christ’s sake” living the ascetic life of extreme humilty. Be it summer heat or winter frost, the holy man would go about the city uncovered and barefoot, his hair and beard uncut.

His actions were often mysterious to onlookers, although the most spiritual amongst them understood the Holy Spirit’s meaning behind the saints actions.  For instance, one summer day, Basil overturned a cart loaded with breads and spilled jars of kvass. The merchants beat him and sent him on his way.  Like Christ, he walked in peace through the midst of them; rejoicing, he accepted the abuse and praised God for it. It was only later, as the dogs became sick after eating the overturned food and drink, that the neighbors realized the bread and kvass had been tainted.  Gradually they began to understand that the crazy Basil was really a holy man, or a man of God, as the Russians like to say.

The Idiot.

The holy fool Basil demonstrated through signs and allegory, and oftentimes straightforwardly, many various spiritual lessons and warnings, as well as dispensing blessings and praising virtue.   Some days  he might have entered a tavern  to inspire the patrons to renounce drunkenness.  At other times he visited areas of ill repute to instruct the inhabitants about the way of repentance.

His most famous rebuke was for the Tsar himself, Ivan the Terrible.   One day, as the Tsar stood during the liturgy in the church, he became distracted from the Holy Mysteries and began to day dream.  As the Tsar left the church after the service, Basil fiercely reprimanded the Tsar with loud shouts and insults as he returned to the palace.   Only the Tsar understood he was being accosted justly for his wandering thoughts during Liturgy.  From that day on, the tsar began to respect the fool-for-Christ-sake even more.  Afterwards, Basil hid himself to avoid the praises of men.

Sharing the lot of the poor.

The fool-for-Christ-sake shared his meager alms to help those in need, even though he never begged for himself.  As I said, the Tsar became very fond of him and would send him gifts.  The saint immediately distributed these to the poor, keeping nothing for himself.  It is said he once gave away some very valuable gifts he received from the palace to a foreigner.  The unfortunate man happened to be an impoverished merchant from another country. 

The blessed Basil imitated his Divine Master by preferring the company of sinners to that of the righteous.  He always seemed to find a little flame of love even in the most dejected and sinful people.  These he helped with his kindness and gentleness, sometimes offering guidance and comfort simply by listening to them.

Identifying with sinners. 

It is said that when the Holy Fool for Christ wandered by a house of ill-repute, he would embrace the corners of the edifice and pray,  “Blessed and Holy Angels, stand outside this house and weep with me for the sins of its inhabitants.  Pray with me for the salvation of their souls.”

St. Basil lived to be 88 and died in the year 1552.  There are countless stories of miracles and wonders from his life, as well as stories of how much he suffered from  derision and beatings in union with the suffering Christ.  When he died, all of Moscow recognized his sanctity and the Tsar himself accompanied the body of the saint to the church to be buried there.

The End. 

[This has been my adaptation of the saint’s life for children from another source.]

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April 29, the feast of St. Peter Martyr.

He was butchered with an axe and began writing the Creed in his blood on the ground as he lay dying.  I was so deeply impressed, I had to take him as my Confirmation patron, hence the name Peter, which I hyphenated with my Baptismal name, James-Peter.  Since then I am Terrance James-Peter Christian.

“To lose always and let everyone else win is a trait of valiant souls, generous spirits, and unselfish hearts; it is their manner to give rather than receive even to the extent of giving themselves.” - John of the Cross 

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Support for vocations. 

There is a very long tradition in the Roman Catholic church of fostering vocations to the priesthood and religious life, with special emphasis upon providing financial support for young men who feel called to the priesthood.  There are fraternal organizations, such as the Knights of Columbus  who have generously sponsored vocations to the priesthood through scholarships and financial support as they respond to their vocation.  Indeed, many holy people have contributed to the education and support of seminarians throughout the years, either directly or through contributions to organiztions such as the Knights.

A canonical impediment.

It is well known a canonical impediment to religious life and the priesthood is outstanding debt, which must be satisfied before admittance to holy orders or final profession in religious life.  Through the good will of individuals and fraternal organizations, these debts may be taken care of, especially in the cases of worthy candidates to the priesthood and religious life.

[For information on the Knights of Columbus and their vocation programs, go here.] 

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Not quite the rock group.

California Daily reports the religious women of the Sisters of Mercy will consolidate communities in an effort to reorganize their Congregation, which was founded in Dublin in 1831.  Today the average age of the sisters is 73 and the order has not been attracting vocations, mainly because they have long lost a truly Roman Catholic identity.

The Institute’s six California communities will merge with communities in the West and Midwest into an Omaha, Nebraska-based organization called the West Midwest Community. The restructuring was approved at a meeting in Chicago, March 24-30, and will take effect July 1.The new organization will bring together 861 Sisters of Mercy and 525 associates. The Institute itself, covering the Americas, Guam, and the Philippines, numbers 4,194 sisters and 2,800 associates. The average age of sisters in the institute is 73. - California Daily

I’m sure other orders of like-minded women religious will follow suit.  Throughout the ages, religious communities and monasteries of monks and nuns have dissolved when the original charism is either lost or the religious observance has grown decadent.

Of course, the Holy Spirit seems to raise up new communities in every age, and will occasionally renew existing communities that appear to have lost their original charism.

NOTE:  This group is not to be confused with the thriving Religious Sisters of Mercy, a separate institute sharing the same foundress.  (Thanks to S.B. for the heads up.)

[Photo: Mother Catherine McAuley, foundress of the RSM.  The remaining members of her Congregation promote the beatification of their foundress who had been declared venerable by John Paul II.  Interestingly, the Congregation often uses an image of the foundress dressed in secular clothes, much like the contemporary sisters dress.] 

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Will He find any faith on earth?

But then he addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness but despised everyone else… - Luke 18:8-9

“This is the one whom I approve: the lowly and afflicted man who trembles at my word.” - Isaiah 66:2

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The scandal of the real poor.

This subject has been on my mind for days - maybe even weeks - the embarrassment of the poor.  Catholic priests, nuns, and lay people can beg for money for their worthy causes - sometimes very personal causes - and yet others think nothing of it.  But if a drunken homeless man asks for $1 outside the church after Mass - it is deemed a nuisance.  

If not begging, professional Catholics can sell themselves at every opportunity as well - “buy my stuff, or pay my way and support me, my family, or my vocation, because I’m a good Catholic.”  Yet when it comes to the truly poor and the destitute - entire cities want nothing to do with them. Why do we despise the poor when they are on our doorstep or on our streets?

It hasn’t just been the case here in Minneapolis, Minnesota - with the city  trying to ban the poor at Caring and Sharing Hands - news today is that Assisi, the birthplace of the greatest beggar ever, St. Francis of Assisi wants to ban begging from the city streets there.  Story here.

Obviously the city of Assisi wants the money instead.

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