Guided Reading Program--Two years of the Novitiate
The first 14 months or so of the novitiate are dedicated to the early patristic writings through guided reading and Lectio Divina. The term guided reading comes from the fact that selections are made for the novices and this constitutes their major reading for the novitiate. These spiritual writings show how various persons dealt with their problems and responded to God. Through interaction with these writings the novice is given an opportunity to experience faith in the monastic–cistercian way as he confronts problems in growth and development of his own response to God.
The last 10 months or so of the novitiate focus solely on the writings and teachings of the Cistercian Fathers. The novice is encouraged during these months to see that his life with its “ups and downs” can be helped by our Cistercian tradition and spirituality.
The function of this guided reading program, then, is to help the novice open himself to an inner guidance that comes from the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. In Cistercian terminology, the guided reading is a tool to help bring to birth the “animus” of the novice: that is, help the novice develop a mature sense of consciousness that is aided by scripture, revelation, and the holy spirit, as well as observances, rules, and customs of the community. The program educates the novice into a unique monastic spirituality that is different from other spiritualities that are based on parish life, personal devotions, or traditional pre-Vatican II approaches.
Some Key Points:
1. With exceptions of a few articles or books, the material for the guided reading program is primary sources or texts in translation. Each novice has a copy.
2. The principle is using this material as Lectio. Outlines, introductions, historical data, etc. are either skipped or kept to a minimum. The novice is encouraged to read at a prayerful pace as much of the selection as possible and to keep a notebook or journal. The journal can be a help after profession for a reference towards more serious reading and study.
3. In class the novice is encouraged to share his thoughts, reflections, and experiences about the assigned text with the other novices and with the abbot. This sharing provides an opportunity to discuss current problems and issues in the context of a monastic text. Since the abbot has been through the material several times, (the course began in 1978) he is able to illustrate a point or facet of monastic life or give his own teaching as abbot and spiritual father.
4. It is important to use the material to show how a particular monastic author lived one or other aspect of the contemplative, christian, or monastic life, and furthermore, to show how our Cistercian heritage and patrimony flow from and developed from earlier Judeo-Christian traditions.
5. If used properly, these writings can offer the novice solid Catholic doctrine and belief which he may not have experienced for the most part prior to his entrance into the monastery. These truths can reshape and nourish the heart in the truest sense.
6. The class lasts for two hours. Each group of novices takes basically the same primary texts, although one or other source may be deleted, updated, or changed depending on the circumstances or on newly printed translations of texts. Each week is dedicated to one text.
Some of the texts include:
(Most of these are books. Either the entire book is read or only selections from it)
Introductory weeks: “Light and the Rainbow” by H. Graef; “First Christians” by Lohse; “St.Paul on Apostolic Celibacy and the Body of Christ” by Spohn (xerox handout);
Antioch: “Antoich and Rome” by Brown/Meier; Didache; Seven Letters of Ignatius.
Rome: “Antioch and Rome” by Brown/Meier; “Stephen and the Other Hellenists” by Bruce; 1st Letter of Clement; Shepherd of Hermas; Selections from Justin, Irenaeus; Apostolic Tradition and Holy Theophany by Hippolytus.
Athens: Letter of Diognetus; selections from Athenogoras.
Smyrna & Alexandria: Early Christian Homily; Letter of Barnabas; Letter of Polycarp; Fragments of Papias.
Martyrs: “Acts of the Martyrs” by Musurillo
Alexandria: selections from Clement, Origen (three weeks on him), Gregory of Thaumaturgus, and Cyril.
North Africa: selections from Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, Athanasius' Letters
Egyptian Fathers: “Life and Practices of Anthony” by Devillius; Lifes of Desert Fathers, Letters of Anthony and Ammonas, Wisdom of Desert Fathers, Lausic History, Boheric Life of Pachomius, Evargius, “The Experience of God and Primitive Cenobitism” by Leroy and :The Experience of God is a Monk's Life” by El Meskeen.
Sinaitic and Palestinian Fathers: John Klimakos, “Divine Eros in Climacus” by Chrysiangis, Philotheus, Heyschius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Dorotheos, Odes of Solomon.
Syriac Fathers: “Prayer of the Heart in the Syriac Tradition” by Brock; John the Solitary, Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Macarius' Homilies, Syriac Fathers CS 101, Isaac the Syrian.
Cappadocian Fathers: Basil, Gregory Nazianus, Gregory Nyssa (two / three weeks on him).
Greek Fathers: Pseudo Dionysius, Chrysostom, Maximos Confessor, Gregory Palamas, Simeon the New Theologian.
Russian Fathers: Nil Sorskil, “Russian Hesychasm” by Maloney, Russian Mystics CS 26,
Seraphim of Sarov, Little Russian Philokalia Vol 2, Names of Jesus CS 44, Staretz Silouan.
Western Fathers: “Western Fathers” by Hoare, Early Monasticism in Gaul by O'Sullivan, Ambrose (Isaac on the Soul), Gregory the Great (selections on contemplation from Moralia), Anselm of Bec: Ward's “Prayers and Meditations” and “His Place in Christian Prayer” (her articles), Proslogion.
Irish Monasticism: Life of Patrick, Patrick Hart's articles in Celtic themes, and some Early Irish monastic rules.
Transition to the Cistercians: Various chapters in Johnston's “Inner Eye of Love”
Cistercians: The first six weeks are given to articles from various sources dealing with Spirit and Aims of our Founders, Early Life with its ideals and reality, Eastern influences, Art and Architecture, Liturgy, early documents. Then: Thomas Merton on St. Bernard, CS 9; Paradisus Clastrualis (common will theme) from “Waters of Siloe.” Some pages from “Community and Abbot” by de Vogue CS 5/1. Then we go through the major works of Bernard using the translations in Cistercian Fathers (CF) collection. Next come William of St. Thierry works, including a private translation on the “Sacrament of the Altar.”
This is followed by selections from Isaac of Stella, “Cistercian de Anima” by Webb, Baldwin of Ford, Stephen of Sawley, Guerric of Igny, John of Ford, Aelred of Rievaulx and Gilbert of Hoyland.
The conclusion of the entire course:
The chapter on Cistercians in Saward's “Perfect Fools.”
“The Vision of God” by Kirk, along with two short xerox pages on the Vision of God by Matta El Meskeen and St. Bernard.
The last 10 months or so of the novitiate focus solely on the writings and teachings of the Cistercian Fathers. The novice is encouraged during these months to see that his life with its “ups and downs” can be helped by our Cistercian tradition and spirituality.
The function of this guided reading program, then, is to help the novice open himself to an inner guidance that comes from the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. In Cistercian terminology, the guided reading is a tool to help bring to birth the “animus” of the novice: that is, help the novice develop a mature sense of consciousness that is aided by scripture, revelation, and the holy spirit, as well as observances, rules, and customs of the community. The program educates the novice into a unique monastic spirituality that is different from other spiritualities that are based on parish life, personal devotions, or traditional pre-Vatican II approaches.
Some Key Points:
1. With exceptions of a few articles or books, the material for the guided reading program is primary sources or texts in translation. Each novice has a copy.
2. The principle is using this material as Lectio. Outlines, introductions, historical data, etc. are either skipped or kept to a minimum. The novice is encouraged to read at a prayerful pace as much of the selection as possible and to keep a notebook or journal. The journal can be a help after profession for a reference towards more serious reading and study.
3. In class the novice is encouraged to share his thoughts, reflections, and experiences about the assigned text with the other novices and with the abbot. This sharing provides an opportunity to discuss current problems and issues in the context of a monastic text. Since the abbot has been through the material several times, (the course began in 1978) he is able to illustrate a point or facet of monastic life or give his own teaching as abbot and spiritual father.
4. It is important to use the material to show how a particular monastic author lived one or other aspect of the contemplative, christian, or monastic life, and furthermore, to show how our Cistercian heritage and patrimony flow from and developed from earlier Judeo-Christian traditions.
5. If used properly, these writings can offer the novice solid Catholic doctrine and belief which he may not have experienced for the most part prior to his entrance into the monastery. These truths can reshape and nourish the heart in the truest sense.
6. The class lasts for two hours. Each group of novices takes basically the same primary texts, although one or other source may be deleted, updated, or changed depending on the circumstances or on newly printed translations of texts. Each week is dedicated to one text.
Some of the texts include:
(Most of these are books. Either the entire book is read or only selections from it)
Introductory weeks: “Light and the Rainbow” by H. Graef; “First Christians” by Lohse; “St.Paul on Apostolic Celibacy and the Body of Christ” by Spohn (xerox handout);
Antioch: “Antoich and Rome” by Brown/Meier; Didache; Seven Letters of Ignatius.
Rome: “Antioch and Rome” by Brown/Meier; “Stephen and the Other Hellenists” by Bruce; 1st Letter of Clement; Shepherd of Hermas; Selections from Justin, Irenaeus; Apostolic Tradition and Holy Theophany by Hippolytus.
Athens: Letter of Diognetus; selections from Athenogoras.
Smyrna & Alexandria: Early Christian Homily; Letter of Barnabas; Letter of Polycarp; Fragments of Papias.
Martyrs: “Acts of the Martyrs” by Musurillo
Alexandria: selections from Clement, Origen (three weeks on him), Gregory of Thaumaturgus, and Cyril.
North Africa: selections from Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine, Athanasius' Letters
Egyptian Fathers: “Life and Practices of Anthony” by Devillius; Lifes of Desert Fathers, Letters of Anthony and Ammonas, Wisdom of Desert Fathers, Lausic History, Boheric Life of Pachomius, Evargius, “The Experience of God and Primitive Cenobitism” by Leroy and :The Experience of God is a Monk's Life” by El Meskeen.
Sinaitic and Palestinian Fathers: John Klimakos, “Divine Eros in Climacus” by Chrysiangis, Philotheus, Heyschius, Cyril of Jerusalem, Dorotheos, Odes of Solomon.
Syriac Fathers: “Prayer of the Heart in the Syriac Tradition” by Brock; John the Solitary, Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Macarius' Homilies, Syriac Fathers CS 101, Isaac the Syrian.
Cappadocian Fathers: Basil, Gregory Nazianus, Gregory Nyssa (two / three weeks on him).
Greek Fathers: Pseudo Dionysius, Chrysostom, Maximos Confessor, Gregory Palamas, Simeon the New Theologian.
Russian Fathers: Nil Sorskil, “Russian Hesychasm” by Maloney, Russian Mystics CS 26,
Seraphim of Sarov, Little Russian Philokalia Vol 2, Names of Jesus CS 44, Staretz Silouan.
Western Fathers: “Western Fathers” by Hoare, Early Monasticism in Gaul by O'Sullivan, Ambrose (Isaac on the Soul), Gregory the Great (selections on contemplation from Moralia), Anselm of Bec: Ward's “Prayers and Meditations” and “His Place in Christian Prayer” (her articles), Proslogion.
Irish Monasticism: Life of Patrick, Patrick Hart's articles in Celtic themes, and some Early Irish monastic rules.
Transition to the Cistercians: Various chapters in Johnston's “Inner Eye of Love”
Cistercians: The first six weeks are given to articles from various sources dealing with Spirit and Aims of our Founders, Early Life with its ideals and reality, Eastern influences, Art and Architecture, Liturgy, early documents. Then: Thomas Merton on St. Bernard, CS 9; Paradisus Clastrualis (common will theme) from “Waters of Siloe.” Some pages from “Community and Abbot” by de Vogue CS 5/1. Then we go through the major works of Bernard using the translations in Cistercian Fathers (CF) collection. Next come William of St. Thierry works, including a private translation on the “Sacrament of the Altar.”
This is followed by selections from Isaac of Stella, “Cistercian de Anima” by Webb, Baldwin of Ford, Stephen of Sawley, Guerric of Igny, John of Ford, Aelred of Rievaulx and Gilbert of Hoyland.
The conclusion of the entire course:
The chapter on Cistercians in Saward's “Perfect Fools.”
“The Vision of God” by Kirk, along with two short xerox pages on the Vision of God by Matta El Meskeen and St. Bernard.
