Dear Friends,
|
| Br Maximilian |
On the Solemnity of the Annunciation we had the joy of clothing
in the Benedictine habit another member of our little community.
Brother Thomas Chambers (right) was given the religious name of
Maximilian. Brother Maximilian is from the north west and worked as
a solicitor in Leamington Spa until he joined
us last year.
Saint Maximilian Kolbe was not a
Benedictine. He was a Franciscan whose
life was ended at the concentration camp
of Auschwitz. Driven from his youth by a
passion for the gospel and devotion to Our
Lady, he recounted that when he was a boy,
she appeared to him and offered him the
choice of two gifts: the crown of martyrdom
or the crown of purity. He demanded both, and
both he was given. Since we do not consider
ourselves in competition with the Franciscans
(they are no competition!), I permitted
Brother Maximilian to have this name. It was
not so much ‘given’ as ‘negotiated.’ From my
point of view, St Maximilian’s best example
is to be found in his imaginative use of
modern media for the service of the gospel.
He established huge printing operations, even
typesetting in Japanese to further the gospel.
A greater example to us still is to be found in
his complete self giving. He took the place
of a prisoner who had been marked out for
death by starvation in Auschwitz. Whilst
others collapsed around him, the guards were
moved by his radiance, energy and strength as he approached death.
When, at last , they came to his cell with the lethal injection of acid to
make him a martyr for the faith, he offered his arm to his executioner
with courage and even joy. Saint Maximilian was much loved by Pope
John Paul, who canonised him in 1981, and gave 14th August as his
feast day. Please remember Brother Maximilian in your prayers, as
well as his fellow novices.
Because of the Imperial history of our monastery we frequently
hear nervous French voices on our gatephone, from tourists wanting
to visit the crypt. Whilst Father Magnus and I can give a mean tour
en français, I am pleased to say that some of the new members of
the community have stretched the hand of friendship outre manche
and have begun to take French lessons. Soeur Françine, a sister from
Lafosse House has very kindly given several hours a week to combine
a French lesson with her daily constitutional. This means that we are
all able to converse now in bad French. Though I fear that we do more
to insult and injure the French language for the moment, there is good
reason to hope that most members of the house will be able to welcome
French guests and visitors in the near future.
Not all our visitors are French. A number of school groups have
been passing through the church, the confessional, and the farm of late.
Fr Aidan, a former primary school teacher, takes care of most of these.
Recently the Manor Junior School visited, as did St Philip’s School.
Our local Catholic primary schools, St Bernadette’s and St Patrick’s
are also regulars, as is the Farleigh School. As St Benedict said of
guests, ‘monasteries are never without them’!
Yours sincerely in the Lord,
rchived 
ews
