Tower Topics ~ Fall 2000

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A message from Abbot Gregory

Dear Friends,

One of the most joyous moments in the life of a monastic community is when a monk professes solemn perpetual vows. This issue of Tower Topics highlights such a moment in the lives of our Brother Frowin and Brother Jeremiah (page 4). The joy experienced in the hearts of the monks on the occasion of a solemn profession is something much deeper than “another member joining the community.”

Anyone who has lived the Benedictine vocation long enough knows that with the joys there are also disappointments; with the blessings there are also challenges, like any life or vocation. When the challenges and the disappointments have as much meaning as the blessings and joys, we’ve discovered one of the mysteries of the spiritual life. That comes from uniting your life with Jesus Christ. He is the one who shows us how suffering can be redemptive; he shows us how death is really the path to life. Indeed, that is a mysterious joy, but it truly is an unspeakable joy.

Saint Benedict expresses it well when he writes: “Never swerving from Christ’s instructions, but faithfully observing his teaching in the monastery until death, we shall through patience share in the sufferings of Christ that we may deserve also to share in his kingdom” (The Rule of Saint Benedict, Prologue:50). When a group of people shares a common goal which involves bearing one another’s burdens, great blessings come forth. When a group of people unites itself daily to praise and thank God, and to serve one another, something tremendous happens. In the goodness of their lives, transformation takes place by the grace of God. That is what the monastic life is about — discovering God in the simple and daily things of life in imitation of Jesus Christ.

The ritual of solemn profession of perpetual vows tells that story in a dramatic and potent way through word and gesture. It tells the very story of our lives, lives united to Jesus Christ. Our faith tells us that such living is fruitful and enriching for others; therein lies great joy — knowing that our life praises God and serves our neighbor. I arrived at Conception Abbey 30 years ago this summer, and I continue to thank God for every day of my life, especially for my calling to the monastic way. The joy on our campus following the solemn profession of Brothers Frowin and Jeremiah was infectious for monks and non-monks alike. For each of us, whatever our vocation, may Christ be the center of our lives, drawing us to paschal living and infectious joy.

Sincerely in Christ,

Abbot Gregory J. Polan, OSB

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