11th BECOSA AGM FEBRUARY 2002

 

 

We give here a digest of the Statutes of BECOSA Š Benedictine Communities of Southern Africa Š and of the recent AGM held at Inkamana Abbey under the presidency of Sr Pia Lansang of Windhoek Priory, Namibia.

 

Vision Statement

We, the Benedictines of Southern Africa, envisage ourselves to be a group centred in Christ and united to live out and promote the Benedictine ideal. We work together and encourage each other in an effort to bear witness to this ideal. We show respect for one another and we co-operate in facing the challenges of our times in the service of the Church and of the people of Southern Africa.

 

The Statutes of the Association

state inter alia: the aim of the Association shall be:

          1. to promote unity and co-operation among its member communities

          2. to support the individual communities in living the Benedictine life and in carrying out their mission in faithfulness to the Rule of St Benedict and the Benedictine tradition and in accordance with their own cultural and spiritual heritage.

          3. to make the Benedictine presence known and to promulgate Benedictine ideals in the Church of Southern Africa.

 

The Association shall by no means infringe or undermine the autonomy of the individual members communities.

 

The main policy-making body and instrument for initiating and regulating the activities of the Association shall be the Annual General Meeting.

 

Community reports

The community of Christ the King, Polokwane, South Africa has decided to join the Federation of Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania.

 

Oshikuku, Namibia: the Superior General, Mother Irmgard, and her Vicaress visited Tanzania to see how the African Benedictines live and to get some ideas. Two American Benedictines from the Monastery of St Walburga, USA, visited and taught English to those in formation and monastic spirituality to the formators. The OMIs in Namibia constructed a noviciate house for the noviciate in South Africa at Grootfontein.The building was completed and even partly furnished. Oshikuku have bought the place from the OMIs and are happy to have a place for their noviciate who had to live in crowded conditions.

 

Missionary Benedictine sisters of Tutzing, Windhoek, Namibia: A Pan-African Formator’s Meeting is to be held in Namibia in August 2002. Participants will include members of the Generalate, Prioresses and formators of the African Priories (Nairobi, Peramiho, Ndanda, Windhoek, Angola and Jinja). Sisters from Oshikuku are also invited . The theme is: Formation of Young Members in Africa, and the topics will include: 

RB,

Spirituality of Women in Africa,

Sharing of Formation Manuals,

Methods of Recruitment,

Requirements for Admission.

 

Grahamstown, Anglican Order of the Holy Cross: Prior Timothy brought two novices to give them an opportunity for immersion with other Benedictines. His Order has decided to stay on in South Africa.

 

Inkamana Abbey, South Africa: Abbot Gernot finds the young members of the community have matured and improved their understanding of the Benedictine life; they come from different countries which is a good witness. The community can start a retreat ministry in the convent vacated by the sisters; the primary school will be discontinued.

 

Monastery of Christ the Word, Zimbabwe: The community is re-thinking the qualifications for young men who want to join them; they are not going to start a candidacy programme. The political instability of the country continues; at that time there was no oil, no sugar, a severe drought and two million people in need of food.

 

Rosettenville, South Africa, Anglican Sisters of the Holy Paraclete: have decided to build a convent to accommodate vocations.

 

St Benedict’s Abbey Subiaco, Polokwane: Men with knives and guns robbed the monastery; a piece of property owned by the monastery is in danger of being taken by some people who claim they own it.

 

Waldfrieden, Namibia: their ministry is the running of two parishes and a school; there are plans to build a monastery away from the mission on a neighbouring plot.

 

Mother Irmgard Poroto gave a paper on Initiation into Monastic Life according to the Rule of St Benedict in the Context of our Societies and Cultures of Today.

A group discussion followed on the questions:

1. What is needed from the formators and the community to “convince” new entrants that the monastic life leads them to God?

          Š Young people should feel at home and loved

          Š Forgiveness should be a mutual movement coming from both sides

          Š Not everyone is suited for the monastic life

2. In practical terms what does “correction” mean for people these days?

          Š Correction is to get to know oneself first of all

          Š The corrector is not necessarily the enemy

3. How does “putting on the mind of Christ” challenge new entrants to adapt their culture to the monastic way?

          Š What is the mind of Christ?

          Š Jesus himself had been firm, yet loving, leaving scope for personal growth and improvement.

          Š Compare Scripture with our culture.

          Š Ancestors cannot interfere with the will of God

          Š God is the God of Abraham, but Abraham was the ancestor, he was not worshipped.

          Š Entry into the monastery is entry into a new family.

 

The BECOSA Seminar for Juniors was held in August 2001 in Nubuamis. The theme was Initiation into Monastic Life Today within the Context of the Rule of St Benedict, given by Abbot Willibrord; it was attended by sisters from Oshikuku and Windhoek. The topics included benedictine values of community: hospitality, prayer, humility, obedience and silence.  Further workshops for the temporary professed and for formators are being arranged. Written conferences by Abbot Willibrord have been circulated and found most useful.