Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Wishful thinking

"Catholic visionary" Sister Joan Chittister OSB, a darling of the feminist wing, has a piece up at Huffington...where else?...on finding peace "in the monastery of the heart". She praises her Benedictine tradition, which she has turned into a mirroring vessel for her church politics. Her ramble includes this about "Benedictine peace":
It is not a lifestyle dominated by control and a plethora of rules. It is a lifestyle that foregoes violence on every level, for any reason.
I remind Sister Chister of the following:
If a brother is found stubborn or disobedient or proud or murmuring, or opposed to anything in the Holy Rule and a contemner of the commandments of his Superiors, let him be admonished by his Superiors once and again in secret, according to the command of our Lord (cf Mt 18:15-16). If he doth not amend let him be taken to task publicly before all. But if he doth not reform even then, and he understandeth what a penalty it is, let him be placed under excommunication; but if even then he remaineth obstinate let him undergo corporal punishment.

Rule of St Benedict, Chapter 23

But let the brother who is found guilty of a graver fault be excluded from both the table and the oratory. Let none of the brethren join his company or speak with him. Let him be alone at the work enjoined on him, persevering in penitential sorrow, mindful of the terrible sentence of the Apostle who saith, that "such a man is delivered over for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord" (1 Cor 5:5). Let him get his food alone in such quantity and at such a time as the Abbot shall deem fit; and let him not be blessed by anyone passing by, nor the food that is given him.

Rule of St Benedict, Chapter 25

Every age and understanding should have its proper discipline. Whenever, therefore, boys or immature youths or such as can not understand how grave a penalty excommunication is, are guilty of a serious fault, let them undergo severe fasting or be disciplined with corporal punishment, that they may be corrected.

 Rule of St Benedict, Chapter 30

Yeah, he was a regular hippy that Benedict. Sr Joan should change her visionary initials from OSB to BS.

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