In the monastic library

Some of the faculty and staff families living on our campus home-school their children until it is time to send them off to a middle school, high school, or even college. Thankfully, many of them continue their studies through acceptance at Portsmouth Abbey School. In a similar parallel universe of the monastic family on campus, young monks are kept “in the house” where they, too, can be said to receive home-schooling in preparation for higher studies. 

The Portsmouth community has long been sending its monks out for extended study, be it as novices, in preparation for ordination, or for other programs of study. The founders, Hugh Diman and Leonard Sargent, all received their principal formation in England. Subsequent novices were formed at Fort Augustus, Downside, or even in other houses within the United States. Several monks stayed at St. Anselm’s in Washington for theology studies. Abbot Matthew did graduate studies at St. Louis University, residing with the St. Louis community. Father Chris Davis studied at the University of San Francisco, which he recalls as one of the best educational experiences of his life. Such study “away from home” is also the case with Br. Benedict Maria, who was solemnly professed on Nov. 1, 2021, All Saints Day, last winter. While a portion of his novitiate was spent in St. Louis, more recently his days included Latin class with Abbot Matthew and chant class with Fr. Edward Mazuski, among other in-house studies. But after the Christmas holidays, the time came for him to progress to his priestly seminary formation which is taking place at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton, Florida, over the next several years. 

 

 

Farewell dinner hosted by Br. Sixtus, Il Cantinone in the Testacchio neighborhood of Rome, Lent 2008 (clockwise from l.) Br. Maximilian (Farnborough Abbey, UK);  Vito Mantese (Priory ’05); Alex MacDonald (Priory ’05); Paul Mazuski (Priory ’05); Andrew Lutz (Priory ’05); Br. Sixtus; Jack Keithley; Luke Wojcicki; Fr. James (Ampleforth Abbey, UK); Fr. Luke (Ampleforth Abbey, UK) (Photo by Doug MacDonald) 

Perhaps you’ve taken note of the recent absence, also, of Fr. Edward from his place in choir, from the cantor’s chair at Vespers, and from his regular place in the rotation of principal celebrants at the Conventual Mass. He departed campus last week with the ultimate destination being Fiumicino Airport outside of Rome, after a stopover in London to spend a few days with his sister and her family. As this week’s edition of The Current is being prepared for Saturday’s publication deadline, he is preparing to begin the three-month course of study in the annual Monastic Formators’ Program based in Rome (see the article on that program in this issue). Fr. Edward is among the elite few accepted into the 2022 program after a period of time heavily challenged by the Covid shutdowns and travel restrictions. They essentially form a temporary co-ed community, a home away from home, studying and praying together every day, participating in daily Mass, and being edified on pilgrimages to the multitude of holy places and shrines in and around those two cities.

 

 

Outside St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican City, Lent 2008 (l. to r.) Br. Sixtus, Paul Mazuski (Fr. Edward), Alex MacDonald,
Andrew Lutz, Doug MacDonald (Photo by Vito Mantese) 

The trip will be a homecoming of sorts for Fr. Edward, who is blessed to have done his seminary studies in Rome years ago while living at Sant’ Anselmo atop the Aventine Hill, in close proximity to the ancient churches of Santa Sabina and Sant’ Alessio (The Basilica dei Santi Bonifacio e Alessio). He first went to Rome in the Lenten Season of 2008, when he and a handful of his classmates from the Class of 2005 of the St. Louis Priory School visited me while I was in residence at Sant’ Anselmo, known informally as the International Benedictine Headquarters. It was at the end of that week in Rome that he first acknowledged and voiced a call to the monastic life which eventually led to Portsmouth Abbey and now, at least for three months, back to Italy. Upon his return to Aquidneck Island in June, it is safe to say that Fr. Edward will be even more qualified to resume his role as Novice Master and to administer the “home-schooling” aspects of Portsmouth Abbey’s early formation program.