Over 50 Oblates attended the weekend with a number of us commuting daily as both male and female guest houses were naturally full. Yours truly was able to find a rather nice guest house in the lovely wee city of Eilginn (Elgin in English) approximately 10 miles from the Abbey. The pleasure of early morning and late evening travel was enhanced by the splendour of mother nature plus avoiding a cow which had escaped from a field, skittish deer on the road whose movements you could not second guess, pheasants, red squirrels, foxes, hare, rabbit and, not for the squeamish reader, crows feasting on road kill.
As one would expect in a monastic setting we too followed the routine of the Pluscarden community. Our days began with optional Vigils (4.45a.m.), Lauds (6a.m.) and Prime (7.30a.m.) - Mass and all other hours were deemed "expected to attend". Pluscarden Abbey is one of the few Benedictine communities in the U.K. which continues to use Latin throughout its liturgy. Booklets were kindly prepared so we could follow the Office of the Hours and Mass in Latin / English. There were three conferences each day - morning, afternoon and evening with free time available for individual spiritual reflection. Very wholesome meals of lunch and supper were provided by the Abbey in our marquee which doubled up as our refectory. Our day ended usually around 9.30p.m.
Pluscarden Grace before Lunch
Superior: Oculi omnium
All: in te sperant, Domine, et tu das illis escam in tempore opportuno, aperis tu manum tuam, et imples omne animal in beneplacito.
Superior: Kyrie eleison
All: Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Superior: Pater Noster....(silently until).... et ne nos inducas in tentationem
All: Sed libera nos a malo.
Superior: Benedic, Domine, nos et haec tua dona, quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi. Per Christum Dominum nostram.
All: Amen
Pluscarden Grace after Lunch
Superior: Confiteantur
All: tibi Domine, omnia opera tua; et sancti tui benedicant tibi.
Superior: Laudate Dominum omnes gentes, collaudate eum, omnes populi.
All: Quoniam confirmata est super nos misericordia eius et veritas Domini manet in aeternum.
Superior: Gloria Patri et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto,
All: Sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in saeculo saeculorum. Amen.
Superior: Agimus tibi gratius, omnipotens Deus, pro universis
All: Amen
Superior: Tribuat Dominus benefactoribus nostris pro terrenis caelestia, pro temporalibus sempiterna.
All: Amen
Pluscarden Grace before Supper
Superior: Edent pauperes
All: et saturabuntur, et laudabunt Dominum, qui requirunt eum: Vivant corda eorum in saeculum.
Superior: Kyrie eleison
All: Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison.
Superior: Pater Noster....(silently until).... et ne nos inducas in tentationem
All: Sed libera nos a malo.
Superior: Ad coenam vitae aeternae perducat nos rex aeternae gloriae.
All: Amen
Pluscarden Grace after Supper
Superior: Deus, veniae largitor et humanae salutis amator, quaesumus clementiam tuam, ut nostrae Congregationis fratres, sarores, propinquos et benefactores qui ex hoc saeculo transierunt, beata Maria semper Virgine intercedente eum omnibus Sanctis tuis, ad perpetuae beatitudinis consortium pervenire concedas. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
All: Amen.
Superior: Memoriam
All: fecit mirabilium suorum misericors et miserator Dominus. Escam dedit timentibus se. Gloria Patri et Filio et Spiritui Sancto, sicut erat in principio et nunc et semper, et in saeculo saeculorum. Amen.
Superior: Benedictus Deus in donis suis, et sanctus in omnibus operibus suis, qui vivit et regnat in saecula saeculorum
All: Amen.
Superior: Tribuat Dominus benefactoribus nostris pro terrenis caelestia, pro temporalibus sempiterma.
All: Amen
Prayer in Memory of St Benedict
Standing in the oratory,
Benedict, whom God so loved
strengthened with holy communion,
and supporting his failing limbs
in the arms of his disciples,
died praying with his hands raised to heaven,
and his soul was seen to ascend heavenwards
on a path strewn with rich coverings
and shining with innumerable lights.
V In the sight of God you appeared most worthy,
R Therefore he clothed you with beauty.
Let us pray.
O God, who adorned the precious death of our Holy Father Saint Benedict with so many and such great privileges; grant, then, that when we come to die, we may be defended from the snares of the enemy, by the blessed presence of him whose memory we recall. Though Christ our Lord.
R Amen
May the sweet name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that of His most holy Mother, be praised for ever.
R Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment