It is in view of this unity of redefinition that we the women of the Conference of American Benedictine Prioresses write this statement. Its purpose is to identify the elements of the Benedictine tradition which exist in the communities of American Benedictine sisters at this time; to affirm this tradition as a valid expression of a dynamic Benedictine life; to declare to the People of God who we are at this moment of religious renewal; and to give this definition unity.

STATEMENT OF VALUES

Benedictine women in North America maintain the Western tradition of cenobitic monasticism, characterized by the common life under a Rule and an Abbot. This tradition, originating in the monastic reform of Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century, has continually maintained that a stable community of persons leading a balanced life of prayer and work is the environment in which Christians can grow in holiness according to the Gospel. In contrast to other forms of monasticism in the Western church, the Benedictine tradition has affirmed moderation rather than austerity in its asceticism, and transforming presence to the cultural experience rather than the necessity of withdrawal from it. American Benedictine women, in touch with this tradition, know themselves to be monastic.

The prioress is a central figure in the cenobitic community whose members have come together to seek God. She attends to the spiritual and temporal well-being of her community, appointing assistants to tend to the various affairs of the priory. In leading the community and exercising her authority, she does all things with appropriate counsel. And community members for their part help the prioress to discern wisely by participating in the collegial structures of government that have reappeared in this culture and this time, advising her out of their own knowledge and understanding of matters under consideration. But final judgment in issues affecting the community life is the responsibility of the prioress.

The Gospel vision of life shared in these priories is expressed in the three vows of the Benedictine monastic profession: obedience, stability, and conversion of life. Through obedient listening to the voice of the Spirit in the scriptural word, in the prioress and in one another, in the call of the church, and the cry of the poor--whatever their needs--American Benedictine women seek to become, like Christ, always faithful to the Father who invites them. Stability in celibate community permits the establishment of lifelong human bonds. These bonds are necessary for the healing growth of each sister. They also create the context for the communal discernment necessary to Benedictine obedience. Through commitment to conversion of life, the communities and the sisters in them ready themselves for the Lord's coming: Today, if you hear his voice, harden not your hearts (RB Prol 10).

Faithfulness to the Gospel vision in this time and place impels American Benedictine women to be accountable for their goods. In the spirit of stewardship, they recognize an obligation to use what they have for the transformation of culture. Consequently, they do not amass goods; they willingly deprive themselves; they hold all things in common.

In priories of American Benedictine women, the response to the Gospel call to seek God in simplicity of heart finds expression in a life of prayer and ministry centered in the Eucharist. The daily celebration of the Liturgy of the Hours in the tradition of Benedictine monastic Opus Dei and the practice of lectio divina strengthen and deepen the biblical-liturgical spirituality of the communities. Personal and shared prayer and participation in the sacramental life of the church extend and complete the pattern of Benedictine prayer. The attitude of prayerfulness helps create an atmosphere of solitude, silence, and leisure. These elements are manifested in ways meaningful and appropriate to the needs and obligations of today.

Out of this climate of prayerfulness emerges the Benedictine contemplative vision. With this vision the American Benedictine woman discerns the presence of the Creator in all creation and she sees the face of Christ in her sister, the guest, the stranger, the poor. The intensity of this vision draws American Benedictine women to hospitality, stewardship, and participation in the total Gospel ministry.

DIVERSITY IN THE BENEDICTINE TRADITION

The Benedictine way of life requires a continual listening to the Spirit, with a corresponding response which takes into consideration the signs of the times. Living in the late 20th century makes different demands upon the followers of Benedict than those required in the 6th or 10th or 18th centuries. Looking upon the whole world as a global village draws Benedictines to be concerned with their brothers and sisters everywhere. Their individual responses in following Benedict's Rule are not identical. Sometimes the Spirit leads into the desert. There each member, in struggling with her own light and darkness, may come to a deeper awareness of her solidarity with all people. At other times the Spirit may call her out to minister and to prophesy according to the light of Christ within her.

Emphasis on the person rather than institution requires listening to the Spirit speaking through each member of the community, so that within one Benedictine priory there are opportunities and encouragement for varying responses in regard to prayer and work. In the American Benedictine communities of women as they are now developing, uniformity is not considered a prerequisite for unity. Unity is identified at a much deeper level than that of external actions, extending to a sharing of common goals, vision, and faith experiences.

Through his Spirit, God has called and continues to call each person to a particular form of life. There are many ways of serving the Lord, for no one charism can exhaust the mystery of Christ. Whenever and wherever monasticism has arisen, it is in answer to this call of the Spirit. The Benedictine charism is one among many, and within Benedictine life itself, the Spirit gives a different gift to each, as he wishes (1 Cor 12:11), thus giving rise to diverse expressions of monasticism.

Before the Rule of Benedict gained preeminence among monastic codes in the 9th century, it was not uncommon for a monastery to use more than one rule. In such instances, the abbot was free to pick and choose which elements of the different rules were to be observed. It follows then that diverse forms of monastic life developed in the West. Benedict himself clearly expected the spiritual leader to adjust the Rule according to the actual circumstances in which the community lives. This is seen, for example, in Benedict's regulations concerning care of the sick, the elderly and children, the type of clothing, the amount of food and drink. Accordingly, the Benedictine prioress must consider the weaknesses and strengths of all, so that the strong may have something to strive after and the weak may not fall back in dismay (RB 64:19). The prioress in her role as spiritual leader exerts a strong influence in the community's interpretation of the Rule and thereby on the direction the entire community takes in living the Benedictine values in the context of the culture.

Throughout history the Rule has been variously interpreted and lived as charismatic leaders made adaptations in accord with the needs of the local community and the church. As monasticism spread geographically, adaptations were made in response to different cultures. Formal documents such as declarations, constitutions, and customaries sanctioned these adaptations and modified the Rule according to the needs of the particular community. But in all these changes and adaptations the essential values of the Rule were maintained intact. Undoubtedly, the fact that the Rule of Benedict has withstood the test of centuries, while other Rules fell into disuse, is due to a built-in adaptability.

Down the centuries varying emphases on distinctive values contributed to the plurality of forms in the Benedictine way of life. There are cult abbeys where the emphasis is on the divine office; culture abbeys with emphasis on scholarly research and writing; solitude abbeys, where lectio and contemplation are stressed. Different aspects have been accented from time to time. History teaches that these are all valid expressions of Benedictinism when the values basic to the Rule are maintained. This fact is also confirmed in the experience of American Benedictines.

Renewal programs are underway in communities of American Benedictine women in response to the mandate of Vatican II. In the course of this renewal, a number of evident changes are occurring. New forms of cenobitic government are developing. The pattern of community life is shifting to reflect the professional-industrial culture of the present day, rather than the agrarian societies which have shaped it in the past. Variety in dress is replacing uniform garb. New ministries are emerging in these communities whose foundresses came to the United States in the first place to make new responses to new needs.

It has been, in fact, part of the tradition of American Benedictine sisters to make new responses as society around them shifted. They moved from the cloister to the parochial school systems; from convent and parish ministries to the public sector; from motherhouse living to the mission structure. The American Benedictine way of life has never been defined by the forms it has taken but only by the spirit it breathes.

THE PURPOSE OF THE STATEMENT

It is the purpose of this document, therefore, to identify once again the elements of the Benedictine tradition which give basis to the religious life in the communities of American Benedictine sisters at this time. We trace the origins of these values from our earliest histories and keep them vitally present in each of our communities still. We recognize these to be the cenobitic life; the Rule of Benedict; the three monastic vows of obedience, stability, conversion; personal and common prayer; and the Gospel ministry.

As Benedictine women in North America we affirm this tradition as it is now lived, in this century and this culture, as a legitimate expression of a dynamic tradition. We consider our expressions of Benedictinism as valid as the expressions of those before us who lived alone on monastery grounds, or emphasized complete and total silence, or gloried in stylized chant, or illuminated manuscripts, or organized schools. We affirm our expression and claim it as Benedictine, even though it differs in some of its forms from other existing groups who cite the same tradition.

At this moment of renewal, then, it is important to reaffirm our identity so that the vision we see, the tradition we extend, and the mission we bring is clear to the church, to its people and to ourselves. At this moment of renewal, we proclaim our tradition publicly, not only for ourselves but also in accountability to the whole church.

As American Benedictine women of the church who have been called by a single Spirit in a rich diversity of ways, we unite in our commitment to the truth of our tradition and give this renewed definition common voice.