Phrase Benedict Option absent from article about actual Benedictines renewing culture

This is a really good article about the incredible restoration going on in Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict. Very timely also, and it also contains a plethora of phrases relevant to Christianity and Catholicism in particular. Among these are New Evangelization, restoration of monastic culture, scholastic education, Gregorian chant, ressourcment, traditional monastic horarium and dynamic renewal. Real positive ideas which all have meanings.

Note that there are no mentions of the so-called Benedict Option in this article anymore than there are mentions of unicorns, global warming, Santa's elves or queer theory. Also conspicuously absent is the cute abbreviation BenOp which is preferred by most of the BOppers out there.

RTWT; here are a few interesting paragraphs:

In addition, the monks have engaged in many cultural endeavors. Looking back to the mandate of Vatican II, this may be the best way to understand the call for “adaption.” As I have written elsewhere, Cardinal Pell described their brewery, Birra Nursia, as a genuine expression of the New Evangelization. The monks see the brewery as an apostolate for engaging non-believers and though their brewery has only been around for a few years (since 2012) it has had a large impact, even being served at the last papal conclave!

...

The monastery’s new CD, Benedicta: Marian Chants from Norcia, was produced in partnership with de Montfort Music, a highly successful label, producing 3 of the top five classical albums for 2014. The CD presents many traditional Marian hymns and antiphons, some of which will be readily recognizable, but what stands out to me is that the CD also includes an original composition. This, once again, reflects the creative and dynamic renewal of the Norcia monks. The text and music of the original piece, Nos Qui Christi Iugum (“We Who Have Received Christ’s Yoke”), were composed by Fr. Basil Nixen, the monastery’s choirmaster.

I would encourage everyone to purchase the CD, not only for its beauty and inducement to contemplation, but also to support the great work of renewal undertaken by the Monastery of St. Benedict of Norcia. We all have a great work ahead of us to rebuild the foundations of our civilization. In this work, we will all be carried by the prayers and labors of contemplatives. Their renewal, the renewal of the monastic foundation, may just leaven the whole project of rebuilding. And where better to start, but in the very home of the great builder of the foundations of Western civilization, St Benedict?

That sounds like a good CD to buy if you want to support these good monks. I'm sure the beer kicks, too, but I'm stocked for a few more weeks, thanks.

Real monks doing real stuff making good music, good beer and praying their asses off. I have no doubt that these men are having a real effect on the world by their prayers and actions, their ora et labora. My guess is they don't have a lot of time to discuss imaginary places, persons or things like the Benedict Option. That exercise wouldn't really fit under either category, although maybe a Latin scholar could devise a quick phrase which translates roughly to "talking about praying tomorrow most likely, thinking about working later on and definitely planning to write a book someday."

ROCOR's Statement on Brother Nathanael

Youtube makes recommendations on what to watch if you have an account. Fortunately you can turn them off by clicking on the three dot marker and clicking Not Interested. Today I was shown a recommendation for an anti-Semitic video rant from someone calling himself Brother Nathanael and dressed up like a Halloween cardboard version of an Orthodox monk. I think I was probably shown this due to some crazy white supremacist videos I'd watched defending Hitler's murder of millions several months ago. I commented on one, saying something like "Poor wittle Hitler, just weacting to histowical events...." to which someone replied "F**K YOU". Funny.

Googling Brother Nathanael brought up this page which gives you the score on the guy. Basically he's a whack-job who only poses as some sort of monk or Orthodox Christian religious leader. Excerpt:

Though I have never posted anything specifically on Brother Nathaniel on this website, I have received dozens of emails over the past few years asking about him. I informed people of what I knew about him from those who personally have known him, all of which were very disturbing things.

Among the things I was informed about and have now been documented online in various sources, is that he is a man with mental problems (pleasant on his medication though very unpleasant when not) who has caused enough disturbances in a few monasteries in America so that he was kicked out of all of them, at least once by police. He is not and never was a monk. He was a novice in an Old Calendarist monastery in Colorado, but was kicked out of there too. He claims to be a legitimate monk from a legitimate Orthodox monastery, but this is not true. He is in fact a showman who likes to be the center of attention with a persecution complex, though he is well off financially after being successful in business. He is fixated on his Jewish heritage, a sort of love/hate relationship, and obsessed with conspiracy theories that more often than not come out as anti-semitic poisonous rants. He also wears a white skuphos which is only reserved for Metropolitans in the Slavic churches, and a pectoral cross which is forbidden to novices.

If you have some extra time, read that David Abel link. Wow.

So this confirms that the guy is nuts and not any type of official representative of any Christian church whatsoever. The post also includes this official missive from ROCOR which I find highly amusing.

The Synod of Bishops of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia has recently received repeated complaints about the activities of and statements made by a certain Nathanael (Kapner), who lives on the territory of the Western American Diocese, but has no relation to it.

The clergymen and laity of the Russian Church Abroad are hereby informed that the actions of Nathanael (Kapner) do not have the blessing of the Synod of Bishops.

Profoundly saddened by the state of his soul, we call upon Nathanael (Kapner) to refrain from posting on the Internet, to a life of repentance of peace in Christ, “where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11).

+KYRILL,

Archbishop of Western America and San Francisco

Secretary of the Synod of Bishops.

July 17, 2013

Yes, we concur. Plus: ditch the costume, go take your frickin' meds, and please don't tell us you built a time-machine out of a DeLorean.

Christopher Dorner: Latest Lefty Whack Job

Well, looky here. It turns out that Dorner is a liberal who has the hots for Hillary, Michelle Obama and Biden.

• Dorner’s statements in support of gun control (“Who in there right mind needs a fucking silencer!!! who needs a freaking SBR AR15? No one”),
• his attack on President Barack Obama’s critics (“You question his birth certificate, his educational and professional accomplishments, and his judeo-christian beliefs”),
• his adoration of First Lady Michelle Obama’s hair (“I love your new bangs, Mrs. Obama”),
• his admiration for Joe Biden (“I’ve always been a fan of yours and consider you one of the few genuine and charismatic politicians”),
• his support for Hillary Clinton (“You’ll make one hell of a president in 2016″),
• his fondness for former President Bill Clinton (“He was always my favorite president”),
• his confidence in San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro (“He’s [good people] and I have faith and confidence in him”),
• his love of MSNBC and CNN (“Chris Matthews, Joe Scarborough, Pat Harvey, Brian Williams, Soledad Obrien, Wolf Blitzer, Meredith Viera, Tavis Smiley, and Anderson Cooper, keep up the great work and follow Cronkite’s lead”),
• his criticism of the National Rifle Association (“Wayne LaPierre, President of the NRA, you’re a vile and inhumane piece of shit”),
• and his hatred of George Zimmerman (“Too bad Trayvon didn’t smash your skull completely open, Zim”).

We noted this earlier with a ho-hum, that these psycho-murderers tend to be on the political left. I mean in reality, not in the movies.

Here's Dorner's full remarks about Wayne LaPierre from his full manifesto:

Wayne LaPierre, President of the NRA, you’re a vile and inhumane piece of shit. You never even showed 30 seconds of empathy for the children, teachers, and families of Sandy Hook. You deflected any type of blame/responsibility and directed it toward the influence of movies and the media. You are a failure of a human being. May all of your immediate and distant family die horrific deaths in front of you.

But I suppose you had "30 seconds of empathy" for the three people you murdered. Stay classy, freak, until you are apprehended or taken out.

Islamic Freudian Slip

"The truth will out," as they say. Check out this little whoopsie from an apologist for Islam writing in the Urban Dictionary:

Contrary to what right wing jew-christian-athiest nut jobs say, its not some tatic to silence critism of islam. Muslims welcome critism of our religion all the time. please stop bringing up some nut job with a sign saying behead those who insult the prophet. that is not islam, thats not what muslims are about. The extremists are a very small majority in the muslim world....

Yeah, a "very small majority", indeed.

I left the crazy misspellings in for more flavor. Read the whole thing for a bigger laugh. Here's how he ends it:

So when you come to my house and vandilize it, dont tell me its freedom of speech because youre on my property and according to tje 2nd ammenment, i have a right to cap your sorry ass.

Uh, huh. Straight from the Religion of Peace.

Maybe it's some kind of seasonal disorder

I had blogged a lot about this phenomenon last fall, and my friend had pretty much stopped all the paranoid email; his last one was sent on 10/31/09. But he's back, and has just hit a font size of 36 as of yesterday when he sent a crazed rant about Monsanto. Another email about the great intelligence and sanctity of Alex Jones was delivered to my inbox today. So I'm speculating that this is something which happens whenever flu shots are advertised, although I will not pursue any more scientific investitigation at this time.