Video and Conference Presentations
of the Mount Angel Institute
The Christian in the World
The Christian in the World lecture series, sponsored by Mount Angel Institute, is an integrated program of study, prayer and discussion for Catholics who want to live their faith more deeply. The program seeks to help participants gain a more profound understanding of the Scriptures and the Church, and to support lay people in exploring how to live their baptismal vocation in everyday life.
January 27, 2024
What is monastic spirituality?
Led by Br. Ambrose Stewart, OSB
Presentation One | Winter-Spring 2024
Monastic spirituality as a guide for life for every person is the theme for the winter/spring 2024 Christian in the World series. The first lecture is titled, “What is monastic spirituality?” The focus is on the Desert Fathers – those 3rd and 4th century monks who first fled to the Egyptian desert in search of God.
Download PDF file for text to accompany the audio file for What Is Monastic Spirituality?
February 10, 2024
Monastic spirituality: A journey together to everlasting life.
Led by Abbot Peter Eberle, OSB
Presentation Two | Winter-Spring 2024
In his talk, “Monastic spirituality: A journey together to everlasting life,” Abbot Peter explains how monastic community life is structured, its purpose, and how learning about the spirituality of community life can help lay people live out their Christian vocation. He will, in part, base his presentation on chapter 72 from the Rule of St. Benedict:
“… This, then, is the good zeal which monks must foster with fervent love: They should each try to be the first to show respect to the other (Romans 12:10), supporting with the greatest patience one another’s weaknesses of body or behavior, and earnestly competing in obedience to one another. No one is to pursue what he judges better for himself, but instead, what he judges better for someone else. To their fellow monks, they show the pure love of brothers; to God, loving fear; to their abbot, unfeigned and humble love. Let them prefer nothing whatever to Christ, and may he bring us all together to everlasting life.”
March 9, 2024
Monastic spirituality: Listening to and praying with God’s voice.
Led by Fr. John Paul Le, OSB
Presentation Three | Winter-Spring 2024
In this Christian in the World lecture, Fr. John Paul Le will explore monastic spirituality from the perspective of prayer and how this prayer can enrich the life of a Christian living in the world. The first part of his talk will focus on lectio divina, the ancient monastic practice of prayerfully reading the sacred Scriptures. Throughout the centuries, monks developed this method of reading the Scriptures which can be broken down into four steps: reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.
The theme of the second part of the lecture is the Liturgy of the Hours (or Divine Office), the prayer of the Church. St. Benedict calls this rhythm of chanting the psalms and other Scriptures the “Work of God.” Through the Liturgy of the Hours, we unite ourselves to Christ in his eternal prayer to the Father.
