Under the leadership of its new chair, William Skudlarek, OSB, the board of Monastic Interreligious Dialogue held its annual meeting at Our Lady of Grace Monastery, Beech Grove, Indiana, from October 6-8, 2000. One of the main tasks of the board was to compose a revised mission statement. Subsequent to the meeting, a few revisions were made after consultation with some of the board’s advisors, so a final draft of the statement will be considered for approval at the annual meeting in the fall of 2001. As of now, the statement (together with an introductory paragraph) reads as follows:

We have learned from happy experience since 1978 that this dialogue, while increasing our understanding and appreciation of other religious traditions, also helps us come to a richer understanding and full appreciation of our own spiritual and theological heritage. So, as of October 2000 we state our mission as: Monastic Interreligious Dialogue is made up of Christian monastics who, at the request of the Apostolic See, engage in interreligious dialogue as a way of giving expression to the monastic charisms of listening and hospitality. We foster dialogue on the level of spiritual practice and experience between North American monastics and contemplative practitioners from other religious traditions for the purpose of mutual spiritual benefit and communion.

The board also discussed the progress of the book Benedict’s Dharma, reflections on the Rule of St. Benedict being written by four Buddhists, together with an introduction by Patrick Henry and a concluding chapter by Br. David Steindl-Rast. Readers of our bulletin will recall that this project developed out of the Gethsemani Encounter of 1996. Publication of the book is scheduled for the late summer of 2001, to be followed by a conference at Beech Grove, Indiana, at which several of the Buddhist authors will be present. The program will include a number of Christian monastics responding to the book out of their own experience of studying and living the rule. Further information about this meeting is presented in the Upcoming Events section of this bulletin. In addition, the board spent considerable time discussing the document Dominus Jesus (see page 32 of The Bulletin), which had recently been issued by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The contact persons meeting held at Schuyler, Nebraska, in the summer of 1999 was so successful that another such conference is being planned for 2003. Detailed planning for it will take place at the board’s annual meeting in 2001.


One very important part of each annual meeting is the election of new members to replace those whose terms are expiring or who have had to leave the board for other reasons. Those selected to begin three-year terms at the Beech Grove meeting were Fr. Patrick Cooney, O.S.B. (St. Meinrad Archabbey, Indiana), Sr. Margaret Michaud, O.S.B. (St. Bede Priory; Eau Claire, Wisconsin), Br. Gregory Perron, O.S.B. (St. Procopius Abbey; Lisle, Illinois), Sr. Sarah Schwartzberg, O.S.B. (Benedictine Monastery; Clyde, Missouri), and Fr. Joseph Wong, O.S.B. Cam. (New Camaldoli Hermitage; Big Sur, California). The concluding evaluation of the meeting by those in attendance was very positive. The schedule was considered relaxing, with prayer and meditation providing the proper climate for dialogue at the sessions. Everyone present adapted readily to new ideas and there was a sense that appropriate decisions were made concerning items on the agenda. One member commented: “This was the first meeting at which we actually did dialogue rather than just talk about it.”