A Profession & an Ordination
D
Benedict Andersen’s triennial profession on the Feast of Saint Michael and
All Angels, 29 September 2012, was the
culmination of a summer of unstinting work and,
for Dom Benedict himself, the flowering of a tender
shoot but recently transplanted into Irish soil. Dom
Benedict’s was the first monastic profession under
the Rule of Saint Benedict in the diocese of Meath
in over 473 years, that is, since the dissolution of the
Benedictine Priory at Fore in West Meath by the
King’s Commissioners in 1539.
On Wednesday, 13 November 2013, Dom Benedict Maria Andersen was mystically configured to
Christ the Servant (Διακονος, “Deacon”) of the Father at the hands of His Lordship Michael Smith,
Bishop of Meath, in the presence of his Father
Prior, his brothers in the community, the clergy of
the Diocese, and numerous friends of the Priory.
Following the Ordination Mass, there was a festive
reception at Silverstream Priory.
The beautiful Ordination Liturgy took place at
St Mary’s, Drogheda on the Feast of All Saints of
the Benedictine Order. The music (including Palestrina’s ‘Missa Brevis’) was rendered with great
beauty and skill by the Lassus Scholars of Dublin,
under the direction of Ite O’Donovan.
om
Dom Benedict has a lasting debt of gratitude
towards all who helped make the occasion such a
glorious event: to His Lordship Bishop Smith for
his graciousness and especially for his touching
homily; to Frs. Michael Cahill and Stephen Kelly,
who acted as Masters of Ceremonies; to all those
who served, namely Brs. Patrick and David OP and
the Meath seminarians at Maynooth; to all who attended the event, both clergy and lay-folk, and especially to those who offered him gifts; to all those
who worked so hard organising the reception; and
to M.D. who provided the funds necessary to print
attractive, full colour booklets containing the texts
of the service in parallel Latin and English. >
In Remembrance of my Simple Profession of
Monastic Vows, According to the Holy Rule of
Our Patriarch Saint Benedict
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D OM BENEDIC T M AR I A
ANDER S EN, osb
29 September 2012
DEAR FRIENDS IN CHRIST, PRAY FOR
DOM BENEDICT MARIA
ANDERSEN, o.s.b.
S i lv er str e am P r iory
ORDAINED TO THE SACRED
ORDER OF DEACONS
• • •
By His Lordship, the Most Reverend
Michael Smith, Bishop of Meath
then said i: lo, i come. in the volume of the
book it is written of me, that i should fulfil
thy will. o my god, i am content to do it; yea,
thy law is within my heart.—Ps. xxxix.
At the Church of Saint Mary, Drogheda, Ireland
Feast of All Saints of the Benedictine Order
13 November 2013
Stamullen, Co. Meath, Éire
ancta María, Spéculum monásticæ perfectiónis,
Sancte MichaËl Archángele, defénsor noster,
Sancte Joseph, Fili David, Dei Genetrícis Sponse,
Sancte Joánnes Præcúrsor, exémplum monachórum,
Sancte Joánnes, qui supra pectus Dómini in Cœna recúbuit,
Sancte Pater Benedícte, Patriárcha monachórum,
Sancte Patrícii, Hibérniæ Apóstoli gloriósi,
Sancte Anschárii, Illuminátor Danórum,
Sancta Terésia a Jesu Infánte et a Sacra Vulto, amóris víctima,
Beate Joánnes Henríce, prædicátor veritátis,
Beate Columba, doctor adoptiónis filiórum Dei,
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Tu illum adjuva!
S
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O
God Almighty, the true and faithful God, who art rich
unto all that call upon Thee in truth, who art fearful in
counsels, and wise in understanding, who art powerful
and great : hear our prayer, O Lord, and let Thine ears
receive our supplication, and cause the light of Thy Countenance
to shine upon Thy servant, the monk Benedict ; and replenish
him with Thy Holy Spirit, and with power, as Thou didst replenish
Stephen, who was Thy Martyr, and follower of the sufferings of
Thy Christ. Do Thou render him worthy to discharge acceptably
the ministration of a Deacon, steadily, unblameably, and without
reproof, that thereby he may attain an higher degree, through the
mediation of Thy only-begotten Son, with whom glory, honour,
and worship be to Thee and the Holy Spirit for e ٕȸ