Sam Bellafiore, Staff Writer

Two Norbertine priest-monks visited the Notre Dame campus November 7 to 10 to attend the Center for Ethics and Culture Fall Conference. While here, they introduced students to the Norbertine order and, specifically, community and life at St. Michael’s Abbey in Silverado, California.

The student organization Children of Mary hosted a meet-and-greet with Fr. Ambrose Criste and Fr. Claude Williams on November 7 in the Knights of Columbus building. During dinner, the priests in white habits explained various aspects of their lives as canons regular, or priest-monks.

St. Norbert, they explained, founded the Order of Prémontré in 1120 in an effort to reform what he saw as clerics’ excessively worldly lives. The Norbertines or Premonstratensians live a monastic life centered around the Mass and Liturgy of the Hours.

Fr. Ambrose elaborated on the five pillars of Norbertine life—praising God in choir, care for souls, penance, devotion to the Eucharist, and consecration to Mary. The canons take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. Most chant the Liturgy of the Hours in community, using a form of chant particular to the Norbertines. They fast regularly, pray the rosary together, and have a daily hour of Eucharistic adoration.

Seven canons who had fled Soviet rule in Hungary founded St. Michael’s Abbey in 1958. The community, headed by an abbot, currently has about 20 seminarians and 50 members who have taken vows. Fr. Ambrose, the abbey’s novice master, explained that formation as a canon regular can take at least 10 years. During that time, including four years in Rome, a man studies philosophy and theology. He takes other classes including Latin, Greek, and Gregorian chant.  Their theology textbook is St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica in Latin and some canons continue academic training after their ordination.

In addition to their contemplative life, the canons are involved in active public ministries.  The community runs St. Michael’s Preparatory School, an all-male boarding high school where canons teach and serve as administrators. The Norbertines also work in prisons and parishes, offer retreats and spiritual direction, and operate an annual summer camp.

Fr. Claude Williams, former vice dean of the school, is now the abbot’s liturgical master of ceremonies and also works at a parish where several other Norbertines minister. He addressed the challenge of living a monastic rule while working in a parish, explaining that the canons at his parish communally pray the Liturgy of the Hours and celebrate Mass each morning before they leave for their other daily work. Their contemplative life is primary and the goal of their whole ministry.

The St. Michael’s Norbertines are especially interested in the liturgy. Fr. Ambrose and Fr. Claude spoke of their work to “pray the Mass” and help others do so. All canons celebrate Mass in the Ordinary Form; many also celebrate in the Extraordinary Form. Fr. Claude described how the Norbertines help celebrate Extraordinary Mass Froms at all parishes in southern California. Fr. Claude also says a Spanish Mass at his parish.

The Norbertine liturgical life piqued students’ interest.  Many asked the canons about their liturgical practices. Christina Serena, a sophomore philosophy and theology major who attended the dinner, recalled, “What I liked most about the Norbertines was that their love of the liturgy causes them to put a lot of attention into praying it correctly in order to make the Truth and beauty of the liturgy most apparent to those whom they serve.” Zachary Harris, a senior studying physics and aerospace engineering, also attended the dinner. He said, “I think it’s wonderful that there are some groups maintaining some of the more ancient traditions of the Church because they are an important part of our history and can be very beautiful .”

Throughout their stay, Fr. Ambrose and Fr. Claude met with students for discussion including vocations, the Norbertines. and student life. Harris described them as “joyful, amiable people” and said he is “continually amazed at the variety of ways to live out the call to holiness (which provides the Church universality).” He further “learned that the Norbertines live out this call through a beautiful life of contemplative prayer and service to the community.”

This was Father Ambrose’s first visit to Notre Dame.  He was “expecting to find a place with very little Catholic identity.”  He continued, “The president’s infamous visit of a few years ago, and especially the media coverage of that event, had really given me a skewed impression of the school.  Instead, I found a thriving Catholic university!”

The quality and level of discussion of justice among the Ethics and Culture Conference’s participants impressed him.  Fr. Ambrose said he hopes to visit campus again.  He explained, “What I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to meet so many faithful and enthusiastic young Catholic men and women.  It’s evident to me that the students at Our Lady’s University are able to grow tremendously in their faith and devotion, and they obviously encourage one another to do so.  Deo gratias!”

The canons are planning to build a new abbey and school seven miles away from their current site. Further information on the Norbertines of St. Michael’s Abbey is available at stmichaelsabbey.com.

Sam Bellafiore is a sophomore studying philosophy and vocal performance.  He firmly believes every person should have a chant buddy. If you are in need of a chant buddy, contact him at sbellafi@nd.edu or shout across the quad at that guy singing and conducting to himself.