This Lenten series features a different person each week. Nothing in particular connects these people, other than my desire to ask them a few questions. They may not be the questions you would have asked, but I hope you might appreciate their answers nonetheless. TL
Father Eugene Hensell, the presenter of our shared parish mission March 13-16, is a Benedictine priest from St. Meinrad Archabbey in southern Indiana. Newman students have toured St. Meinrad as part of past Kentucky Spring Break trips. An Indiana native, Father Hensell was ordained a priest in 1969. He has spent much of his priesthood studying and teaching sacred scripture, and is currently associate professor of scripture at St. Meinrad School of Theology. He is a contributor to various church-related publications.
Father Eugene
Hensell, OSB
How did you decide to become a
Benedictine monk?
I was sent to St. Meinrad Seminary as a college student and it was
during that time that the seeds of monasticism were sown in me. I was
attracted by the monks themselves, the liturgy, and the scholarship.
Could you review the history and tradition of St. Meinrad Archabbey?
St. Meinrad
Archabbey was founded in 1854 to provide a place that the monks
of our mother abbey in Switzerland might come to if the monasteries there
were forced to close by the government. Once here the monks began to
work with the German immigrants and very soon started a seminary. Our
monastery has been involved in seminary and other forms of education almost
from the beginning. We do a small amount of parish work in our local area.
We belong to the Swiss-American Congregation which means that we were
founded from Switzerland. In addition to education we have operated
the Abbey Press for many years. The Abbey Press is involved in
printing and religious good of all kinds. Currently we have 107 monks
in our monastery.
If there is an "average" day at St. Meinrad, would you describe it?
The monks rise between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. Vigils and Lauds begin at
5:30 a.m. We have Mass at 7:30. From 8:30 a.m. until noon the monks go about
their various work assignments. At noon we have mid-day prayer
followed by lunch. From 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. the monks again go about
their various work assignments. Vespers is at 5 p.m. and supper is at 6
p.m. Compline is prayed privately. The monks are free after supper for
recreation or other activities they might wish to engage in. We do not talk
before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m. In the monastery itself there are designed
places where talking is permitted and silence is observed in all the other
places. We take breakfast and supper in silence. There is always
table reading at supper. Lunch is informal with talking.
What has been most rewarding in your life as a monk and in your ministry?
Most rewarding in my life as a monk has been being able to be part of the
long and significant tradition of St. Meinrad. I am basically a
teacher and a preacher and I have had many opportunities to engage in those
activities over the years. However the real goal of a monk is not
found in what one does. It is found in simply living the monastic life
daily.
In addition to preaching and writing about scripture what are some
interests or hobbies that you pursue, things you enjoy?
I am an avid reader with very wide interests. I spend a lot of
time reading. I am also interested in developing biblical courses that
I teach online. I have been doing this for about ten years and I enjoy the
challenge very much. I like to walk every day. I find this very
suitable for both exercise and prayer.