Obedience

"How was the Chapter, Father?"
"Well. Thank you for asking. It was very short," Fr. Roch answered, peering over his glasses.

My classmates and I were settling down to our Ecclesiology class at the monk's library.
Fr. Roch, our instructor, had shared with us that his Cistercian community were having elections for a new abbot. The process is usually called Chapter of Elections.

"The vote was practically unanimous. This is a blessing. It means that we are united," Fr. Roch continued. No one exactly knew how old Fr. Roch was but scores of college professors across the United States boast of being taught by him.

"I was telling my freshman class that Fr. Peter, our new abbot, is a wonderful man. You know, he was my student. The class of 1973."

1973.
All of us in the room definitely wasn't even born yet.

"They asked me how I felt about kneeling down in front of Fr. Peter, my student, and vowing obedience until the day of my death."
Most religious takes the vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience.
I remember my first time, June 14, 1997.

"I told them, God took care of it."
Fr. Roch's face crinkled in a huge smile. "My knees are so bad, I couldn't kneel."

No wonder generations of students continue to sign up for Fr. Roch's classes.

Photo credit & for more information:
http://www.cistercian.org/abbey/news/abbey-news/

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