English
Monastic Interreligious Dialogue
Monastic Interreligious Dialogue Records (MID), University of Notre Dame Archives (UNDA), Notre Dame, IN 46556
Records of the Board, of the Chairpersons, of the Executive Secretaries or Executive Directors (Sister Paschaline Coff, OSB, Father Edward McCorkell, OCSO, Sister Katherine Howard, OSB, and Sister Mary Margaret Funk, OSB); financial records, publications, photographs, and audio-visual material; with documentation of the Gethsemani Encounter in 1996 and the Nuns in the West Conference in 2003.
The beginning of the Monastic Interreligious Dialogue can be traced back to January 6-8, 1978, the first meeting of the American permanent working group for interreligious dialogue at the Benedictine Monastery in Clyde, Missouri. The foundations, however, were laid much earlier.
Prior to any formal program there were Christian monastics living in the East, assimilating the truths they found in eastern religions and teaching others. Thomas Merton, through his own interest, study and experience fostered the exchange. Special impetus was given to the dialogue in 1965. In a document on the relationship of the Church to Non-Christian Religions (Nostra Aetate), the Second Vatican Council declared that "the Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions" and encouraged its members to collaborate and exchange with those of said religions. The Church also set up a permanent commission, the Secretariat for Non-Christians, later known as the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue.
The two conferences for all Asian monastics, sponsored by Aide Inter Monasteres (AIM), in Bangkok in 1968 and in Bangalore in 1973, further encouraged the exchange, and in 1974 Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli, president of the Secretariat for Non-Christians, asked the Benedictine Federation, by way of a letter to the Abbot Primate, to take on the task of continuing and developing the dialogue.
The responsibility was then delegated to AIM. Cornelius Tholens, OSB, head of the subcommission on East-West dialog, consequently invited two core groups, one in Europe and one in North America, to explore ways to implement the task. One group met in Petersham, MA June 4-13, 1977, the other in Loppem, Belgium later that year, and set up permanent working groups. The European branch took the name Dialog Inter Monasteres (DIM); the American counterpart chose the title North American Board for East-West Dialog (NABEWD), later changed to Monastic Interreligious Dialogue (MID).
The immediate aim of NABEWD was "to stimulate and help monks and monastic women of North America become more sensitized to Eastern monasticism and eventually to prepare for dialogue with them. In turn, to sensitize the East to the Western spiritual traditions, awakening both mutually to the various riches and possibilities" (Minutes of first meeting, January 6-8, 1978).
The Monastic Interreligious Dialogue was incorporated under the laws of the State of Minnesota on January 25, 1993, and the Convent (Monastery) of St. Benedict designated as the registered office.
The Sisters of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, Minnesota, entered into an agreement with the board of the Monastic Interrelious Dialogue to provide archival space and services. On July 20, 1994, Sister Katherine Howard, OSB, former executive secretary, deposited the first boxes of materials, approximately 4.5 linear feet, in St. Benedict's Monastery Archives. Subsequent shipments have been received from Sister Mary Margaret Funk, OSB, current executive director, which brought the amount of records to about 18 linear feet.
In 2004 the Board decided to move the archival records to the Notre Dame Archives, and subsequently approximately 20 linear feet of materials were transferred.
Monastic Interreligious Dialogue has a website at dimmid.org.
Among the correspondents in this series are Abbot Cornelius Tholens, OSB, the head of AIM's (Aide Inter-Monastere's) subcommision on East-West dialog; Father Mayeul deDreuille, OSB from the AIM Secretariat in Vanves, France; Father Armand Veilleux, OCSO, convener of the first meeting of the permanent working group; and Robert Muller, of the United Nations, mostly writing to Sister Paschaline Coff, OSB.
The six members of the permanent working group which met January 6-8, 1978, were to constitute the first board. Abbot Martin Burne, OSB and Sister Paschaline Coff, OSB were elected chairperson and executive secretary, respectively.
The board saw itself "as liaison between different peoples, making contacts between interested groups, monastic specialists and other larger organizations and centers; informing, conveying to others every type of information that would be helpful; and in the area of spiritual formation, arranging for seminars, congresses, retreats, and the like" (First bulletin, January 9, 1978). Future membership was in the hands of the board. It was to meet annually.
Robert Muller, a layman, was a member of the first board and until November 1980, persons other than monastics were included. It was at that time that an Advisory Board was set up, composed of monastics as well as laypeople, clergy, and members of other religious orders.
The name was changed to Monastic Interreligious Dialogue in December 1991 to better reflect its purpose and composition. That purpose is stated in the articles of incorporation, January ,1993: [to] "promote dialogue among monastic communities and traditions of the various religions of the world". The records of the board indicate the many ways it has sought to carry out its mandate.
The chairperson is elected by the board, usually for a three year term. According to the minutes of the first meeting, the chairperson was to collaborate with the executive secretary in furthering the aims of the board. The duties of the chairperson were further elaborated in November, 1980 : "calling and presiding at meetings; keeping before the group its primary task and goals together with responsibility to the AIM; making necessary decisions regarding the board between meetings in collaboration with members" (Minutes of meeting).
For the most part it is necessary to refer to the records of the executive secretary to locate correspondence and memos from the chairperson.
The minutes of the first board meeting state that "most of the work of the Board will be done by the Secretary". The minutes of the November, 1980 meeting describe what the secretary's responsibilities included: "execution of the decisions of the board unless another is appointed for a special event of the board, treasurer and bookkeeper, official contact with A.I.M., with other groups, with the press for current activities, responsibility for the East-West Bulletin, the archives of the board, minutes of meetings and circular letters to the members". Through the years the duties have been further refined in a series of job descriptions. In December of 1992, the name was changed to Executive Director and another board member was elected Recording Secretary.
The records are arranged alphabetically by name or subject under each Executive Secretary or Director, and chronologically within the folders.
The records in this series relate to the beginning efforts to concretize the ideas and vision expressed at the first and subsequent board meetings and include the initiation of the Monastic Hospitality Program (intermonastic exchange with monks and nuns of other religious traditions), establishing a network of contact persons in North America, sponsorship of seminars and symposiums on east-west spirituality, and publication of a triannual bulletin.
The records refer to on-going programs of the board, e.g. Phase IV of the Monastic Hospitality Program, and further development of the network of contact persons.
The records relate to continuing development of the commitment to dialogue including a conference for contact persons; continuation of the Monastic Hospitality Program; close collaboration with Dialogue Interreligieux Monastique; surveys and reports on the effects of intermonastic dialogue; joining with the Dalai Lama to sign the Declaration on Non-Violence, and promulgation of same; and co-sponsorship of the 1993 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago.
These records illustrate a deepening involvement in the dialogue among persons of differing beliefs, particulary in the Gethsemani Encounter, which brought together Buddhists and Christians -- including the Dalai Lama -- from many parts of the world to meditate, worship, talk and listen to one another. The records also depict increasing coverage in the media and efforts to upgrade the bulletin, as well as continued development of the contact persons program, collaboration with Dialogue Interreligieux Monastique, further evolution of the Monastic Exchange Program, and proposed publication of a Buddhist commentary on the Rule of Benedict.
Initially the Board was funded by Aide Inter-Monastere, its parent organization. Gradually, through donations, mostly from the monasteries and grants received, the Board has become more able to support itself and undertake its desired projects.
The Executive Secretary kept the financial records except for the years 1989-1991. In December of 1992 Sister Johanna Becker, OSB, a Board member, was appointed Treasurer.
The first bulletin of the North American Board for East-West Dialogue was issued January 9, 1978, just after the first NABEWD meeting. It has been published thereafter, usually three times a year and has proven to be a major means of disseminating the message of the Board's activities and concerns as well as announcements of related activities, feature articles on pertinent topics, book reviews, reports etc. Beginning in 1999 it includes the DIM publication. Sister Paschaline Coff, OSB, the first executive secretary, edited the bulletin until 1989, when the task was given to Fr. James Connor, OCSO. In 1998 an editorial team assumed the responsibility.
The Gethsemani Encounter, A Dialogue on the Spiritual Life by Buddhist and Christian Monastics , published by the MID in 1998 was the first of several published books.