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“What can give us the strength to overcome fear?”
That is how Brother Leven Harton OSB, prior of St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison, Kansas, begins his presentation on the Four Principles of Discernment. He uses St. Maximilian Kolbe as his example, the saint who fearlessly accepted suffering and death on behalf of another inmate in Auschwitz.
St. Maximilian “suffered not for Christianity or the culture war, but for Jesus Christ,” says Brother Leven.
We all have a vocation to love Jesus Christ. For many, that will mean loving him in religious life.
To introduce four principles of discernment, Brother Leven shares four of his favorite places at St. Benedict’s Abbey.
First is the Abbot’s chapel, where “The Lord waits for us to pray.”
Second is the Abbey Cemetery, where you can keep your life in context as a preparation for heaven.
Third is the Abbey Church, which reminds monks that “Our hearts are restless until they rest in God.”
Fourth is the dog run, which is home to the Abbey’s new dog Pambo.
Brother Leven is a graduate of Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. Watch his video above or here for a practical introduction to the principles of discernment.
Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college located on the bluffs above the Missouri River in Atchison, Kansas. The school is honored to have been named one of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, the best private college in Kansas by The Wall Street Journal, and one of the top Catholic colleges in the nation by First Things magazine and the Newman Guide. It prides itself on outstanding academics, extraordinary faith life, strong athletic programs, and an exceptional sense of community and belonging. Benedictine College is dedicated to transforming culture in America through its mission to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.
