Constitutions

Summary of our CONSTITUTIONS

I Charism

Listen ... seek ... search ... look ...

that you may have Life.
The Missionary Benedictine way is seeking God with others
in a common life.

This way of faith is under the guidance of the Scriptures,
the Rule of St. Benedict, and a superior.
The Missionary Benedictine way is to proclaim
what is found -- the love of Christ
( the Kingdom of God among us ) 'to witness to the presence of the Risen Lord' / God-with-us.
The Congregation of the Missionary Benedictine Sisters of Tutzing is of pontifical right
and a member of the Benedictine Confederation.

II Profession

"IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. AMEN".

As Benedictines in a long monastic tradition,
the Sisters publically profess

"to follow Christ in religious community,
to live in obedience,
and to persevere in the Congregation."

In these vows are included
the commitment to consecrated chastity, detachment
from private ownership, and sharing our goods in community.

This "surrender to God which was begun
in baptism, is intensified in religious profession." (Rom 6:4)
"As we walk the way of Jesus Christ
we experience the mystery of His saving Love." (Eph.1:3-11)

III Prayer

Awareness of God-present is nurtured and nourished
by private prayer, and praying together.
The Sisters gather daily for Opus Dei
(the Liturgy of the Hours ) common divine praise and the Eucharist.
In addition, "lectio divina--Scripture,
other spiritual reading and interior prayer"
--is an essential part of each Sister's commitment
to follow Christ .
They "are united as Church with all people,
giving voice to their praise and thanksgiving,
to their supplication and repentance."

IV Community

"United by the Spirit of Love and a common vision,
the sisters walk the way of faith."
On this way, they are challenged
"to make love for one another a daily reality",
showing mutual trust and esteem,
"praying and working together,
celebrating and taking meals in common",
giving and seeking forgiveness,
treasuring a variety of characters and cultures,
(and practicing the monastic virtues,)
so that "through patience they share in the sufferings of Christ
that they may deserve also to share in His Kingdom."

V Mission

The love of Christ impels us to participate in the missionary service of the Church,
to show and to speak of that love which God has for all of his creatures,
to listen and to learn from others how God is at work in them and in all of Creation.
Open to every kind of activity consonant with the Missionary Benedictine life and prayer,
the sisters engage in diverse forms of apostolic service,
such as education, health care, pastoral and social ministry,
that in all things God be glorified.

VI Formation

Living out the baptismal vocation is a lifelong process.
The Missionary Benedictine way offers a particular guidance in this lifelong process of transformation into Christ.

The individual called is initially guided by a specific program in the context of the common life.
This School of the Lord's service continues for a lifetime
to expand and deepen that love of God which is gifted to each person.

VII Service
of Authority

Only on the way of faith can the sister say that "the Lord Jesus is especially present to the religious community through the Superior.
" The Rule of St. Benedict gives clear prominence to the role of the Abbot in guiding the life of a community and its members.

Those appointed and elected to leadership give of their talents and skills to build up and renew the community's life, strengthen the sisters in their commitment to the Lord, and unite and direct the various ministries.

Each sister strives to grow in the spirit of Christ who came to serve and not to be served.

History

THE FOUNDING OF THE CONGREGATION

(Summarized from our constitution by Sister Antoinette Adelman, OSB)

A. The Founder -- Joseph George Amrhein was born in Beromeunster, Canton Luzern, Switzerland on February 4, 1844. He was professed in Beuron Abbey, Germany in 1871, and ordained to the priesthood in 1872. In 1883, Fr. Andreas Amrhein was granted permission by his abbot, Maurus Wolter, to undertake his plan to form a community living according to the Rule of St. Benedict, and monasteries found in the 'foreign missions'' for apostolic work, similar to the activities of the Benedictine missionaries during the 8th - 10th centuries.
B. The Founding -- In 1884, in Reichenbach, Diocese of Regensburg, Fr. Amrhein received the first male candidates. On June 29, Pope Leo XIII approved the founding of a mission seminary with permission for the training of candidates. In 1885, four women entered as candidates at Reichenbach. Until his resignation from office in January 1896, Fr. Amrhein governed both the men's and the women's branches of the developing 'Society for the Foreign Missions'.