SAINT AUGUSTINE'S HOUSE
NEWSLETTER
Summer A.D. 2017
„ PAX
It all started because I kept seeing this pesky raccoon in our trash can on fall mornings
after Lauds. Then one morning I watched him scurry around the corner and out of sight
and I thought, “that’s not how raccoons move.” Indeed, it wasn’t a raccoon, it was a
feral cat. A beautiful long-haired cat, a grey tabby with the low-slung carriage of a
Persian. I started putting food out, hoping to keep it out the trash can. It worked until
the dead of the Michigan winter, a cruel environment for outdoor feeding. Both the
water and the cat food froze. Then she disappeared. I imagined her cold and stiff in
some “cats-only” hiding place. But, when the spring thaw came, she came back –
straight to the trash can. Later that year I trapped her to take her to the vet for spaying
and a rabies shot. She returned the favor by preemptively having a litter of six kittens in
our pole barn. I named her Jezebel, or Belle for short.
That first summer, I sometimes took a stool from the shop to sit out in the driveway and
eat my yogurt while Belle ate her breakfast. I would think about her while I watched
her eat and then groom herself– where did she come from, how much might she have
cost (she definitely didn’t look like an alley cat, even after some time spent outside as a
feral), and, again and again, “Why?” Why had someone abandoned her? Why had
someone dumped her out by the side of Drahner Road?
Eventually, it occurred to me: maybe she wasn’t abandoned or dumped; maybe she ran
off or was chased away by a coyote or mean dog or even another cat. I went from
cursing an anonymous callous-hearted so-and-so to having compassion for a grieving
owner who very much missed his or her kitty.
So often, when we’re confronted with those who’ve become unmoored and are adrift –
perhaps from a home, a life, a job, stable mental and emotional health - we are tempted
to ask, “Why?” How easy it is, at that point, to imagine the worst answers, including
the generic, “What’s wrong with that person?” “Why can’t he straighten himself out?”
The Samaritan in Jesus’ parable illuminating who is our neighbor didn’t ask “Why?”
He dutifully bound up the man’s wounds and found him a safe harbor from reality’s oft
stormed-tossed sea.
I stopped asking “Why?” because Belle needed two meals a day and a trip to the vet and
someone to talk calmly and kindly to her. Nowadays, I scratch her head and her chin
and pull her tail and brush her and throw her little felt mice stuffed with catnip (though
she much prefers the real thing).
3316 Drahner Road, Oxford, MI 48370-2506 • 248-628-5155 • [email protected]
Not wanting to add fuel to the great “Cats vs. Dogs”
debate, I’ll offer this bridge across that chasm: both cats
and dogs know full well how to train humans.
Dogs favor the “affection addiction” method: overwhelm
the human with loving attention until he or she is
addicted and now you have full control (you’ll need it
after digging up those freshly-planted hosta beds).
Cats prefer the much more subtly manipulative approach
– playing “hard to get.” Chloe, the short-haired calico of
Belle’s surviving offspring, is a true Zen master of this art.
When calling hungry kitties to come eat, I’ll watch as she
nonchalantly wends her way across the driveway toward
the food dishes as if she were Audrey Hepburn doing the
opening to “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” It can be stone cold
winter, 8 inches of snow, and her casual meander across
the tundra clearly says, “I may decide to dine with you.
Or. Not.”
Any and all cat behavior can be humbling at times, but
feral cats have honed it to a state of humiliation nigh
unto being unjustly crucified. The cats of this monastery
all have “tells” that help us figure out that they really care
about one thing and one thing only – food. OK, you can
scratch my head and give me a tummy rub, but if there
are no treats forthcoming or supper is going to be late
again, then “feral” translates as “later, loser!”
Charity. Hospitality. Empathy. All such acts of Christlike kindness must be rooted in a truly humble heart. If
you’re expecting gratitude, reciprocity or that nice warm
feeling that you’ve been “helping the less-fortunate”
that’s not quite the sort of attitude Jesus was aiming for.
Living with feral cats for some time will do wonders for
such an overly stimulated ego.
I feel so blessed that I was there to hear Henri Nouwen
lecture on his notion of a “wounded healer.” It struck
me then and still does what a profound insight: that even
the wounded are able to be about the work of healing
others. Indeed, the suffering of the healer can quicken
the empathic response.
But I’ve recently come to another take on the “wounded
healer” concept: engaging in acts of healing can also
cause one pain, even wounding. The heart engaged in
the work of the Good Samaritan is a heart at risk.
Before I could get Belle to the vet, she’d had a litter of
six. That happenstance alone belongs under the previous
heading, “True Humility.” So does trying to trap just
one hungry kitty out of six.
Trapping itself was incredibly painful for me. The
plaintive cry of a feral cat caught was almost more than I
could bear. I’d had a domestic cat long ago; I would
stuff him into a cat carrier when it was time for a trip to
the vet, but I couldn’t remember feeling anything like the
anguish when it came time to trap the next feral
customer.
Nor was I prepared at all for the even-deeper wound: a
dead cat. Six became five within the first two months.
The poor little thing was lying beside the driveway near
the entrance to the monastery. It had been an ugly night,
a sudden cold spell along with a ferocious thunderstorm.
The poor kitty died alone; no sign of any kind of attack,
though perhaps a car had clipped it hard enough to
dispatch it. I couldn’t even bring myself to bury it, but
simply moved it deeper into the little meadow, under a
blue spruce.
Another dead, about a year later. Persephone, Chloe’s
twin calico, had not shown up for a day and a night. I
found her on the second morning, stiff as a board on the
floor of the pole barn. Chloe was prancing back and
forth nearby but she vanished when I realized that I’d lost
another kitty and let out a mournful wail.
There’s no way, really, to prepare for that kind of trauma,
the anguish and frustration of losing what you care so
deeply about. It just comes with the task of caring for
these, the least of God’s creation. They have so much to
impart to us about the work of ministry here at St.
Augustine’s House. And so I soldier on, doing what little
I can to provide a bit of shelter and sustenance for the
lost, the unmoored, the abandoned and the feline.
Sincerely,
—Fr. Jude
News & Notes
 The celebration of the Paschal Mysteries topped all
news at St. Augustine’s House. The unfolding of the
mystery of our redemption never loses its attractive power
or its drama. We were joined at the Vigil of Easter by
members of the Church of the Advent from Rochester, MI,
which greatly enhanced our celebration (first Vigil for
many of them).
the ashes of their father next to their mother in our
cemetery. Quite a reunion.
 Ron Brauer worked with John Baker on the new
building for a year and a half. At the death of John Baker
in November of 2016 Ron continued to work from John’s
plans day by day. He worked his last day here on June 2.
On June 1 he was guest of honor at the evening meal
andwas warmly thanked for his skill, craftsmanship and
work ethic by all.
www.StAugustinesHouse.org
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Boy Scout Troop 108
 American Legion Scout Troop 108 of Oxford, Rich
Morton, Scoutmaster, returned to St. Augustine’s House
for the fourteenth year on Saturday, May 13. They set
about immediately clearing the trails, restoring trail
markers and then consuming multiple pizzas and hot dogs
at lunch. We are grateful to scouts, parents and
scoutmaster for their work and their community spirit.
Building Debt
Paid: $16,231
Owed:
$283,769
 Betty Jo and Lloyd Buss and Sandy and John Berney
have adopted the task of gardening in 2017 and have made
the entrance and the planters look quite elegant. They even
seem to be having a good time doing it!
 We wrote in the Lenten Newsletter about Devin Ames’
month-long stay in January and the academic research he
had undertaken. The fruit of his labor was in a paper,
submitted at Saint Olaf College in Northfield, MN, entitled
“The Value of Community and Prayer in Lutheran
Monasticism.” The paper will be posted on our website
and you are invited to read it.
Fackler brothers
 The annual Memorial Day Cookout drew 21
participants this year. We couldn’t all fit on the deck, but
Annual Chapter Meeting
we all had a good time. Thanks to Brett Torgler on the grill
and all who brought food to share (great food at that).
The Annual Chapter of the Congregation of the Servants
of Christ was held on Monday, May 1, 2017, with
 Mark your calendars now for the Annual Fellowship
eighteen persons present for Vespers, Supper, and
Day, set this year for Saturday, October 14, beginning at
Chapter.
9:30 a.m. and concluding with a great Pig Roast at 1:00
p.m. The Rev. James Wetzstein, Pastor to the University
at Valparaiso, IN, will speak on “Bridging the Generation
Gap.” Don’t miss it. Reserve the date now.
 Fr. & Mrs. Jim and Joan Fackler had a family of eight
sons, now scattered across the USA. Six of their sons and
one granddaughter gathered here on May 27/28 to inter
Reports for 2016 were received, members of Council
were elected and Associate Members renewed and
initiated. The financial report indicated 2016 income at
$502,268 and expenditures of 839,481 (with a Thrivent
loan of 300,000) and was accompanied by a audit report,
The Fellowship of Saint Augustine is the circle of those
praying for “the establishment of religious community
among Lutherans” since its founding in 1956. The actual
community, the Congregation of the Servants of Christ,
was founded in 1958. The prayers continue through the
thick and thin of the first sixty years. We are sustained
by those prayers and the marvelous grace of God.
Brett Torgler, Br. Richard, & Ron Brauer
both of which were approved. 28 Associate Members
renewed their commitments, 3 returned to Associate
Membership after varying hiatuses, and 15 candidates for
Associate Membership were received. The three
returning to Associate Membership were Frank D. Deets
III of Cincinnati, OH, Pr. Thomas T. Kochenderfer of
Trappe, PA, and Fr. Thomas A. Smith of Munhall, PA.
Candidates for Associate Membership are: Devin P.
Ames, Fr. Frederick Keller, John & Sandra Berney, Fr.
Shaun LaDuc, Pr. Lloyd & Betty Jo Buss, Fr. Donald G.
Love, Dr. Ken & Pr. Denise Grant, William Mark, Vr.
Kenneth D. Greble, Ed Nordmeyer, and Rev. Dr. Jack
M. Horner, Jr., Joseph C. Solberg.
The yellow brochure for the Fellowship of Saint
Augustine is enclosed in this mailing to allow members
to update their information, renew their membership
and/or share the Fellowship with others. After some
fallow years we have begun a series of Fellowship
Letters, written by members of the Congregation and
prominent scholars and ordinary believers. Dr. Jonathan
Linman (Metropolitan New York Synod staff), Dr. Philip
Pfatteicher (author of many books on the Liturgy), Dr.
Lloyd Buss (a Bonhoeffer scholar), and Devin Ames
(student at St. Olaf College) have all written for us and
there is more to come.
If you are on our mailing list and are not a member of the
Fellowship of St. Augustine we invite you to complete
the yellow form, return it to us by mail and join us in
praying and growing. If you are already a member of the
Fellowship please give the yellow brochure to a friend
with a recommendation. Thanks.
Members elected to serve on the Council for 2017/18 are:
Bp. Jeffrey D. Bischoff, Bp. Matthew L. Riegel, Bp.
Aubrey L. Bougher, Daniel John Susan, Fr. Jude
Motaka, and Dr. George Weckman. The Rev. Dr. Frank
C. Senn was named Visitor for the same period. (The
Visitor is a kind of overseer of the monastery, offering
pastoral care and guidance to the community.)
The Prior called for a five year stress on identifying
vocations, calling it “A Call to Monastic Discipleship”
and utilizing all available media. The Chapter gave
special recognition to four Associates who died in the
year past, Fr. Charles J. Christensen of Kansas, Rolland
Kohls of Florida, Fr. James David Fackler of Illinois, and
Edwin Holmberg of Michigan. The aggregate of their
years of Associate Membership is nearly 200. Ave et vale!
60 YEARS AND PRAYING
Gardeners: John & Sandy Berney, Betty Jo & Lloyd Buss
Gifts are gratefully acknowledged in memory of
DONNA BARR
JAMES DAVID FACKLER
EDWIN HOLMBERG
and in honor of
ERNEST W. BAKER
JONATHAN & ROBIN MONTGOMERY
(these latter for their birthdays)