INTRODUCTION

Since 1887, monks have lived in St. Ottilien Monastery; they strive to lead their lives according to the Rule of St. Benedict. In various jobs and projects, in the care of souls and in education, the St. Ottilien monks work; they know so very well the hardships of human labor: when a job begun is not successful, or when cooperation with others is difficult. The Benedictine monks live behind the walls of a cloister, but they know the cares of family and work that this life brings. Along with all these cares, along with the completely ordinary work, however, something completely different characterizes life in the cloister:

Five times a day, the Benedictines of St. Ottilien come together to meditate in the celebration of the Office in choir, lifting up their work and cares, but also the cares of all other people. They sing Latin and German chants that spare not even the smallest aspect of life. In the psalms, some of which are more than 3,000 years old, and in the hymns, everything belonging to being human is reflected and brought before God. Not only the text but also the melody of these chants, Gregorian chants, is many centuries old.

The choral office of the monks is a great meditation that lets each monk find peace amid the restlessness of life and that helps him to differentiate the important from the unimportant. So these chants are partly very old but also always timely. The daily chant of the Benedictines of St. Ottilien is an invitation to all who wish to find some peace in the restlessness of our time.

Since September 3, 2003, the memorial of Pope St. Gregory the Great, namesake of Gregorian Chant, one can be present at all prayer times and Mass at www.erzabtei.de and our technical project partner www.kip-radio.de and pray along live! If the monks of St. Ottilien are not praying at the moment, you will hear, as a little foretaste, the recording of the last prayer time or a slightly abridged recording of Latin Vespers from a CD. The CD recording is of course not live, but gives the best tone quality, which isn't possible in a live broadcast. But such a recording, even if technically very good, will always be only an archive of sounds, which one picks up more with the ear than with the heart. Being present live, though, means above all being present "with the heart." And to this we welcome you warmly!
 

HOMEPAGE DER ERZABTEI ST. OTTILIEN UT IN OMNIBUS GLORIFICETUR DEUS 2004 by Siegfried Wewers OSB No rights reserved