A Museum for Monasticism

Interview With Father Serna, Abbot of St. Dominic of Silos

SANTO DOMINGO DE SILOS, Spain, DEC. 10, 2006 (Zenit.org).- The Benedictine Abbey of St. Dominic of Silos wants to establish a museum to monasticism -- but not because it's a thing of the past.

So says the abbot, Father Clemente Serna González. The Benedictine explained to ZENIT Silos' new project to establish a permanent exhibition on monastic life.

Father Serna, who was born in 1945 and entered the abbey in 1960, has been abbot of Silos since 1988. He holds a doctorate in patristic monastic theology from Rome's Pontifical Athenaeum of St. Anselm.

Q: Silos hopes to set up a museum. How did this initiative -- to make monasticism known -- arise?

Abbot Serna: Silos in fact already has two museums. One is established in the monastery itself, which offers visitors selected pieces of medieval and Renaissance sacred art. The other, more recent, is established in the old quarter of the village of Silos. It offers visitors an ample display of musical instruments from the most varied countries of the world.

Now we want to set up a permanent exhibition on monasticism.

Q: Why?

Abbot Serna: It's very simple. Let's not forget that Europe cannot be understood without the contribution of monasticism. Not in vain is St. Benedict patron of Europe.

To know monasticism better also enables us to know our Christian roots better, valuing everything that, thanks to the Christian faith, today is a reality.

For the same reason, not only can it speak to us of art and ecstatic beauty, as it is art which leads us to God and for the praise of God, but, it is art that springs naturally from the contemplation of divine beauty itself.

Moreover, we cannot fall into "archaeologism"; hence the plan to change this beautiful and serene place into a center of thought.

What do I mean by this? That people from very different backgrounds, also different due to their race, language, ideology or religion, should come together to talk openly about everything that can be thought about, but in a climate of peace and serenity, of dialogue and listening, with great respect for the other and having important moments of silence, which is the basis of all effective speech.

Categorically avoiding tensions, taunts, impositions, radicalism or fundamentalism, it is about finding channels of understanding. This calls for a notable effort on the part of all participants, because it is about coexisting and sharing from our human dignity itself.

Therefore, it must be very clear that to attempt to impose one's own opinion by force is diametrically opposed to human dignity. Hence the importance of channeling the dialogue from an attitude that proposes and exposes but does not impose.

To do this, we count firmly on the Silos Foundation, which is very aware of this project.

Q: A museum recalls the past. What is Silos today, in addition to its glorious history?

Abbot Serna: Without history, we have no roots and we cannot subsist without roots, which is not synonymous with longing, but just the opposite. It exacts from us a drive of conviction in the noble project of building humanity.

To do this, we must act with an upright intention and a wide outlook, always seeking to advance on paths of peace and justice, love and forgiveness, understanding and compassion, which involves us in the very plan God has marked out for us, giving us, to do so, the gift of freedom, love of beauty and great enthusiasm, in order to always move forward with the great task of carrying out the wonderful divine plan.

Therefore, today as yesterday, we monks center our day on God and his divine plan.

That is why we want to live cradled by divine praise, which leads us to a personal encounter with God and with brothers in God. In this way we feel ourselves naturally citizens of the created world redeemed by the Lord -- called, for the same reason, to proclaim the greatness of the human being, which is truly manifested when we are able to live together and share, agree and forgive, because no one is perfect and we are all in need.

Q: What is the most beautiful thing about Benedictine life?

Abbot Serna: For me, the whole of it is exciting. However, if you want me to indicate one thing only, I will say that the most beautiful thing is to be able to live the time of each day to the rhythm of divine praise and the service of brothers.

Q: You have become famous worldwide for Gregorian chant. What would you say to those who hold that it is singing of the past?

Abbot Serna: If I am to be sincere with you, it is not fame that interests us, as it belongs to the world of the ephemeral, the spent and the futile.

As regards Gregorian chant, we continue to use it in Silos for the simple reason that it has an incredibly rich, beautiful and eloquent content.

Let's not forget that it is the official song of the Latin Church. It is a prayerful song, which is not only alive and timely, but also richly charged with the hopes and supplications, joys and sufferings of hundreds of believing generations which have made use of this prayerful song to address God, full of faith, God the Father and Mother of the whole of humanity.

It is also the song that gives the peace the world cannot give. The peace that no one can take away from us, which has its origin in the very heart of God, and in God we live it for the praise of his glory and the good of the whole of humanity.