By Father Bob Schreiner, S.T.L.
“…whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you.” John 16:23
Jesus teaches the disciples that his place among them as intermediary to the Heavenly Father is both profoundly intimate and eternal. No longer a people needing to yearn one day to see the face of God who is infinitely distant, now – because of Him – they can confidently call upon God as Abba themselves and know that they are heard. His role as the high priest and intercessor taking up their prayers and offerings and sanctifying them is now established as both eternal and intimate.
Therefore, sharing a communion in the life of Christ, this intercessory role is shared by those baptized into the life of his grace. We, too, can intercede to the Father through Christ for one another’s needs. And given the living communion of the Church, the saints in heaven who behold the radiant glory of God ‘face to face’ (the triumphant Church) can and do intercede for the needs of the church on earth (the church militant.)
Thus, our appeal to St. Benedict for our efforts here to advance the story of Sr. Annella’s amazing life of virtue in the hopes that the Church can one day welcome all to seek her intercession in heaven for us makes perfect sense. But St. Benedict’s position in heaven to help us in this cause takes on another significant aspect: St. Benedict knows Sr. Annella as a (spiritual) daughter; and Sr. Annella, while in this life, called St. Benedict her (spiritual) father.
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This language of spiritual fatherhood/motherhood can be found (among other places) in St. Paul’s testimonies. He spoke of young Timothy as a “…true son in the faith.” (1 Tim 1:2) And he claimed Titus as “…my true child in the common faith.” (Titus 1:4) Within this understanding, the Church has throughout the ages continued to reference such lines of spiritual mentorship as fathers/mothers and sons/daughters.
Each founder of the great houses of religious formation can be understood to be a spiritual Mother or Father to those who apprenticed themselves to their way (or their rule) of the Christian life. St. Ignatius, for example, has been the spiritual father to generations who followed the Ignatian way; St. Francis has been the spiritual father to those who chose to live their life as he did. And of course, St. Benedict has been a spiritual father to the men and women who submitted themselves to the wisdom of his holy Rule since its creation 1400 years ago. In fact, the canon of the Church’s saints lists over 1,500 men and women who lived the Benedictine life and called St. Benedict their father. Sr. Annella chose to live by that Holy Rule and lived her religious life calling St. Benedict her spiritual father.
And for us it is deeply significant to remember that he knows her as one of his spiritual daughters. “…and what father would hand his son a stone when asked for a loaf of bread? Or a snake when asked for fish?” “How much more will the heavenly father give you…” Matt. 7: 9, 10.
This is why we make our novena appeal to heaven through the voice and intercession of St. Benedict for the cause of canonization of Sr. Annella. He is both a powerful intercessor for this effort and the spiritual father of the Servant of God: Sr. Annella Zervas, OSB. “…whatever you ask the Father in my name, He will give you.”
About the Author
Father Bob Schreiner, S.T.L., is a priest of the Diocese of Crookston. He earned his Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) from the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. He currently serves as Pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Red Lake Falls and St. Joseph Parish in Brooks, Minnesota. In addition, he is the Spiritual Director for the Guild of Sister Annella Zervas, OSB, and Chair of its Spirituality Committee. Father Schreiner was among the earliest supporters of Sister Annella’s cause for canonization and has been a devoted promoter of her story within the Diocese of Crookston.