Abbey News
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Thanksgiving
Even though prayers of gratitude to God and words or gestures of thanks to one another are the  order of every day (ideally speaking!) it is good and even necessary to set aside at least one day of the year to pay special attention to giving thanks. In keeping with the hallowed American tradition since 1789 we'll be doing just that along with our fellow citizens this Thursday.
Speaking of gestures the photo at the right is the sign for 'thank you' in Trappist sign language. A rather nice gesture in any language one could say.
When people learn that the Trappist diet is vegetarian they often respond with something like, but of course you have turkey on Thanksgiving! Well, I'm afraid not. In keeping with the Rule meat is permitted in the diet normally only in the case of illness. Or during family visits or when traveling though even here some may opt for vegetarianism.
Several years ago after supper one of the novices noticed a large flock of wild turkeys out in the yard at the edge of the woods and remarked: Now I realize that we are keeping to Benedict's rule of no meat in the diet. There is a whole flock of wild turkeys out there and we had peanut butter for supper!
WILD TURKEYS OUT IN THE FIELD
Word From the Generalate
Death of the oldest nun of our Order. Sister M. Martha Nomoura was born on November 25, 1906 in Osaka (Japan). She entered Tenshien in 1937 and made her solemn profession in 1944. She died on November 1, 2007. Sister was 100 years and 11 months old and had been in monastic vows for 66 years when the Lord called her. May she enjoy the fullness of eternal life!
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