Abbey News

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Frances Verna - Rest in Peace

Our good friend and fellow worker, Frances Verna, died of cancer this past Tuesday. Many of you who have made retreats at Bethlehem over the past several years will remember her. She worked there taking care of our guests for about twelve years. Even after her retirement a few years ago she remained devoted to the Abbey and all it stands for. Yesterday Fr. John Eudes and Br. Augustine represented the community at her funeral in Syracuse. See Frances Verna for a brief bio.

Certified Shock Troops

This week a group of six of us took a course in what is called Heartsaver AED Training and became certified in the use of the device known as automated external defibrillator. In case of heart failure this device can be used to administer controlled shock treatment in an attempt to restart the heart.

Here we see Br. James receiving instructions in the use of CPR as part of the training program.

Mary Beth Barber, RN, BSN, founder of Shock For Life, supplied us with an AED unit and professional instructions in its proper use. At the end of the course a test was administered which everyone passed. So now we're set up to come to the assistance of a member of the community or a guest who goes into cardiac arrest, though we hope we'll never be called upon to do so.

Here Mary Beth explains the use of the AED unit. She has an interesting and informative web page at Shock For Life.

Coming And Going
Tuesday of this week we were happy to welcome Fr. Aelred back into the community after a prolonged absence. Then on Wednesday Abbot John left for Novo Mundo, our daughter house in Brazil, for the visitation with Br. James in tow. They are expected to return by February 2nd. Meanwhile, we had Fr. Martin, prior of Mt. Saviour Monastery in Elmira with us for a few days retreat. He had to return to his community for a few days but we expect him to return to finish his retreat shortly.

We have in (monastic) hospitality a fundamental religious practice concerned with strangers. It is an ideal model for encounter with believers from another religion.

Until quite recently the practice of hospitality did not take much account of the guest's religion. But things are different today. We regularly come into contact with people of other religions. If we want to show them respect, the religion of the guest must also be respected in how we receive them.

Welcome of a stranger is made possible by a common humanitas. Human nature is essentially religious. So, when receiving a guest belonging to another religion, that religion is not to be ignored. If the guest is considered a messenger from God, this must equally be so whatever his religious affiliation.

Meeting a representative of another religion in a spiritual environment can be a stimulus to our own faith. God has indeed something to say to us by means of men and women of other religions.

Faith and Hospitality
Pierre-Francois de Bethune, OSB