Abbey News

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Novo Mundo News
In chapter this morning Fr. John and Br. James gave the community a report on their recent visit to our Brazilian daughter house, Novo Mundo. In the course of the official visitation Fr. John was making it became clear that the community has grown to the point where it is ready to become a full fledged Abbey. Before a community can be raised to the status of an Abbey it must, among other requirements, have 12 solemnly professed members. During the course of the visitation Br. Raphael made his profession bringing the number to 12. Another profession is due to take place in March which bring them over the top number wise. At the moment there are 23 members of the community with prospective candidates in the wings.

Friday this week our community, in its role of mother house, will vote on whether or not to propose to the forthcoming General Chapter Novo Mundo's becoming an Abbey. If the proposal is accepted then the General Chapter will vote on the question when it meets in September this year.

Much to our surprise Fr. John and Br. James arrived home from Brazil right on schedule early Friday afternoon. It is not rare for flights to be off schedule even in the best of weather but here it was right in the midst of a freezing rain that they landed on time.

Here Comes Lent
In keeping with our preparation for entering into Lent we celebrated our annual communal penance service with private confession on Friday. As Lent approaches there is a bit more activity in the library as the brethren browse about for a Lenten book. These books will be reviewed by the Abbot and distributed next Sunday, the first Sunday of Lent. Here we see Br. Brian picking out a book under the watchful eye of St. Benedict.

If you are looking for some Lenten reading for yourself this year you might check out our selection of books on our Lent-Easter-Pentecost page, especially the new Lent and Easter Wisdom series published by Liguori Publications.

In the Christian tradition there are three practices recommended for Lent: prayer, fasting, almsgiving. This year our Holy Father's message for Lent dwells on the third practice. You can find the text of his message on the Vatican's web site at: Pope's Lenten Message.

May She Rest in Peace
Our prayers these days are for Br. Augustine's mother, Kathleen Jackson, who passed on to better things last Saturday. He has joined his family for the funeral and is due back on Wednesday.

Dear brothers and sisters, Lent invites us to "train ourselves" spiritually, also through the practice of almsgiving, in order to grow in charity and recognize in the poor Christ Himself.

In the Acts of the Apostles, we read that the Apostle Peter said to the cripple who was begging alms at the Temple gate: I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, walk. (Acts 3:6) In giving alms, we offer something material, a sign of the greater gift that we can impart to others through the announcement and witness of Christ, in whose name is found true life.

Let this time, then, be marked by a personal and community effort of attachment to Christ in order that we may be witnesses of His Love. May Mary, Mother and faithful Servant of the Lord, help believers to enter the "spiritual battle" of Lent, armed with prayer, fasting and the practice of almsgiving, so as to arrive at the celebration of the Easter Feasts, renewed in spirit.

With these wishes, I willingly impart to all my Apostolic Blessing.

Message of Lent 2008
His Holiness, Benedict XVI (concluding paragraph)