Abbey News
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Week of Easter
The celebration of Easter is one of those mysteries of our faith that cannot be celebrated in one day. So the Church extends it for a full week after Easter Sunday with Alleluias, special Masses and hymns and psalms and, here at Genesee, festive breakfasts. We'll be concluding our Week of Easter with our Easter Guadeamus supper tonight, one of the two times a year when we have a 'talking' supper, the other at Christmas. Easter Season will continue with the solemnity of the Annunciation on Monday and our hermit day for April on Wednesday.
On Easter Monday, in a burst of joyful poetic license, one of the brethren paraphrased the Song of Songs 2:12-13:
Crocuses are appearing in the cloister garden.
The season of alleluias has come,
the honking of geese is heard overhead
the Easter lilies give off their fragrance.
Come then, my beloved
my Risen One, come!
Never mind that by the end of Easter week the blossoming crocuses outside the refectory were buried under several inches of new fallen snow and that the first week of spring was more like that of winter! It's still Easter after all!
Annual Bakery Report
On Easter Thursday three representatives of our bread distributor, George Weston Bakeries, Inc., met with the community for the annual 'state of the bakery business' report. They began their presentation by saying that across the board the baking industry is experiencing difficulties due to the shortage of wheat which is causing a rather big increase in price. As prices go up sales go down. Except for the top three premium bread products, Arnold's, Pepperidge Farms and Monks'. In fact, these brands are experiencing a modest increase apparently because when money is tight people prefer to buy quality products.
The upshot of the meeting is that Monks' Bread is in a good place and the prognosis for the immediate future is bright. We are grateful to the Weston Company for all their help in promoting and distributing our product as well as to our faithful customers who support our community and three foundations when purchasing Monks' Bread products.
Latest News About Our Monastery In Kenya
The following cryptic message appeared on the Order's web site:
By means of this brief message, we would like to inform you that the community of Victoria in Kenya has decided to move to a new location.
The reason, as all are aware, is the series of events that recently took place in that country, and concern for the brothers’ safety. For the time being, they will settle in the diocese of Masaka, Uganda, Within a year from now they will come to a decision about a more permanent place.
Let us be united in prayer for the Victoria community, as well as for the Father Immediate and the community of Tilburg, who have provided valuable assistance.
This is sad news indeed, though we are glad that so far no lives have been lost. We can imagine the pain connected with dismantling a flourishing, well established community with classic monastic buildings.
More Monastic Homilies
If you are looking for a bit of edifying daily lectio Fr. Steven Sherrer of our monastery of Holy Spirit, Conyers, Georgia sends the following: I post my daily homilies on a blog (website) in English and Spanish. The homilies are based on the Biblical readings of the day or on the theme of the feast. This service includes all Sundays and feast days. I normally post the Sunday homily on the previous Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon, and the weekday homilies on their respective afternoon. You can check him out at Fr. Steven's Homilies.
Vocation Discernment Retreat
In the midst of the vocation crisis in the Church these days it is good to get news of someone doing something positive about it. The Vocation Awareness Council of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, NY is sponsoring a vocational retreat for young, single Catholic men and women this November. This is a great opportunity to learn more about vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life in the Church. You'll find more information about the event and a registration form on our Vocation Retreat page. Here's hoping more dioceses will take note and follow suit.
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