Abbey News
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Junior Seminar 2009
I'm happy to report that this year's Seminar for the junior nuns and monks of the U. S. Region went smoothly and was successful. Everyone involved, participants, presenters, chairman and host community seemed to have profited from the gathering. Here's hoping it will bear good fruit for a long time to come. With twenty-five junior participants it was the largest Seminar of recent years with all but three of our American communities represented.
JUNIOR SEMINAR 2009 - PARTICIPANTS
During the first week Fr. Justin, liturgist of Genesee, gave daily presentations on monastic and Cistercian liturgy and its relation to lectio divina touching on history and observances. During the first part of the second week Sr. Gail, retired abbess of Our Lady of Mississippi , developed the theme of the monk as disciple of Jesus and St. Benedict. Fr. Thomas Keating, during the last two days, spoke on the practice and purpose of contemplative prayer in Cistercian life. Here we see the group gathered in the spacious meeting room in the Snowmass retreat center for class.
Our brothers at St. Benedict's Abbey, Snowmass, Colorado were our hosts for the Seminar and they couldn't have been more gracious and hospitable. It is no small matter for a community of about 20 brothers to host a lively group of 25 juniors for a full two weeks.
Sunday Chapter
During our weekly chapter meeting this morning Fr. Justin, Br. Edward and myself shared some of our reflections and experiences of the Seminar with the community. But, without doubt, the main attraction of the morning was the talk by Sr. Sheryl Chen, OCSO of Our Lady of Tautra in Norway who was with us during the week for her annual retreat. She told us a bit of the history of her community and its current development. You'll find an interesting description of this unique foundation on their web site at Tautra Mariakloster.
Ascension Thursday
In our diocese we happily keep Ascension Thursday coming up this week as a Holy Day of obligation. We will be baking on Wednesday instead of Thursday this week with the usual changes in our schedule. Check out our schedule page for changes if you plan on joining us for Mass on Wednesday or Thursday.
The time between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday is the traditional time for making a novena to the Holy Spirit in preparation for Pentecost. If you'd like to make a novena you'll find some prayers and readings on EWTN's Novena to the Holy Spirit page.
Homecomings
If all goes according to schedule Br. Isaac will be returning from Catholic University on Tuesday for his summer break and Fr. John will return from Nigeria on Wednesday. Here's hoping and praying that all will go according to schedule.
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