Abbey News

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Dominican Nuns Report
Perhaps you'll remember the July 18th report of our Summer Seminar. Our good Dominican Sisters from Elmira who joined us for the Seminar graciously posted a report of it on their blog including a few exclusive photos. It's worth checking out at Nuns Go To Genesee.

Cistercian Canonization

During the 1989 World Youth Day in Spain Pope John Paul II offered our Cistercian brother, Rafael Arnaiz Baron, as a model for youth chiefly for his ability for finding sanctity in everyday life. He then proclaimed him blessed in 1992.

Following in the footsteps of his predecessor, Pope Benedict will canonize Br. Raphael on October 11th of this year. Having died at the age of 27 he is the youngest of the four others who will be canonized at the same time.

See Zenit for July 22nd for a brief biography of Blessed Raphael.

Franciscan Retreatants
For the past two weeks we were happy to have Bros. Christopher and Patrick of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal with us on retreat in preparation for their solemn profession which is taking place today. God grant them all the graces of a blessed and fruitful consecrated life!

Off to Crozet
Tomorrow morning Abbot John will depart for Our Lady of the Angels, Crozet, VA where he will conduct the canonical visitation. He is due to return Saturday, August 8th. Our prayers for a grace-filled visitation accompany him.

Schedule Change
We will be celebrating the patronal feast of our Order, the Assumption, on Saturday, August 15th as a full solemnity. In keeping with the spirit of the day we will anticipate Saturday's bake on Friday the 14th. We've changed our Mass schedule accordingly: Friday, August 14th - Mass at 4:00 PM; Mass on Saturday, August 15th at 9:45 AM. NO AFTERNOON MASS THAT DAY. See the schedule changes for August.

He who through faith is righteous shall live (Romans 1:17). For a Christian, faith ought to be the light that illuminates not only the times of prayer, but the whole of life.

During prayer it is not difficult to say "I believe in God the Father almighty"; but a few minutes afterwards, when faced with some difficult tasks, a tiresome person, or some circumstance that is painful or upsets our own plans, we easily forget that all this has been arranged by God for our sanctification; that God is our Father and is more concerned about the welfare of each of us than we are ourselves, even though we are the interested parties; that God is all-powerful and can help us in every difficulty.

If we lose sight of the light of faith, we shall get lost in merely human considerations and protests, or in discouragement, like that of people who have no faith. We believe in God the Father almighty, but we do not believe strongly enough to recognize his will or at least his permission in every event, nor do we turn to him in every circumstance.

Until the light of faith so penetrates us that it makes us see all things in relation to God and as dependent on him, it cannot be said that faith enlightens our entire life.

Divine Intimacy
Fr. Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen, OCD