Abbey News

Sunday, May 5, 2010

Anniversary Celebration
Tomorrow, May 3rd, Feast of Saints Philip and James we'll be celebrating Fr. Aelred's Silver Jubilee of ordination to the priesthood. At least the community will. Later on when his family comes for their annual family visit they will celebrate the happy occasion at the guest house.

Fr. Aelred came to us from Queens, Long Island after obtaining his B. A. in philosophy at Cathedral College in Queens. He completed his studies for the priesthood after solemn profession.

During his monastic life Fr. Aelred has served in the library, bindery, bakery, infirmary, kitchen as one of the community's cooks. He also spent some 4 or 5 years helping out at our daughter house in Brazil several years ago.

In a recent rearrangement of bakery personnel he has been put in charge of assigning the brothers their various bakery shifts (a challenging job!) as we see him doing in the photo. Thanks, Fr. Aelred, for persevering! AD MULTOS ANNOS!

Visitor From Novo Mundo
A few days ago Fr. Felix, a former superior of our Brazilian daughter house, arrived for his five year visit to family, Gethsemani (his community) and Genesee. In chapter this morning he brought us up to date on the community there. It was good to learn that they continue receiving applicants and that younger Brazilian members of the community are gradually assuming important offices. With only three Americans remaining there that it is a good indication that the community is taking root and maturing and able to govern itself more and more.

Schedule Change
Once again we are blessed that in our diocese the Solemnity of Ascension Thursday is celebrated on Thursday instead of the following Sunday. Since it is a Holy Day of obligation we will work in the bakery Wednesday, May 12th instead of Thursday the 13th so we can keep Thursday as a Holy Day. The resulting change in our Mass times for those days can be found on our Liturgical Schedule page.

Vocation Retreat
We still have a few openings for our May 21st - 23rd Vocation Retreat Weekend as advertised on our Vocation page. For further information or to obtain a registration form contact:

Br. Anthony Weber, OCSO, Vocation Director
Abbey of the Genesee
3258 River Road
Piffard, NY 14533
(585) 243-0660 x. 19
Br. Anthony Weber, OCSO

As one woman, Eve, had cooperated in the losing of grace, so by a harmonious disposition of divine Providence, another woman, Mary, would cooperate in the restoration of grace. It is true that all grace comes from Jesus, who is the only source of grace and the one and only Savior; but inasmuch as Mary gave him to the world, and was intimately associated with his whole life and work, we can truly say that grace also comes from Mary.

If Jesus is the source, Mary, according to St. Bernard, is its channel, the aqueduct which carries it to us. Since Jesus willed to come to us through Mary, so all grace and all supernatural life come to us through her.

This is the will of him who decreed that we should have everything through Mary (St. Bernard). All that Jesus merited for us by strictest right, condignly, Mary has merited for us fittingly, congruously. The Blessed Virgin is then truly our Mother. When she brought forth Jesus, she brought us forth at the same time to the life of grace; we can address her in all truth: Hail holy Queen, Mother of mercy; our life, our sweetness, and our hope!

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