SOLEMNITY OF CORPUS CHRISTI
June 7, 2015
Eucharistic Celebrations
Today, along with the universal Church, we joyously celebrate the Solemnity of Corpus Christi complete with Eucharistic procession through the cloisters and outside after Mass followed by adoration until Vespers. Then on Friday it will be the celebration of the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. NOTE: MASS WILL BE AT 9:30 AM FRIDAY, JUNE 12TH FOLLOWED BY EUCHARIST ADORATION UNTIL VESPERS AT 4:30 PM.
Week of Dialogues
This past week we gladly welcomed Dr. Pat Kelly in our midst once again to help us get started in a new series of community dialogues. As in the past we’ve found it helpful to have a professional facilitator’s assistance with what some monks call the ‘modern day asceticism’. As President of Kelly Counseling and Consulting with many years working with religious communities she is eminently qualified to offer guidance and advice. You’ll find information on her and her organization at Kelly Counseling and Consulting.
The main issues facing the community at the moment are how to proceed in implementing the next phase of the master plan for our buildings. Should we proceed with the renovation of what has been called the ‘Welcome Center’ more traditionally known as the ‘Gatehouse’ or relocate Bethlehem Retreat House so it would be closer to the Abbey. Both need to be undertaken eventually. Many are the details to be worked out for both projects.
Another important question is whether or not to make some changes in the community schedule that would better fit the needs of several of the brethren. A poll has already been taken suggesting some changes need to be made. But here again we need to have some community discussion in the matter. The important thing is to arrive at a community consensus as we move forward.
In the News
In keeping with the Church’s focus on the Consecrated Life this year our local diocesan paper, The Catholic Courier, carries stories from time to time about the various religious communities in the diocese. The current edition features a fine story about Genesee. You’ll find it at Abbey serves up bread, hospitality.
If that isn’t enough publicity for a while the local newspaper, the Livingston County News, featured two articles on the monastery highlighting the renovated Church and the bakery. So much for the monastic ‘hidden life’! You’ll find the articles on the LCN web site, under Featured Stories. Note: there are two stories of the Abbey as seen in the bar below the photo of the Church. At the end of the article on Monks’ Bread, left side you’ll find a video tour of the bakery.
Needless to say we are grateful to both the Courier and Livingston News for these fine articles.
Lectio Notebook
The mode of Christ’s presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all the sacraments tend.
In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist the body and blood,, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained.
It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ’s body and blood that Christ becomes present in this sacrament. The Church Fathers strongly affirmed the faith of the Church in the efficacy of the Word of Christ and the action of the Holy Spirit to bring about this conversion.
Catechism of the Catholic Church
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