HOW THE YEARS GO BY...............

I'm sure all of us look back on the years of our life and wonder "Where have all the years gone?" It seems to me that people born around my time and earlier have seen so many changes in our society and certainly in the area of technology. I was born in 1933, still during the great depression. In so many ways all of us were poor in those days, at least poor as far as not having much money. But, perhaps we had many other things that people today do not have. They were happy years until the 2nd World War came along.

There were five boys in our family (no girls) This is one of the earliest pictures I remember of my younger brother and I. He was two years younger than me and the youngest of the family. He died of cancer in 1955

In the early part of September, 2010, it came to my mind that it was 62 years ago that I came to Conception as a sophomore in high school A very home sick boy for sure but here I am still here today. There have been a lot of changes in those years.

This was our sophomore high school class in 1948-49. I am in the 2nd row, far right.

I made my first vows in 1954 and was ordained a priest in 1959. So I have been professed for 56 years and ordained for 51 years. They have been happy years but of course many crosses too along the way.

Three friends and classmates in the early years of college:
from left, Bill Dunphy, Ralph Steffensmeier and myself .

I have worked many years in the seminary since my ordination but have also served in the Indian Missions in South Dakota and had many other jobs and positions in the monastery.

Below are a couple pictures from my days of working in the seminary.

Paul Vowell and Richard DeMeulenaere (now Fr. Martin OSB)

Dennis (Cassian) Heath and Ronald Montgomery (now Brother Bernard OSB)

Well, I think that's enough reminiscing for this time. We older people like to do that, don't we?

Be sure to check out the Abbey web page -- CLICK HERE

God bless you all.

THE FALL SEASON IS ABOUT HERE

On Sunday, August 22, some of the Reichert first cousins who grew up together on farms north of Brunswick, MO had a reunion. Six of us were able to be there (refer to bottom picture above) and the upper pictures is of all those who were able to come (including in-laws). We had a delightful time talking about the "good old days."

As we enter into the month of September we realize that the fall season is soon to be with us. Already we have had some cooler days and nights. As usual this time of year it goes back and forth for a while. It's hot for a day or two and then a cold front moves in and the temperatures drop. Last evening and last night we had about 1 1/2 inches of rain which we can use.

School is now back in full swing. While I have worked for many years in the seminary as a prefect, chaplain, spiritual director, manager of the book and supply store, etc., I am relieved of all that. I miss being around the students but have to admit I don't have the energy I used to have.

Yesterday I took Father Anthony to a doctor appointment in Maryville with Dr. Tom Di Stefano, an orthopedic surgeon. He was one of the surgeons who worked on me at the time of the shooting incident here in 2002. He thought I looked really good and came out of that in good shape. I agree with him. Father Anthony is in quite a bit of pain much of the time. Some years ago he had hip replacement surgery and gradually that has gotten worse. Now they are not able to do anything other than try to make him more comfortable with pain pills. He just turned 89 years old a couple weeks ago.

Father Joachim is also not able to walk much anymore. We are hoping to obtain an electric chair for him soon. Father Anthony already has such a chair. Brother George also uses an electric chair so soon we may have to put up signal lights in the Health Care Center. The other two residents are Father Paschal and Monsignor McCorkle who both can still walk.

The monks who study away from here have all returned to school. Father Frowin of course is still in Rome. He did not come home for the summer. Brothers Guerric and Victor are at St. Meinrad Archabbey for theological studies and Brother Paul is at St. Vincent Archabbey for theological studies.

I have a grand niece who is studying at Notre Dame University.
This semester she is studying in London on some type of special
program. She sent me the above picture of Big Ben on top of the
parliament building in London. I hope she will continue to send
me pictures now and then as I have never been to England.

And so for now that is it. I do encourage, especially our oblates, to also check out the oblate blog. CLICK HERE and then click on "oblates" on the left side of the screen.

Thank you and God bless you all.

Fr. Joachim Schieber, OSB Grateful for Prayers

After having back surgery in Kansas City on July 27th and then spending a couple weeks in a rehab center, Father Joachim Schieber is now back in St. Stephen Health Care Center at the Abbey. He wants to express his appreciation to all of you who remembered him in prayer, sent cards, phoned him or stopped by to see him. He appreciates that very much. Father Joachim is our oldest member in the community, going on 92 years old.

Two Novices Profess Temporary Vows

Left to right in above picture: Abbot Gregory, Brother Basil,
Brother Etienne and Brother Bernard (novice master)

On Sunday, August 15, our two novices professed the vows of obedience, conversion of life and stability for three years. Abbot Gregory was celebrant of the Mass and accepted the vows with the community present. As is our custom each of them received a new name. Novice John Bosco will now be known as Brother Basil and Novice Eric Huard will be known as Brother Etienne. (the French form of Stephen)

Many new signs have been placed on campus to help direct guests and others to the proper area or building.

Another one of the new signs.

Some of the signs also have a message on the back of the sign.

As I write this blog on Tuesday afternoon we are getting a nice shower of rain. It is also much cooler and that is great. The new students arrive tomorrow, Wednesday, August 18 and then the returning students on Saturday.

SUMMER ACTIVITIES WIND DOWN

As the summer comes toward an end and the students will soon be returning, it is a good time to pass along some of the news of what has been going on here at the Abbey this summer. A lot of work has been done. Early in the summer some new sidewalks were poured to replace broken and cracked sidewalks.

Also, with the increase of students in the seminary we have had to refurbish and increase the number of washers and dryers for the students to use. I believe nine new ones were installed in St. Michael Hall alone.

Just in the last few days the sign company has been putting up new signage for the various buildings. The sign above is one example. Of course for some time we have been working on these signs, deciding where to put them and what kind of a design to use.

As students who were here last year will remember the last two years we had put in a lift for handicapped persons to use to go from the library floor of the ambulatory or walkway to the ground level. Now we have a concrete ramp to be used for this purpose. The picture above shows part of this.

As many will recall we were having a lot of trouble with the asphalt breaking up on some parts of the road system. This summer we had the entire road system re-sealed and from the parking lot in front of the church and monastery to the garage we have put a concrete road. We hope this will last much longer than the asphalt.

At the end of July an alumnus, and his wife and little boy visited here at Conception. The photo above shows alumnus Randy Gorges, his wife Vera and their little boy, Isaac. Isaac will be a year old in October. Randy left Conception in the year 2000.

Another alumnus and his wife visited here earlier in July and I also got to visit them in their home in Dayton, Ohio. Pictured above are Benjamin Darnell and his wife Alicia and their little boy, also named Isaac. Isaac was one year old on August 12.

This Sunday, August 15, two of our novices will make their first vows and receive new monastic names. John Bosco, from Omaha, Nebraska and Eric Huard, from Wichita Kansas. This is always a happy occasion for the monastic community.

For more photos go to my Smugmug albums and photos (click here)

Or see some my other photos go on my Picassa site (click here)