Death of Abbot James

Abbot James and Fr. Regis (pushing wheelchair)
Taken a few years ago.

When I returned from Washington, D.C. on August 3, I was informed already at the airport that Abbot James had been taken to the hospital in St. Joseph that morning by ambulance. We stopped to see him and he was still in the emergency room. After staying at the hospital for about an hour we came on home as the nurse said they would probably keep him overnight. Later in the afternoon the hospital called and told us he had a perforated bowel and probably a tumor. The surgeon called me a little later and asked me to come down since I was designated as his agent on his living will and durable power of attorney. Both the surgeon and his regular doctor suggested that we not do surgery as they thought he might not even make it through surgery. So on Tuesday we brought him home, again by ambulance, and put him on hospice care. On Wednesday morning about 4:10 AM when the nurse went in his room to give him some medicine for pain, he was dead. We are thankful he did not have to suffer for a long time

The funeral for Abbot James was on Saturday morning at 10:30 AM. The church was pretty well filled and a number of priests were here for the funeral, including Archbishop Jerome Hanus, O.S.B., our former abbot and now Archbishop of Dubuque, Iowa, Bishop Rober Finn, our own bishop, Abbot Bonaventure retired Archabbot of St. Meinrad Archabbey, Abbot Gabriel from St. Benedict Abbey in Massachusetts, Abbot Barnabas and Abbot Owen (retired) from St. Benedict Abbey, Atchison, KS. Abbot James was a good friend of many people and greatly loved by those of us in the monastic community. If you would like to read the eulogy given by Father Daniel at the wake service on Friday evening, or the homily given by Abbot Gregory at the funeral Mass or the obituary notice, please go to the Conception Abbey web site:
www.conceptionabbey.org and then click on "news" on the left side of the screen.

Fr. Kenneth in front of George Washington's home at Mount Vernon

For more pictures of this visit go to: http://kennethosb.smugmug.com/gallery/9222100_3dxSs

As I mentioned I returned last Monday from visiting good friends in the Washington, DC area. It was a delightful trip and I had a wonderful visit with Mike and Angie Ryan. Mike was a classmate of mine in the seminary and we spent the novitiate together and three years of temporary vows. So we have been friends for 55 years or more. I always enjoy Washington and we were also able to visit the home of Thomas Jefferson and the home of the fourth president, James Madison. I enjoy history and especially American history so all this was very interesting. On this trip I was able to visit the home of three of our first four presidents -- George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. I missed the second president, John Adams, who was from Massachusetts.

Our four postulants are on retreat this week as they prepare to enter the novitiate on Friday, August 14. Also, on retreat are Novice Adam, who will make first profession of vows on August 15, and Brother Paul, who will make solemn vows on Sunday, August 23.

Until the next time be assured of my prayers.