SPRING IS ABOUT HERE

The temperature is up in the mid-seventies today. Yesterday was also a warm day. So some people are out putting in some garden etc. When I was a youngster out on our farm we used to plant potatoes sometime around St. Patrick's day so I think some are out today planting potatoes. After this winter it is just good to have some nicer weather. During the winter months Todd Coffman, one of our lay workers, and Brother Placid were building new picnic tables. They built twelve of them just like the ones pictured above. They should wonderful for picnics as they are long enough to hold four or five people on each side. Before long we will be using them.

Yesterday I attended a funeral of one of our long time oblates, Mary Gallagher. She lived in the Ravenwood area but belonged to the parish at Maryville. About three years ago she made it known that she wanted me as well as Father Regis to concelebrate at her funeral and Brother Justin to be cantor. Father Regis of course is already deceased, but Brother Justin and I did go over for the funeral. Mary's husband John died in 1991 and since then she and one of her sons had continued to live on their farm. As long as she was able she always came to our oblate retreats here at Conception.

This Friday and Saturday the Seminary Board of Regents meet here. That means a number of bishops, vocation directors and others will be here from tomorrow until Saturday noon or so. In fact some are arriving today so they can visit with their seminarians.

For those who do not read my oblate blog which is on the Conception Abbey web site, the oblates have just completed purchasing bibles for each of our guest rooms in the guest houses. It is a nice addition and we hope they will be used much. To go to the oblate blog, click on the "Conception Abbey" link at the top of this page, then click on oblates on left side of the page and finally click on "oblate blog."

Lent at Conception Abbey

If you take a walk around Lake Placid at Conception Abbey you will see, on the far side of the lake, facing the monastery, this cross. Perhaps it is a good reminder to all of us that Lent is almost upon us. Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday, March 9, this year of 2011. This about the latest that Lent can begin because Easter is about as late as it can be this year.

How do the monks at Conception observe the Lenten season. I suppose we observe it, for the most part, like others. But, on the other hand we probably have some special practices that are unique to Conception Abbey. Ash Wednesday itself is always observed as a Day of Recollection. There will be a conference given by the Abbot and we observe silence during the entire day with no recreation, watching t.v. etc.

Then on all the Fridays of Lent we observe silence, except for necessary talking, teaching etc. But, again we have no public recreation or watching of t.v. etc. Likewise we do not eat dessert during Lent, except on Sundays and a few of the major feastdays.

St. Benedict, as many of you know, spends an entire chapter in his Rule on the observance of Lent. Among the things that he strongly recommends is that each monk present to the Abbot the special things that he proposes to do during Lent. We go in and visit with the Abbot for about twenty minutes and he gives us a blessing for our Lenten good works asking God to bless us this Lenten season. If you would care to read what St. Benedict says in his Rule go to chapter 49 of the Rule of St. Benedict if you have a copy handy.

We also during Lent will have a series of conferences and discussions on Pope Benedict XVI document on the synod document: Verbum Domini (the Word of God).

This weekend the students are on a long off-campus weekend. They were able to leave on Thursday and will return Sunday evening. Then the first three days of Lent -- Ash Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of next week they are on retreat. Silence is observed on these days, they have conferences that are given by a retreat director and they spend time in prayer and reflection.

Last weekend I spent at Macon, Missouri (with one Mass at Bevier, MO) celebrating the weekend Masses since the pastor was gone. I enjoyed it and was well taken care of during my time there.

Lastly I want to wish each of you who read this blog, a Blessed Lenten season, and may you all come to the joy and peace of Easter.

Fr. Kenneth