NEW PARKING LOT, SOCCER & VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT AND OTHER NEWS

The weather outside is getting cooler and the days are getting shorter while the nights get longer. We are definitely well into fall and we can all look forward to winter.  Last weekend, October 7-9, we had a good oblate retreat.  About forty five oblates were present for the retreat.  We covered the last six degrees (or steps) of humility from St. Benedict's Rule.  I gave the conferences and then on Sunday the last conference was given by Paul Tarro.  He and his wife made their final oblation on Saturday.  He spoke on the book:  BAREFOOT DISCIPLE, Walking the Way of Passionate Humility, by Stephen Cherry.  The oblates appreciated his comments on the book and the approach to humility.  I hope all of you who are oblates and who have the use of a computer and e-mail were able to see the photos I sent to you from the weekend retreat.  

This weekend the Seminary Board of Regents were here for one of their twice a year meetings.  Yesterday, Friday, we had our commmunity Mass at 5:00 PM with Archbishop George Lucas, from Omaha, as celebrant.  Today Mass was at 7:30 AM with Bishop James Johnston, bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau as celebrant.  

This weekend is also the annual soccer and volleyball tournament for the seminary.  Seminarians from other seminaries in this part of the country come to take part in the day.  It is a tournament affair and the winner receives a trophy.

This fall we had a new parking lot built just to the south of the Health Care Center.  It is primarily for staff members who work in that building as well as guests who come to visit residents in the building.  Brother Placid and his helpers have been landscaping and it is looking very nice.  Most of the flowers we had in that area continue to bloom as you can see from the photo below.

Meanwhile work continues on the new guest house.  I was over this morning to take some more pictures.  I will only post one of those pictures here today.  If you are an oblate you can probably see all of the pictures since I have put them all on a Picassa album.  They have already begun laying bricks on the north (back) side of the building.

In the past week we had a couple of deaths of people who some of you might remember.  Mr. Raymond Schuster died over a week ago.  He was the brother of our Father Philip Schuster and was over 90 years old.  He worked most of his life in education and lived most of his adult life in the Conception and Maryville area.

Last Monday some of us attended the funeral of Mrs. Mary Lou Schieber.  For about fifteen years she was our nurse (RN) in our infirmary.  She had been ill for some time. 

Blessings on all of you readers of this blog.

Alumni Reunion, Family Weekend etc.

 

Bottom floor rooms begin to take shape

Taken on back side (northeast) of new guest house.

A couple of updated pictures of the new guest house.  We have had lovely weather so they are moving ahead at a good pace.  

A week ago on September 23-24 we had our alumni reunion,.  About 70 alumni were here for the occasion.  Abbot Gregory gave them a talk on the new revised Grail psalter.  Abbot Gregory was also celebrant for the Mass on Friday evening.  That was followed by a social hour and a banquet and more visiting and socializing that evening.  Two classes had were honored in a special way, the college class of 1966 and the college class of 1971.  On Saturday evening the class of 1971 had a cook out.  Since i had been their prefect I was invited to attend this reunion.  It was good to see so many old faces but it also serves to make me realize how old I am getting.  I remember well when they were here and now, those who did not go on for ordination, are talking about their grand children.  So time flies by.

This past weekend, October 1 and 2, we had our annual family weekend for the seminarians.  I was out in a parish for the weekend in St. Joseph, but I understand there was an overflow crowd here for the occasion.  

During the last year the old lake (Maria Laach) down the hill from the
the ball fields, was drained and then cleaned out.  It
is now refilling.

The grotto that is on the island at Maria Laach