Thanksgiving, Advent and other things

Last week most of the monks who are assigned to parishes or as chaplains were home for the week.  We had our usual community meetings.  On Thanksgiving day itself we honor all those who celebrate jubilees during the year.  This year we honored and celebrated with:  Fr. Richard Cleary and Fr. Hugh Tasch: 60 years professed, Archbishop Jerome Hanus, 50 years professed, Fr. Francis Stuart and Fr. Rene Guesnier, 50 years ordained, Br. Jude Person, 25 years professed.  It was a delightful week and good to see our confreres.  Those who are away at school were not able to come back but they will be home for Christmas.  


Today, Sunday, November 27, and the first Sunday of Advent, we began using the New Roman Missal.  I had the Mass for the residents in the Health Care Center and all went well there.  Abbot Gregory was the principal celebrant for the Community Mass and I understand all went well there also. You do have to keep your eyes on the book but in time we will learn the words more from memory.  


The students left for Thanksgiving vacation last Tuesday. Today they will be returning and in just a few weeks will be leaving again for a longer Christmas break.  


JOSEPH GLAUS:  Some of you who are older alumni should remember this name.  Just a few days ago someone asked me about him.  I found the article written about him in the Tower Topics issue of December, 1955.  He had died in October of that year.  He left his home in Switzerland in 1913 and came to Conception.  He worked here then as a layman for 42 years.  In 1935 he was assigned as janitor in St. Maur Hall and continued in that work until his death.  As a janitor he endeared himself in the hearts of those for whom he toiled.  He was a very charitable person.  It seems his whole life was spent in serving others.  Just thought some alumni who were in school here in those year and remember "Joe" would like to hear a little about him.  Below is a picture of Joe Glaus, smoking a cigar.  Picture was taken from the 1955 Tower Topics.

Work on the new guest house continues at a good pace.  It is now all enclosed so work can continue even in cold or wet weather.   They still have to lay brick on a big part of the front (south) side but they hope to get that done soon. The roof is all covered but the final roof will not be put on until next spring.  

West end of the building.

North or back side of the building

As we conclude this Thanksgiving week, I hope we all remembered to thank God for his love and goodness.  We all have much to be grateful for in our lives.  


God bless you.
Fr. Kenneth

What's Happening?

Looking back since my last entry in this blog which was dated November 1, I should first of all note that we were not able to have our usual procession to the cemetery on November 2.  The weather was rainy and cold.  


The weekend of November 5-6, I was at Cameron, MO where I celebrated all the Masses at St. Munchin Church and also at St. Aloysius Church at Maysville, MO.  


This past weekend November 12-13, I was not assigned to a parish assignment but on Sunday I went to Omaha, Nebraska, for a wake service.  A cousin of our family died there Thursday night, November 10.  So some of our family decided to drive up for the wake service on Sunday evening.  My sister in law, Vera, my nephew, Kenny, and my niece, Janet, and myself went up for this.  We returned on Sunday evening.  Kind of a tiring trip but I'm glad we went.  It was good to see many of the relatives again.  

Beatrice (Bea) Clavin in the chair with

my sister in law when they visited her in

September, 2011

This picture dates back to the late 1960's.  I had taken my Dad

and Mother and my Uncle Tony and Aunt Marguerite to Omaha

to see their nephews and niece.  Above in the picture are in the back

row:  my mother, Aunt Marguerite, Uncle Tony, Geraldine (a niece)

and my Dad.  In the front row are:  Richard, Fr. Kenneth, John, Herbert and Bill.

The boys in the front row are all nephews of my Dad (except for me) and

Aunt Marguerite.  Their sister Rose lived in Omaha and died of cancer

in 1947.

The weekend of November 19-21 was also the fall Encounter With God's Call.  Two of these are held each year -- one in the fall and one in the spring -- to allow young men in high school or college to experience seminary life for a few days.  About sixty attended this weekend.  

This weekend we also had our annual drama production.  This year they did the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat.  It was a delightful production and well done by the students here in the seminary.  Brother Cyprian was the director.  

A picture of the guest house taken just this morning,

Tuesday, November 15, 2011.

SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS AND COMMEMORATION OF FAITHFUL DEPARTED

Today as I write this blog it is the Solemnity of all Saints.  Since it is a holyday of obligation, we do not have classes and our lay workers are given the day off as a holiday.  We follow the Sunday schedule with Mass at 10:30 AM.  I myself was out in a parish, St. Munchin Parish at Cameron, MO from Saturday afternoon until today late morning.  I had three Masses on Saturday evening and Sunday and then two for the feast of All Saints. I like to remember that today we are celebrating not only the feast of those saints who are officially canonized, but all of those who are now with God in the Kingdom of Heaven.  We pray and hope that includes many who we have known in this life -- parents, family members, confreres etc.

Tomorrow, November 2, is the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed.  So while today we celebrated those in heaven, tomorrow we will remember those still on the way to the fullness of the Heavenly Kingdom.  I think both days are important for those of us still here in this life as we remember those who have gone before us.

The weather has continued to be lovely for this time of the year.  Tomorrow (Wednesday) they are predicting some rain and even the possibility of a little snow.  We need the rain but most of us agree, the snow can hold off a while yet.

 Brick work on the north side of the new guest house is about done.

Work on the roof continues making progress.

On the left alumnus Fr. Ron Hart and a friend Fr. Damian
Visited here October 28-30, 2011.  Both are from
diocese of Joliet, IL  Fr. Hart was here in school
1962-65 

Alumni Fr. Jim Baird and Fr. Chris Renner, both alumni from
the Archdiocese of Denver.  Fr. Renner 1984-86 and Fr. Baird 1983-87.
Both were here on retreat.

God bless each and everyone of you.