Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return

Lent is here once again.  This coming Wednesday on February 22, we begin the Lenten season with the blessing and imposition of ashes.  During this season it is always good to keep in mind that we are "looking forward to the joy of Easter."  That is the major feast we are preparing for during the Lenten season.  We monks at Conception write down the good works we plan to do during Lent and give them to the Abbot.  We go in to see him and receive a blessing that we can and will be faithful to what we set out to do at the beginning of the Lenten season.


This past week I had the misfortune to break off another tooth (the second one in the last six months) and so had to make another trip to the dentist who is in Maryville. It was part of a partial plate that I have and since it was the only good tooth on my upper jaw on the right side, he had to pull it and then it will be placed in the partial plate I have.  Dentists can do a lot now days but it does cost.  


I have been keeping busy especially in the Oblate Office.  About this time every year I send a letter out to the oblates along with a renewal of oblation card.  I ask them to return the card so we know that they still want to be an oblate of Conception Abbey.  This year I also sent out a questionnaire with the letter so I am try to record all those things when they are returned.  


A couple weeks ago I got to spend a couple days with my brother Harold and his wife Dee.  They live in Kansas City and are both 85 years old.  It's always good to be able to spend a little time with them.  There were five boys in our family (no girls) but now there are only two of us still living.


I also got to spend some time with my good friends Benjamin and Alicia Darnell and their little son, Isaac.  Benjamin works as youth minister in a parish at Wea, Kansas, just south of Kansas City on the Kansas side.  

Alicia and Ben with Isaac

Work is progressing well on the new St. Gabriel Guest House.  I am posting a couple pictures so you can see how things are going.

Most of the copper roof is now on.

For more photos of the St. Gabriel guest house as construction continues -- click

https://plus.google.com/photos/111035822686820527328/albums/5656741789992506177

Update of Conception Abbey News

First of all we are happy to welcome a new postulant into the monastery.

Postulant Stephen Watson now joins Postulants

Jonathan and Benigno in taking a closer look

at monastic life at Conception Abbey. 

Stephen is from Lincoln, NE

Last weekend the Conception Seminary College basketball team played in the basketball tournament for seminaries held at Mundelein Seminary in the Archdiocese of Chicago.  They won first place and came home proud of their trophy

Trophies won at basketball tournament

at Mundelein on display in St.

Maur Hall after their return.

Congratulations to all of the players.

I have talked a number of times about the damage done during the hail storm last August.  The Hausman roofing company from St. Joseph has been working here on roofs for three or four months already and still have a lot of roofs to repair or replace.

The north and west side roof of St. Raphael Hospitality

Center has to be replaced.  They are working on that right now.

Most of the copper roofs on the west and north side of 

the various buildings have to be replaced.

Abbot Gregory announced the name of the new guest house, presently being built.  After consulting with the community, he has announced that it will be called St. Gabriel Guest House.  So we will now have a building named after each of the Archangels.  St. Michael Hall, St. Raphael Welcome Center and St. Gabriel Guest House.  Since we were founded by Engelberg Abbey (Mount Angel Abbey) in Switzerland, it is fitting we keep the angels as major patrons.

 Front view of St. Gabriel Guest House.  Note

the new copper roof being put on.

The north or back side of St. Gabriel Guest House.

Work is ahead of time on completion of the building.

We still have not had much winter weather this year.  We did get a good rain this morning but the last three or four days it has been up around 60 degrees each day.  Fortunately it was well above freezing during the rain today.

Let us continue to pray for respect for life in our world and especially in our country -- from conception until natural death.  And pray that we will always have the right to live according to our consciences.  

Last weekend, after helping at the parishes at Easton and Plattsburg, MO, I spent Sunday evening until Monday evening visiting my good friends Benjamin and Alicia Darnell and their little son, two and a half years old, Isaac.  Had a great time.  Then I spent Monday evening and overnight with my brother and his wife, Harold and Dee, and a sister-in-law, Vera.  Had a great time there too.