Friday, February 3, 2012

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.

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