POST-EASTER NEWS

After Easter Sunday the students were gone all that week.  It was quiet and enjoyed by all of us I think.  Every day during the Easter Octave and the Christmas Octave we have a little community get together each afternoon at 3:00 PM with snacks and drinks.  Another reason I guess while I find it hard to lose weight.

St. Gabriel Guest House, is completed except for some minor details that appear here and there.  A lot of work has been done on the landscaping and the roads and parking lots.  The dedication of the building will be on Sunday, May 6.  However, they do not think we will be able to start using it until about June 1, since much of the furniture has not yet arrived.  Difficult to use the rooms when there are no beds in place yet.  Here are a couple pictures of the building:

 St. Gabriel Guest House.  

 New roads and parking area and new lights.

Northeast side of the building and  patio

This past Wednesday, April 25, I participated in the observance of National Crime Victims' Rights Week, observed April 22-28 this year.    This was held at Mozingo Park and Lake near Maryville, MO and was sponsored by the Maryville Treatment Center, a part of the Missouri Prison system.  President Reagan designated this special week when he was president.  This was the fourteen such observance held at Maryville and the ninth one in which I have taken part.  To see more about this go to this Maryville Daily Forum website:
 http://www.maryvilledailyforum.com/photos/x787573363/Abbey-victims-remembered-at-tree-planting?page=0

Here is a picture taken at the event.  Planting a 

tree in the park.  

A former classmate of mine from back in the early 1950's has been here helping Father Albert with a class for about the last month.  Jim Koch was here at Conception for college, but then left the seminary, got married and raised a family.  He now lives in Austin, Texas.  Originally he was from Hannibal, MO.

Classmates from the early 1950's.  Fr. Kenneth,

Jim Koch and Charles Mattson.  We had just

been out to enjoy a meal together.

Weather has been rather different all this year.  Just two days ago on Wednesday it got up to 91 degrees.  Today it is windy and much, much cooler.  It's difficult to know what to wear when you go outside. 

Finally, I invite you to look at other photos of the St. Gabriel Guest House.  I will take more at the dedication and try to eventually get some more of the inside of the building.

https://picasaweb.google.com/111035822686820527328/GuestHouse

HOLY WEEK AND OTHER NEWS

Today on Sunday, April 1, we began that great week known as Holy Week.  On Holy Thursday evening we begin the Sacred Triduum which concludes on Easter Sunday evening with vespers.  Today I was at Parnell, MO for two Masses, one yesterday evening on Saturday and one this morning.  On Thursday I will leave for Brookfield, MO where I will celebrate the Holy Triduum, beginning withthe Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper on Thursday.  It is always a joy to celebrate this week when God shows His love for us in such a special way.  

A week or so ago Bishop-elect Edward Weisenburger was here for a retreat in preparation for his ordination as a bishop on May 1.  He went to all four years of college here at Conception.  He will be the new bishop of Salina, Kansas.  

The weather has been just out of this world.  We had a day or two of rain this last week, but the temperatures have been almost like summer.  It is not unusual for the temperature to reach the mid-80's in the afternoon.  It certainly has been an unusual year weather wise here in the midwest.  

Three of our monks who are away studying theology at St. Meinrad Archabbey and Seminary in Indiana, are home for this week.  Brother Guerric who is a deacon and will be ordained a priest in May, Brother Victor who will be ordained a deacon in May and also Brother Macario who is completing his 2nd year of theology.  Brother Paul who is studying at St. Vincent Seminary in Pennsylvania is not able to be home for this week.  He also will be ordained a deacon in May.  

We have been having a lot of retreatants here, especially on weekends.  This weekend was RCIA weekend so many candidates who are entering the Church this year at Easter were here with their sponsors and those who have been preparing them.  

I wanted to include a picture or two as the St. Gabriel Guest House is just about completed.  They are now in the process of pouring sidewalks, doing some landscaping and then some extended parking lots.  While we are dedicating the building in May, I don't think we are planning to start using it until June.  It will take some time to get all the furniture in the rooms etc.  

Taken March 31, 2012.  Brothers Victor and Macario

standing in front

For more photos of the building the St. Gabriel Guest House

click on this link.

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

And to all readers of this blog have a Blessed Holy Week and Easter -- ALLELUIA