Coming of spring.

After a very cold and long winter it seems like spring is finally arriving, but even now winter tries to sneak back in now and then. I haven't seen any snow recently but after a very nice and warm week last week, on Sunday it turned colder again.  We still need rain up here but we seem to only get a little now and then -- about three tenths of an inch Sunday and Monday  Of course we can be thankful we missed the bad storms, with one hitting Omaha which is about a hundred miles south of here.  Western Nebraska and Colorado had snow again yesterday I am told.

I finally did make it to Brunswick, Nebraska a couple weeks ago.  This time I found it.  I like to get out when the weather is nice and drive around a bit.  For the most part I stayed home during the winter and tried to stay warm.  It seems as though Nebraska has wind even more than we do in Northwest Missouri and when the temperature is below zero and there is a strong wind it easily brings the temperature down to 20 or more below zero.  I am putting a couple pictures of Brunswick, Nebraska here.  It is smaller than Brunswick, Missouri but does still have a Catholic Church and a bank.  

I finally finished up all my work with the dentist here at Norfolk.  It's hard to believe how much money you can spend on your teeth just so you can eat.  I told someone I was not sure I would live long enough to get my moneys worth out of all the work they found needed to be done.  

Then this past Monday I saw a medical doctor here in town.  I thought I should have a primary care doctor while I am here.  They have a large and very nice hospital here in Norfolk.  There used to be two hospitals at Norfolk, one run by the Benedictine Sisters for whom I am now chaplain and one by the Lutherans.  Now they are combined into one and they built a new hospital with medical buildings etc.  The old Catholic hospital is just down the street from me and is now owned by the one hospital also and is now primarily a mental hospital.  The doctor I saw is a family practitioner and is in practice with some other doctors.  His name is David Lux, M.D., a good Catholic who comes to Mass everyday at 7:00 AM with the Sisters.  

Faith Regional Health Services, Norfolk, Nebraska

The Nursing Home where I am also chaplain is also now owned by this same medical center, called Faith Regional Health Services.  I have been to the hospital a couple times to visit a patient and it seems to be quite large and not an easy place to find your way around.  

In this blog I also wanted to let you know that I am going to be in Missouri twice these coming weeks.  On May 25-30 for our community retreat at Conception, and then June 19-July 3 on vacation.  On Sunday, June 22, I plan to celebrate the 10:00 AM Mass at Brunswick to celebrate 60 years as a professed Benedictine monk.  That's hard to believe, isn't it?  I first took vows on September 8, 1954, so that will be 60 years in September.  

Today and this week is moving day at Conception.  As most of you know we are preparing to do a major renovation of the monastery, the first wing of which was built in 1881.  The monks are  moving over to St. Joseph Hall and the students who live there during the school year will use one of the guest houses.  I am glad I moved everything out before I came up to Norfolk for this assignment.  I did not store anything at the abbey.  I either gave it away, threw it away or brought it with me.

Last Sunday, May 11, Mother's Day, I celebrated three Masses.  One for the Sisters at 7:00 AM, then at the nursing home at 9:30 AM, and then a third one in the Sisters Chapel at 11:00 AM as Raymond and Sally Moser celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  They have a rather large family and had asked me many weeks ago if I could celebrate this Mass.  It was a very nice celebration and I enjoy people who celebrate such anniversaries.

This coming Sunday, May 18, I will host the Deanery Meeting for this deanery.  If all come it includes about ten priests.  We will meet here in my house.  We usually meet at 4:00 PM, and then at the end of the meeting pray vespers and then I will take them to Applebys for dinner.  

Better close this for now.  I hope to see some of you this summer and, remember, if you are in the Northeast Nebraska area, be sure to stop in to see me.  

Blessings and peace to all.