Solemn Profession of vows

In the upper photo are Brothers Macario and Anselm along with their parents. In the bottom photo are Brothers Macario and Anselm. Both photos were taken shortly after the Mass and solemn profession ceremony. Brother Macario is originally from Garden City, Kansas. Brother Anselm is originally from Houston, Texas. The church was filled for the Mass and profession on Sunday, August 19. For more photos of the profession go to my smugmug site:
http://kennethosb.smugmug.com/gallery/3349129#186694978

On Wednesday, August 22, Brothers Guerric and Macario left for St. Meinrad Archabbey where they will begin theological studies. Brother Anselm also left on Wednesday for Washington, DC where he will begin graduate studies at the Catholic University of America.

All the students have now returned (I believe about 95-96 students) for the new school year. The weather is still hot and humid but all are surviving. The classrooms are air-conditioned but not the dormitories.

That about it for now.................

New novices

Yesterday, August 14, we accepted two new novices into the novitiate. Novice Isaac Dale from Salem, MO and Novice William Dotsel from St. Peter, MO. They are pictured here along with Brother Bernard who is the novice and junior master.

Today the new students are arriving and many of the returning students are also here. I understand there should be about 96-98 students enrolled in our seminary college this year. That is up from last year.

Next Sunday we are looking forward to having two of our junior monks, Brother Macario and Brother Anselm, make solemn profession.

Today, being the Solemnity of the Assumption, and a Holyday of Obligation, we are following the Sunday schedule. Our lay employees are also given off on these Holydays. Of course some of them have to work, especially in places like the kitchen and the infirmary.

Some good rain

After going through part of June and all of July without much rain at all we finally received a good rain on Wednesday, August 8. The total amount was just about five inches which is much appreciated. A storm moved through on Wednesday evening and blew down a large tree in front of the monastery. Pictured on the left is part of tree stump where it broke off. It fell across the front entrance to the monastery and broke out one window in the monastery. In the picture the tree has already been cleaned up and hauled away. The next day the stump was cut off down next to the ground.

I myself returned on Tuesday from about a 10-12 day vacation. I was gone for two weekends and on both weekends I celebrated four Masses at Marceline and Brookfield, Missouri. Both of these parishes formerly had pastors but now they are served by one priest with a religious Sister serving as pastoral administrator at the Brookfield parish. I spent most of my time on the farm owned by my brother at Brunswick. He lives in Kansas City but lets me use the trailer home on the farm when I am down there. I always enjoy this very much. I still have many relatives and friends in that area.

The weather has been very hot during August with heat indexes expected to be well over one hundred degrees all of this weekend and part of next week. Next week our students also start returning and their dorms are not air-conditioned. Fortunately the classrooms and church are air-conditioned.

Last Monday I understand Archbishop Burke from St. Louis was here with about seventy seminarians studying for the St. Louis archdiocese. They were on a pilgrimage trip and spent the night here and the Archbishop was celebrant for the conventual Mass on Monday.

That's about it for now.

Very hot and dry

We continue to have very hot weather and it continues to be very dry. The lawns are all pretty well turning brown and the temperature gets up into the 90's everyday it seems.

I continue to go to Maryville three times a week for cardiac rehab at the hospital there. I am doing well and building up my strength but going to rehab does make you exercise and that is important.

A number of you who are oblates of St. Benedict, affiliated with Conception Abbey, have asked me for a suggestion of a commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict. The one I usually recommend is written by an oblate from England, Esther deWaal. It is called A Life Giving Way, A Commentary on the Rule of St. Benedict. There are of course many other good books on the Rule and on St. Benedict also available, but the one above is generally the one I recommend to our oblates.

Thank you to those of you who have sent comments concerning the blog. It is always good to know that people are reading it.

Until the next time may God bless each of you.

Oblate Pray and Work weekend

This weekend of July 6-7 was our annual Pray and Work weekend for the oblates. We had about twenty five oblates here who spent most of the day on Saturday working. They painted in St. Benedict and in Marian Hall and they put together notebooks for each room in the guest house with information that is needed by the guests. We appreciate all they do for us and enjoyed having them here for the weekend. Some pictures of the weekend will soon be available on my Smugmug photo site. Photos are courtesy of Karen Ceckowski. Above is a picture of those who attended the weekend.

It is very hot and dry here. The temperature has been up in the 90's and it is windy and we need rain badly. While they have had plenty of rain south of here even in Kansas City, we have not had rain for some weeks now. The grass is drying up.

Yesterday I celebrated my 74th birthday. The years just keep counting up as we go through this life. Last night the oblates had a little party for me. It was very nice.

Many of the community are gone right now. It seems to be a busy time for vacations. Some come home but then others leave.

This week I have Mass for the Sisters at Clyde everyday. That is enjoyable but does mean preparing a little homily every day.