MAY 2010

Here we are moving through the month of May. In some ways May is a busy month for so many people. It's a time for graduation and weddings and other family events. This year I have two grandnieces graduating from high school and one graduating from Missouri University with her doctorate in physical therapy. I don't think there are any weddings in our family this year.

Our own students here in the seminary graduate and close the school year on Sunday, May 16, the Solemnity of the Ascension. Things will be a little more quiet during the summer but we will still be busy, I'm sure. Weekend pastoral assignments usually increase during the summer.

I have been on the road a lot the last month or so taking people to the doctor either in Maryville or St. Joseph, and going to parishes for weekend Masses. Last weekend (May 1-2) I was at Our Lady of Guadalupe parish in St. Joseph for the weekend Masses, then I returned to the Abbey very briefly Sunday afternoon, before leaving for Des Moines for an oblate meeting Sunday evening. We prayed evening prayer together at 5:30 PM and that was followed by a pot-luck dinner, visiting and a talk by myself. About 50 people attended the meeting.

This coming weekend, May 8-9, I again go to St. Joseph to the same parish for the weekend Masses. I enjoy this work very much and find the people always so appreciative and hospitable, but I have to say it wears me out more than formerly. I guess that is part of getting older. Last weekend at this parish I met a former classmate here at Conception, Louis Luke. I came to Concepti0n as a sophomore in high school in 1948, Louie was here already in 1947 but we spent three years of high school together. It was great to visit with him after so many years. People at the parish could hardly believe we came to school here so many years ago. At that time of course Conception had a high school, college and theology school.
The black & white picture is of the
sophomore class of 1948-49. In the 2nd row the 2nd person from the left is Louie Luke. The one on the far right in the same row is Fr. Kenneth.
The other picture was taken May 2, 2010 of the same two people.

The weekends of May 15-16 and May 22-23, I will be at my home parish at Brunswick, Missouri. The pastor is going to Ireland so he asked us to cover the parish. Naturally I was happy to go when the Prior asked me if I could do that. It's always good to go back there, although I find I know fewer and fewer of the people. I do still have a number of relatives who live in the area.

We had almost two inches of rain last night and it is much cooler today and very windy. For those who are alumni you might like to know that, yes, we do still have May Day, and this year it was moved up to April 29, since they were predicting rain for some days after that. It was good we moved it as we did have rain for a few days.

Hope all is well with all you readers of this blog. It's always good to hear from you so don't hesitate to add a comment or send me an e-mail at kenneth@conception.edu as posted on the side of my blog on this page.

To go to the Conception Abbey web site and then the oblate section click here. If you want to go to the oblate blog, click on "oblates" on the left side of the screen.

To go to my photo web site look at the left side of the screen of this blog and click on the photo site given there.

Some News Items

Spring is such a beautiful time of the year that I find myself continuously wanting to take pictures. Yet, the pictures do not really do justice to the natural beauty that is there.

ENCOUNTER WITH GOD'S CALL: This past weekend from Saturday afternoon until today (Monday) after Mass and lunch, the seminary hosted about 125 young men who came to see what seminary life is like. This event is called "Encounter with God's Call." They come from many dioceses and from many places. Usually vocation directors from the various dioceses accompany the young men who come. Many of our new students each year are men who attended one or more of these weekends.

ABBEY TRAILS: Saturday we had our annual so called Abbey Trails. It includes both a run and a walk. Again this year we had a large group in both divisions. Many of the younger ones doing the run, and many young and old alike doing the walk. Awards are given for each age group as well as the over all winners.

FATHER ANTHONY SHIDLER, O.S.B. Father Anthony moved over into the St. Stephen Health Care Center last week. Father Anthony will be 89 years old in August but has been very active, attending all our prayer, and working as porter for half a day each day. But, due to hip replacement surgery some years ago he is finding it more and more difficult to get around. He is gradually settling in to his new way of life.

Weekend work: This past weekend I again helped in a couple of parishes. On Sunday morning about 5:30 AM I left for Leon, Iowa where I celebrated Mass at 8:00 AM and then went on to Chariton, Iowa and celebrated Mass at 10:30 AM. I always enjoy doing this pastoral work but I do come back quite tired.


THE WEATHER: The weather has been great. Most days have been sunny and relatively warm. Farmers are out in the fields planting corn. So it seems like spring is upon us.

Oblates and other readers who would like to view more photos of the oblate retreat last weekend as well as other oblate pictures, click here.

If you would like to read more about the REVISED GRAIL PSALMS, translated by Abbot Gregory and other monks of Conception Abbey, go to the Conception Abbey web site, click here. And then on the left side of the screen click "news."

God bless you.

SPRING IS HERE AND IT IS WONDERFUL AND A BLESSING

After a cold and difficult winter spring has now arrived it seems -----------
and now on most days the temperature has been up into the 70's and even into the 80's a few days. That is one of blessings of living in a part of the country where we have the different seasons. You enjoy the beautiful days so much more I think. While the winter was very cold and we had a lot of snow now we can enjoy the beautiful flowers, green grass etc. all the more.















The Triduum days and Easter were a beautiful time at Conception. We had a sizable group of guests with us and even more for the Easter Vigil which we began at 4:30 AM on Sunday morning. It ended about 7:15 AM. That is such a beautiful three days and very meaningful for Christians who celebrate on those days our salvation and redemption.

I celebrated Mass at Clyde for the older and infirm Sisters at Our Lady of Rickenbach during Holy Week. This week I am the celebrant for the Clyde community Masses in their main chapel. The Sisters are preparing to renovate their monastery and so are in the process of moving into other housing, primarily their other monasteries or in their guest facilities. So this Wednesday will be the last Mass in their main chapel until after the renovation -- probably a couple of years. They will have Mass in the Rickenbach chapel during that time.

Revised Grail Psalter approved:
Word was received this past week that the Holy See has given its recognitio to the revised edition of the Grail psalter. Abbot Gregory and other monks worked on that for a long time. In the future this translation is to be used in all liturgical texts in the U.S.A. and perhaps in other English speaking countries. We are proud that it is being published under the name of Conception Abbey.

Almost forty oblates were here for the retreat this past weekend. It was given by Father Pachomius who did a great job. To see some pictures from the retreat days click here
and then go to the album "oblates 2010."

Blessings and peace to each of you.
Fr. Kenneth

HOLY WEEK AND SACRED TRIDUUM AT CONCEPTION ABBEY

Today on Passion or Palm Sunday we begin that all important week that we call Holy Week. The last days of the week we call The Sacred Triduum. How do we celebrate this week at Conception?

PALM SUNDAY: We try to have the blessing of palms some place other than in the church. This morning it was cloudy, cool and quite windy so we went into the first floor of St. Michael Hall and had the blessing in a large room there.
Usually if the weather is o.k. we have the blessing outdoors in the front of St. Michael Hall as you see in the picture to the right. We begin a little earlier than on a normal Sunday but still it is usually about 12:00 noon when we finish, Reading the account of the Passion of course takes extra time. On Palm Sunday the Abbot reads the words of Christ, the Prior reads the narrator part and the Subprior the part of other speakers.

HOLY THURSDAY: The Triduum does not begin until the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper at 5:00 PM for us at the Abbey. Our morning schedule is the same as for all days with Vigils at 6:00 AM, Morning prayer at 7:15 AM. However, on this day we have a Penance Service or Service of Reconcilation for the monks, seminarians and guests at 11:00 AM. Usually about eight confessors are assigned to be available at various places in the basilica for confessions. After the noon meal on this day we do not have any more recreation until Sunday after the Easter Vigil. We try to keep a spirit of silence during these days. At the evening Mass which begins at 5:00 PM, the Abbot washes the feet of 12 people. At the end of Mass the hosts that were consecrated for Good Friday are carried in procession to the tabernacle. Until midnight we have adoration of the sacrament. Then at about 7:00 PM we all gather in the student and guest refectories for an agape meal. Everyone is encouraged to spend some time in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament after this until midnight.


GOOD FRIDAY: On this day, which is a day of fast and abstinence, our meals are very simple. We rise about 6:30 AM, eat a light breakfast in silence and then assemble in the basilica for Vigils and Morning Prayer at 7:50 AM. The students and guests join us for this. It takes a little over an hour. We pray daytime prayer at noon, and then have a light lunch. At 3:00 PM we again gather in the basilica for the Good Friday service. This includes readings, including the reading of the Passion according to St. John, a homily, prayers, adoration of the cross, and communion. After a simple supper, we pray compline at 7:15 PM.

HOLY SATURDAY AND EASTER SUNDAY: Holy Saturday is a quiet day as we await the resurrection on Easter Sunday. We pray Vigils and Morning prayer together at 7:50 AM, daytime prayer at noon, and vespers at 5:40 PM. Meals are all eaten in silence as are those on Good Friday.

And then at 4:30 AM on Easter Sunday morning
we gather outdoors in front of the basilica for the blessing of the new fire and lighting of the Easter candle for 2010. The Easter Vigil takes at least two and a half hours or more. It includes the reading of seven Old Testament readings, the blessing of water, the renewal of baptismal promises. In many parishes this is the night when new members enter the Church, are baptized or make their profession of faith. It is a beautiful ceremony. At the end all go forth with joy in their hearts and ALLELUIAS on their lips.

Many guests are usually with us for these days and the seminarians do not leave for vacation until after the Easter Vigil. They are then off all of Easter Week.

Christ is risen, ALLELUIA. A Blessed Easter to each and everyone of you.

Some News Items

Sorry I haven't written on this blog for a while.

Board of Regents: The seminary board of regents met last weekend. This is an advisory board made up of some of the bishops who have students here in the seminary, vocation directors and other priests and lay people. They are an advisory board to the seminary administration but a very important part of the seminary and decisions that effect the seminary.

Open house in St. Stephen Health Care Center: Last Sunday, March 14, we had an open house in our newly renovated Health Center. It was well attended by many people from the area. There are still a few pieces of furniture to arrive yet but, for the the most part, it is completed and of course in use. For anyone who had seen it before the renovation it's hard to imagine it is still the same building.

Weekend pastoral help: It seems there has been a lot of requests for weekend help lately. On the weekend of March 6-7, I went to Montrose and Butler, MO. These two parishes are served by one priest and there are two Masses at each parish so it was a busy weekend and a long drive. Then on Saturday, March 13, I went to St. Joseph, MO where I heard confessions and celebrated the 4:00 PM Mass. On Monday evening, March 15, I went with Fathers Xavier and Peter to the parish at Savannah, MO to help hear confessions at a penance service. This coming weekend, March 20-21 I go to the parish at Cameron, MO for Masses. At this time of year, with Easter coming soon, there are many penance services and frequently the pastors ask for help for these.

Snow is about all gone: As most of you know we had a lot of snow this winter and fortunately it is now just about all gone. The weather warmed up and we have had rain which helped get rid of the snow. However, that means we also have a lot of mud. If you get off of roads and sidewalks, the mud is deep and messy.

I am including some more photos of the Health Care Center, including some from the open house this past weekend.

A good friend, Maryann Ceckowski, sewing
valances for some of the windows.

Some of the people at the open house -- This
photo by seminarian Geoff Brooke