Is spring here already???

Suddenly the last few days we have had very spring like weather. Even at this moment the temperature is right up around 70 degrees. It feels wonderful and the snow is almost all gone but we know that winter weather will be back.

This picture was taken on Wednesday afternoon,
February 16, 2011.

This afternoon, Thursday, February 17, practically all the snow is gone. Now the rivers and streams are rising with some flooding and of course there is lots of mud.

Some of the Bibles being prepared to be put in guest house rooms.

A project the oblates of Conception Abbey have recently taken on is to put a bible in each room of our guest houses. So far we have been able to put a hard bound bible in each room of Marian Hall. We are now working to put one in each room of St. Benedict Hall. We are very grateful to our oblates for taking on this project and, as always, appreciate their prayers and generosity.

Last week on the feast of St. Scholastica, February 10, we enjoying having the Sisters from Clyde Monastery here with us for vespers and dinner. For some pictures of this event, go to the top of this blog and click on the link to "Conception Abbey" web site, and then on the top of that page click on "photo gallery." New photos are added to this site rather frequently.

Ice and Snow bless the Lord

Snow on February 1, 2011

This picture was taken during the snow and the wind on Tuesday. Winds were from about 25 to 45 mph.

The Liturgy of the Hours for ordinary time on Sunday of Week I, has us pray the Canticle from the book of Daniel, chapter 3. It's a song of praise as all people and all creation sing to God in praise. Here is just a part of it:

Dew and rain, bless the Lord. Frost and chill, bless the Lord. Ice and snow, bless the Lord. Nights and days, bless the Lord. Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.

This winter since Christmas has just about had all of these. This present week we had ice on Monday morning and off and on throughout the day, and continuing through the night. Then on Tuesday the snow came and the winds came and the winds blew hard throughout the day and most of the night. And so many people were snowed in for a day or two. Even yet the highway department is working to open all the roads. A number of places they had managed to open one lane but now are opening the other lane or lanes. Even Interstate 70 was closed Tuesday evening and throughout the night from Kansas City to St. Louis.

Let us continue to praise the Lord with what he sends us.

It was difficult to staff our Health Care Center those first three days of the week but due to the cooperation and good spirit of our staff we managed to have someone here all the time. Our head nurse, Ronda Noble, R.N., stayed here from Sunday evening until Wednesday noon. Tuesday night we had three nurses spending the night and one on duty. Thanks to them for their sacrifices and willingness to fill in as needed.

I have mentioned before how I have bird feeders outside the sun porch in the Health Center.
Among birds coming to eat are cardinals. They are indeed beautful birds. You can see one in this picture in the tree patiently waiting to get to one of the feeders.

More birds, especially finches, trying to eat on the day of the snow storm.

Brother Cyprian has been home most of this week as his mother died last week at the age of 91. His father is still living and he indicated they had been married almost 69 years.

I couldn't help but include this picture taken at my grandparents home. My Dad and Mother (both now deceased) are seated in the buggy. My oldest brother Raymond (now deceased) is seated on the floor of the buggy and my mother is holding my second oldest brother, Harold (still living and 84 years old). They evidently had gone to my grandparents for the day which was about ten miles from where we lived. Due to muddy roads they went by horse and buggy. I remember the buggy but never remembering traveling that far in it.

To enlarge any of the pictures just click on them.

God bless all of you and keep warm.

Fr. Kenneth, O.S.B.

Good News and Sad News

Two new postulants arrive: on the left Manuel Santarriaga,
from the El Paso, Texas area, and on the right Daniel
Friedel from East Alton, Illinois

The above two candidates are now here to begin a period of postulancy. Oblates are encouraged to pray for vocations everyday, both for the dioceses and the monastic life.

Visiting here at Conception for a couple days is Abbot Richard Yeo, O.S.B., the Abbot-President of the English Congregation of Benedictines. He has just completed a visitation at St. Louis Abbey and is now spending a few days here at Conception. He is a monk of Downside Abbey in England.

A cousin of mine died rather suddenly last week in Omaha, Nebraska. One of my Dad's sisters, Aunt Rose and her husband lived in Omaha. They had five children, all of whom are now deceased. The grandson of my aunt and uncle, died rather suddenly at the age of 50 toward the end of last week. As a young boy I always remember how we looked forward to my aunt and uncle and their family coming to the farm to visit all the Reicherts. They would spend a week or so and usually we had a big family reunion while they were there.

Just outside the sun room in the renovated St. Stephen Health Care Center I have put some bird feeders. It is interesting to watch them as they come everyday for food. We have a number of different kind of finches, two or three different kind of woodpeckers, cardinals, blue jays and I'm not sure what else. The most beautiful I think are the male cardinals in their bright red feathers.

Last weekend and again this weekend I will be in Plattsburg and Easton, Missouri for the weekend Masses. On Saturday there is a Mass at Easton at 4:00 PM, then drive on to Plattsburg for a Mass at 6:00 PM. Sunday morning there is a Mass at Easton at 8:00 AM and then the final Mass at Plattsburg at 10:00 AM. By that time I am usually pretty well worn out.

More snow is predicted for us on Wednesday. So far we have gotten through this winter in good shape.

To go to the Conception Abbey web site, click on the link at the top of this blog and then to read the oblate blog, click on "oblates" on the left of your screen.

God bless you.

CHRISTMAS AND CHRISTMAS WEEK

Monks in choir

First vespers of Christmas on December 24, 2010

The sanctuary in the basilica for midnight Mass

Preparing for midnight Mass on Christmas

This year was quite different from last year at Christmas. Last year we had a blizzard on Christmas eve and most of Christmas day. Only a few people were able to come to midnight Mass. This year the church was fairly well filled for the midnight Mass. We had first vespers of Christmas at 4:45 PM on Christmas eve. The monastic community then enjoyed a nice Christmas meal at 6:00 PM. At 7:45 PM we prayed vigils and then at midnight celebrated Mass.

On Christmas day we rise and have breakfast anytime before 9:00 AM. At nine we pray Lauds and then all gather in the St. Stephen Health Center as the residents there open their gifts. Then at 11:00 AM we celebrate the third Mass of Christmas.

This year I had to go to the doctor on the morning of December 24. My right foot was swollen and was very sore, for no apparent reason. The first thing the doctor did was check to make sure I did not have a blood clot. Thank God I did not. They told me I would have to be admitted to the hospital if they found a blood clot. So the doctor concluded it was gout, which I have had before, but never like this. He gave me medicine and I was able to concelebrate at the midnight Mass and then on Christmas afternoon to travel to Kansas City. I was assigned to celebrate two Masses at St. Patrick's Parish in Kansas City, North on Sunday morning.

I spent Christmas evening with my brother and his wife and their entire family which was gathered at my nephew and his wife's house -- Steve and Mary Reichert. It was so enjoyable to be able to see the entire family of this brother. Those grandnephews and nieces just grow up so fast. Those who were just kids, are now young ladies and young men.

It has been a custom to have a New Year's retreat here at the Abbey for people who want to get away at this time of year. The retreat this year will be on "Mary, Woman of Faith." Conferences are being given by Brother Placid, Karen Ceckowski and myself. My conference will be based upon the wedding feast at Cana and especially on Mary's words: "Do whatever he tells you." The retreat begins Thursday evening and will conclude Saturday morning on New Year's day.

I want to wish each of you a very Happy and Blessed New Year. May God continue to bless you and your family.

Fr. Kenneth

All the pictures used in this blog were taken by Brother Paul, O.S.B. To see more pictures from Christmas time go to the Conception Abbey web site. Simply click on it up above this blog and then click on "picture gallery" posted at the top of the web page.

A BLESSED CHRISTMAS TO ALL

May God's presence shine upon you this Christmas and bless you throughout the New Year

"All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph
also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to
Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because
he was descended from the house and family of David.
He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was
engaged and who was expecting a child. While they
were there the time came for her to deliver her child.
And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped
him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger,
because there was no place for them in the inn.
(Luke 2:3-7)

To all of you faithful readers of this blog and others, I wish you a blessed and holy Christmas. I will definitely be remembering you in prayer and also in my Christmas Masses. I encourage you especially to take time to go to Mass on this special holy day and try to spend some little time at least in reflecting on that great mystery of God becoming man. St. John tells us: "that God so loved the world that he sent his only Son..."

Without Jesus Christ there is no salvation.

And thank you to each of you who read this blog and who are such good friends. May God bless you and grant you many blessings on this feast and throughout the New Year, 2011,

In the love of Christ,
Fr. Kenneth Reichert, O.S.B.