Remember you are dust and unto dust you shall return

Lent is here once again.  This coming Wednesday on February 22, we begin the Lenten season with the blessing and imposition of ashes.  During this season it is always good to keep in mind that we are "looking forward to the joy of Easter."  That is the major feast we are preparing for during the Lenten season.  We monks at Conception write down the good works we plan to do during Lent and give them to the Abbot.  We go in to see him and receive a blessing that we can and will be faithful to what we set out to do at the beginning of the Lenten season.


This past week I had the misfortune to break off another tooth (the second one in the last six months) and so had to make another trip to the dentist who is in Maryville. It was part of a partial plate that I have and since it was the only good tooth on my upper jaw on the right side, he had to pull it and then it will be placed in the partial plate I have.  Dentists can do a lot now days but it does cost.  


I have been keeping busy especially in the Oblate Office.  About this time every year I send a letter out to the oblates along with a renewal of oblation card.  I ask them to return the card so we know that they still want to be an oblate of Conception Abbey.  This year I also sent out a questionnaire with the letter so I am try to record all those things when they are returned.  


A couple weeks ago I got to spend a couple days with my brother Harold and his wife Dee.  They live in Kansas City and are both 85 years old.  It's always good to be able to spend a little time with them.  There were five boys in our family (no girls) but now there are only two of us still living.


I also got to spend some time with my good friends Benjamin and Alicia Darnell and their little son, Isaac.  Benjamin works as youth minister in a parish at Wea, Kansas, just south of Kansas City on the Kansas side.  

Alicia and Ben with Isaac

Work is progressing well on the new St. Gabriel Guest House.  I am posting a couple pictures so you can see how things are going.

Most of the copper roof is now on.

For more photos of the St. Gabriel guest house as construction continues -- click

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

Update of Conception Abbey News

First of all we are happy to welcome a new postulant into the monastery.

Postulant Stephen Watson now joins Postulants

Jonathan and Benigno in taking a closer look

at monastic life at Conception Abbey. 

Stephen is from Lincoln, NE

Last weekend the Conception Seminary College basketball team played in the basketball tournament for seminaries held at Mundelein Seminary in the Archdiocese of Chicago.  They won first place and came home proud of their trophy

Trophies won at basketball tournament

at Mundelein on display in St.

Maur Hall after their return.

Congratulations to all of the players.

I have talked a number of times about the damage done during the hail storm last August.  The Hausman roofing company from St. Joseph has been working here on roofs for three or four months already and still have a lot of roofs to repair or replace.

The north and west side roof of St. Raphael Hospitality

Center has to be replaced.  They are working on that right now.

Most of the copper roofs on the west and north side of 

the various buildings have to be replaced.

Abbot Gregory announced the name of the new guest house, presently being built.  After consulting with the community, he has announced that it will be called St. Gabriel Guest House.  So we will now have a building named after each of the Archangels.  St. Michael Hall, St. Raphael Welcome Center and St. Gabriel Guest House.  Since we were founded by Engelberg Abbey (Mount Angel Abbey) in Switzerland, it is fitting we keep the angels as major patrons.

 Front view of St. Gabriel Guest House.  Note

the new copper roof being put on.

The north or back side of St. Gabriel Guest House.

Work is ahead of time on completion of the building.

We still have not had much winter weather this year.  We did get a good rain this morning but the last three or four days it has been up around 60 degrees each day.  Fortunately it was well above freezing during the rain today.

Let us continue to pray for respect for life in our world and especially in our country -- from conception until natural death.  And pray that we will always have the right to live according to our consciences.  

Last weekend, after helping at the parishes at Easton and Plattsburg, MO, I spent Sunday evening until Monday evening visiting my good friends Benjamin and Alicia Darnell and their little son, two and a half years old, Isaac.  Had a great time.  Then I spent Monday evening and overnight with my brother and his wife, Harold and Dee, and a sister-in-law, Vera.  Had a great time there too.

New Postulants, Unusual January weather etc.

About two weeks ago two new postulants arrived at the monastery.  A third one is expected in the next couple of weeks.  The two presently here and living in the monastery with the community are:  Postulant Jonathan Pund, from New Florence, MO and a recent graduate of Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, MO and Postulant Benigno DeLoera, orginally from Mexico, but his family now resides in Wichita.  

Postulant Jonathan on the left and 

Postulant Benigno on the right

Also, among our young monks, Brother Maximilian Burkhart, has been taking classes since last fall at Maryville and is now finishing his clinicals for his CNA -- Certified Nursing Assistant.  He will then be available to help with our work in the St. Stephen Health Care Center.  Brother Maximilian is now on his third year of temporary vows.  

Brother Maximilian in scrubs as he prepares

to go to work at Pineview Nursing Home in

Stanberry as part of his clinical training.

We are grateful to God for all the young men He has sent to us in recent years.  It gives those of us who are older a lot of encouragement as well as a lot of responsibility to give good example.  Continue to pray for vocations both to the monastic life and to the diocesan priesthood.

The weather this winter has really been unusual.  We have had practically no snow and very little cold weather.  Last week on Wednesday it was very windy and the temperature did not go above about ten degrees but then in a day or two it was again like spring.  It is expected to turn colder again tonight but then warmer again in just a couple of days.  

The students are now all back from Christmas break.  We had a few drop out at the end of the first semester but we also picked up five or six new students at the semester so the enrollment holds about the same.

I have personally been going out to help in parishes many weekends.  This past weekend I celebrated the Masses at St. Mary Parish, St. Joseph and also one Mass at Hirlingen, a parish located out in the country east of St. Joseph.  The next two weekends I am scheduled to go to Plattsburg, MO and Easton, MO for two Masses at each place.  

God bless you and all the good work all of you are doing.

THE CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS CONTINUES

Today, Sunday, January 1, is the Octave Day of Christmas and the feast of Mary, the Mother of God.  One week ago today was Christmas day and I'm sure if you went into stores on Monday or Tuesday of last week many, if not all, the Christmas decorations were taken down as well as the Christmas music put back into storage.  But, that is not how the Catholic Church or Conception Abbey celebrates Christmas.  The feast does not really begin until Christmas eve.  All of our Christmas decorations here are put up the last two or three days before Christmas.  Now they will remain up until the Christmas season is over which, this year, will be on January 9, the feast of the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan river.  So we continue to hear Christmas music and enjoy our Christmas decorations for almost two more weeks.  


As many of you know I was sent out to a parish to help for Christmas.  I celebrated all three Christmas Masses at Immaculate Conception Church at Brookfield, MO.  Those Masses were celebrated at 5:30 PM and the church was packed for that Mass and many, many children were present.  Then we celebrated another Mass at 10:00 PM and the church was again full for that but not as packed as for the 5:30 Mass.  Finally we celebrated a Mass on Christmas morning at 9:15 AM and for that there were only about 45-50 people present.  


Here at the monastery we had first vespers of Christmas at 5:00 PM, a special Christmas meal at 6:00 PM, Vigils at 7:45 PM and midnight Mass.  While I was not here I am told that the church was full for the midnight Mass. We have another Mass on Christmas morning at 11:00 AM.  


I wanted to show you some pictures of our decorations so I am including some in this blog.

Top photo the Basilica sanctuary

Bottom photo the crib scene in Basilica

   The Health Care Center 

 

 Monastery coffee and mail room

This week a couple young men will be entering the monastery as postulants.  One more should be arriving in a couple of weeks.  Keep these young men in your prayers as they take a serious look at the monastic life.

Yesterday, on New Year's eve, we had a day of recollection and silence for the monastic community.  Abbot Gregory gave a conference and we spent the day then in silence and prayer.  There was a community Holy Hour from 3:30-4:30 PM.  The day of recollection ended with vespers at 5:00 PM


So to all of you who read this I wish you a very blessed and happy New Year.  May God continue to bless you and us as we begin the year 2012.


Finally one recent picture of the new guest house so you can see how things are progressing.

 Taken December 28, 2011.  Note that the windows

are now  installed.

THE LORD JESUS IS COMING:

We are already now into the third week of Advent as we continue to look forward to the coming of Jesus Christ at Christmas.  Advent is a season of anticipation, and also a season of waiting.  We spend a lot of time in our lives waiting for various things.  Perhaps one of the more joyful times of waiting is when parents are waiting for the birth of a child.  Mary too must have looked forward to that with great anticipation.  But, hopefully all of you are looking forward to the coming of our Saviour again on Christmas, 2011.  Obviously Jesus was born over 2000 years ago but he continues to come again and again into our hearts and into our lives.  Every time we turn away from sin we unite ourselves more closely to Jesus Christ.  In a way he is born again into our hearts and into our lives.

Here at Conception we have so far not put up any Christmas decorations, even though they have been up in some stores since Halloween.  We will decorate sometime next week, just days before the feast.  Advent is seen as a time to prepare, not to celebrate Christmas.  Come Christmas eve the monastery and basilica will be fully decorated.  

Although last week was a very cold week, this week seems to be much warmer but it has been cloudy and rainy on most days.  Many jobs continue to be done around here.  As you remember I talked about the bad hail storm we had in August.  Well, we are still busy repairing and replacing roofs.  In this whole area, including Maryville, most people had to replace their roofs.  Since the roofing companies have been so busy a company out of St. Joseph is still working trying to replace some of ours that were damaged.  Right now they are working to replace the copper on the roof of the Health Care Center.

Health Care Center roof being replaced.

They are also presently replacing the roof on the ambulatory -- the enclosed walkway that connects the monastery to St. Joseph Hall and the library.

Ambulatory roof being replaced with hot tar.

They have already repaired roofs on St. Raphael Guest Center, and St. Joseph Hall.  Next spring or summer roofs still have to be replaced on Marian Hall, St. Benedict Hall and the garages.  So you can see that the hail storm was very bad and did a lot of damage.

Work on the guest house is progressing.  Last week no brick work could be done due to the cold weather, but this week they are working and are coming close to finishing the brick work.

December 12, 2011, the front side and main
entrance of the new guest house.  The last
part of the building needing bricks.

Our monks who are away for school -- Brothers Guerric, Victor and Macario at St. Meinrad Archabbey came home last Wednesday, December 7, and Brother Paul who is at St. Vincent Archabbey arrives this evening.  Our own students leave this Friday for three weeks off for Christmas.

God bless you all.