November 2008
11/25/08
Generosity on a Grand Scale
As has become the custom, St. Scholastica Grade School students this year made an outstanding contribution to bring food to the less fortunate this year. Collecting canned goods from home and other places, our students brought in 3,890 canned and prepackaged food items. The abundant donation was given to the St. Vincent DePaul Society to distribute to poor families for the Thanksgiving Holiday. With a student body of little over 150, the generosity of our youngsters is staggering! Our monastic community and the grade school staff are very grateful that the Lord has blessed us with youngsters who are willing to go out of their way to share the joy of the Thanksgiving holiday with those in need.
11/18/08
The Priory Chapter
On November 9th through the 11th, our community held the American Priory Chapter. The very important meetings of the Chapter occur every three years with an elective Chapter every six. The solemnly professed monks of our community in the United States gathered to discuss the present conditions and future plans for our ministries as well as elect a new Prior and Council members. Discussions about our Sylvestrine congregation throughout the world were also part of the gathering. Also, on the last day of the Chapter, Abbot Michael Kelly (who facilitated the Chapter) gave a report on his official visitation to the monasteries of the American Priory. The report included words of affirmation and encouragement as we continue to pursue the ideals of monastic life.
Re-elected as Prior of our community in the U.S. was Father Daniel Homan. This is his third term and the acceptance of the office was confirmed by a short ceremony in held in our Chapel on the last day of the Priory Chapter. Also, two monks were elected to be part of his council, namely, Father Michael Green and Br. Gregory-David Jones. Fr. Daniel will select two other monks to make up his four-member Priory Council in the near future.
11/05/08
A Very Important Week for our Community
Abbot Michael is the first monk of our Australian Priory (and second non-Italian) to be elected head of our Sylvestrine Congregation of Benedictines. His visit comes before and during our elective Priory Chapter which will begin Sunday, November 9th and gives him a chance to meet with the monks of our Priory in their respective communities. Before the Chapter begins, he will take the time to interview each monk as part of his official “visitation” for the purpose of getting a better understanding of the individual needs and overall vision for each monastery as well as the Priory in general. During the days of the Chapter, he will act as “President of the Priory Chapter” as he facilitates discussions concerning the issues facing our Priory and the life and ministry of the monks of our monasteries in the U.S. He will also give a report on his findings during his visitation as well as give his insights and advice that will help our monastic family in our vocation. The final part of the Chapter will be the election of our Prior and two councilors (both offices having six-year terms).
Abbot Michael brings a variety of experiences to his role as Abbot General. He has served as Conventual Prior and formation director for his community in Australia. He also holds a licentiate degree in spirituality from the Gregorian University in Rome and has taken a distinct interest in monastic studies. Excursions into both the Egyptian and the Australian deserts have enriched his understanding of early monastic life and he has tried to share this appreciation by directing “desert retreat experiences” for youth.
We are very happy to have Abbot Michael with us during these few weeks and appreciate the fraternal presence and thoughtful insights he brings to our community.