December
2009
12/22/09
Christmas Schedule
As has been our practice, this year, everyone
is invited to join us our Masses celebrating the birth of our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ. Before the Christmas Eve, carols will be
sung at 7:40 p.m. followed by the Mass at o'clock. It is
advisable to arrive early that night due to the fact that this
celebration is usually one of the most attended liturgies at our
monastery every year. Also, after the Mass on Christmas Eve,
everyone is welcome to enjoy refreshments and fellowship in our retreat
house. The following day, Christmas morning, the Mass will be
celebrated at 9:30 a.m. May the Lord bless us all with a happy
and safe holiday season!
12/15/09
Another Year for Br. Benedict
On Sunday, December 13th, Br. Benedict Giuliani, the eldest member of our congregation achieved his 96th year of life! Our community in Oxford has been blessed with his wise and inspiring presence. Br. Benedict came to the United States at the relatively young age of 18 to help our community at St. Sylvester Monastery in Detroit. Later he moved to Oxford in 1959 where he became known for his work in our garden and tending a small herd of cattle. Although Br. Benedict is no longer capable of the work that he used to do, his wise presence and perseverance in the “work” of prayer continues to make him an integral part of our congregation.
Our Holiday Decor
As is the case with most families, one of our annual activities in the monastery is decorating the monastery for Christmas. Two large trees grace the confines of the monastery – one in the dining room, the other in the chapel. The monks carefully decorate these trees with lights and ornaments. Br. Jim also adds many hundreds of lights to the outside trees and sets up a “Christmas Village” in the lower level of the chapel - complete with a running train! These decorations are a sign of the brightness of this otherwise dark time of year, illuminated by the One who brought us light through his coming. May that Light shine in all of our hearts as we celebrate his holy and life-giving birth.
St. Scholastica Students Meet the Real
Batman!
On November 20th, our students had the unique
experience with one of the most misunderstood animals in the
world. Robert Mies, from the Cranbrook Institute of Science
accepted the invitation to come to our school and teach our students
about bats. Not only did he speak about the animal, but Robert
brought in various types of bats from different parts of the
world. For practically all of the youngsters, this was the first
time they had such a close encounter with the mammal that is generally
associated with vampires. Mr. Mies, who is an expert on the
species and advocate for their protection (in many parts of the world,
the bat is endangered) enjoyed his time sharing his knowledge and
experience with the children. With the experience and knowledge
gained from the assembly, our students now in their own way can help
clear up the common misconceptions about bats and share with others the
benefits that their existence offers us.
Remembering a Dear Friend
Fr. Thomas de Zilva, a monk of our Sri Lankan Priory, passed away this past Wednesday, November, 25th, the eve of the Feast of our Holy Father St. Sylvester. He was eighty years old. Some of our readers may recall that Fr. Thomas lived with us at St. Benedict’s between 1994 and 1999. During that time Father instructed the novices and junior monks, providing them with much wisdom and insight from his forty-plus years as a monk and fifteen years as Prior of our community in Sri Lanka. He is remembered for his humility, sense of humor and unfailing dedication to the monastic life.
Our condolences go out to our Sri Lankan confreres and to all who, like us, have a special place in their hearts for him.