In the quiet of fall

Intern Jeremy Cannon is on a leave pending his entry into the monastery as postulant (very soon). Postulant Will Mohan is on a pre-clothing leave and retreat. He will be clothed as a novice after his return (soon). Br. Bruno is on a week vacation in Cambridge, MA. Br. Carl is on his regular "at home" retreat. Br. Josép travelled to NYC for a day to attend the wedding of a dear friend and a Pied Piper Theater alumnus. His friends Omar and Mary got married under the hanging blue whale at the American Natural History Museum. We encourage our monks to keep vibrant connections to their friends and families.

Promise kept. From top, left, clockwise: our common room schlumbergera is in full blossom, a little ahead of time for Advent (two pictures); volunteer Susan Barbarisi, of Port Ewen, NY, in conference with Br. Robert Leo on which books to catalogue next in our monastic library; Br. Ben studiously reading in our conservatory.

This week, we hosted a group from St Augustine, of Croton-on-Hudson, for a parish retreat.

This weekend, we are hosting a large men's recovery group that has been coming to the monastery for a very long time. It is always a joy to welcome returning groups of retreatants.

We wish safe travel to those who will be on the road or in the air for joining loved ones over Thanksgiving.

Associates Fall Retreat

This week, Br. David Bryan returned from a two-week visit to our Brothers and Associates in Toronto, Canada. Br. Robert James was on a four-day vacation with friends on Cape Cod, Massachussetts. Br. Jacob is on a four-day vacation, visiting friends in Ohio.

Last Sunday, we celebrated Jeremy Cannon's internship with a social in the enclosure's atrium. Jeremy told us of how his monastic vocation had been awakened and nurtured through the internship. And then he treated us to a piece of music on his native flute. He will be back in two weeks' time to enter the monastery as a postulant this time.

Celebrating a fruitful internship for Jeremy. From top left, clockwise: Jeremy playing the native flute for the community (two pictures); the brothers sharing conversation (two pictures).

On Tuesday, we remembered our departed brethren with a requiem mass and the office of the departed. As is customary, at the end of mass, we processed to the columbarium in our crypt and then to our cemetery, north of the enclosure, to pray and bless the places of repose of our brothers.

The gardens continue to be prepared for the winter. Our men in formation tidied up the Little Cloister this past Friday.

Monastery people. From top left, clockwise: the brothers assembling in our cemetary to bless the tombs of our departed brethren (two pictures); Associate Chris Amy, from Toronto, ON, volunteering in the monastic library; the men in formation tidying up the Little Cloister for the winter (two pictures),

Br. Robert James has assembled beautiful arrangements of fall foliage in the church in these past two weeks. Indoors, our common room Schlumbergera is thinking about blooming.

Autumnal leafy arrangements throughout the church (3 pictures) and budding schlumbergera in our common room.

This weekend, we hosted 25 of our Associates for their fall retreat. Br. Bernard led them in an introduction to centering prayer. As is customary on Associates retreats, we had a social on Saturday afternoon in Pilgrim Hall. That morning, at eucharist, we had received Kimberly Brown of Union Springs, NY, into the Associates program.

A weekend with our Associates. From top left, clockwise: Br. Bernard with latest Associate Kim Brown; the Associates social in Pilgrim Hall (5 pictures)

If you've considered finding out more about our Associates program, do get in touch with Br. Bernard, our Director of Associates.

Assembling a Christmas schola and receiving an Associate

Br. Robert Leo is back home after a rich three-month sabbatical. Intern Jeremy Cannon is on the last two weeks of his aspirant visit to discern his monastic vocation. Br. David Bryan is visiting Brothers, friends and OHC Associates in Toronto for a couple of weeks. Br. Carl is on a weeklong "at home" retreat.

This week, we received Tim Maguire, of Toronto, ON. as a Holy Cross Associate.

In the last two weeks, a nine member-strong schola has started meeting twice a week to rehearse songs for Christmas.

Monastery people. From top left, clockwise: enjoyin coffee after Sunday mass in the enclosure's atrium; conversations in the mailroom right after daily chapter; Br. Bernard receiving Tim Maguire as our latest Associate; some members of the Christmas schola rehearsing (Bros. Raphael, Jacob, postulant Will, Bros. Ephrem and Bruno); Br. Josép leading the schola from behind the piano (Bros. Scott and Raphael seated); intern Jack Mullins cleaning the church; Br. Ephrem sweeping the Little Cloister.

The gardens are slowly exhausting their capacity to offer blooms to decorate the church. It's time to rely on varied color foliage. Meanwhile, our Grounds stewards, Bros. Timothy and Jacob, are effectively directing our men in formation to prepare the gardens for the winter.

Blooms and scenes. From top left, clockwise: foliage arrangement near St Benedict's icon; sunrise behing clouds over the Hudson; Christ in repose icon shown for a retreat group in St Gregory's meeting room; foggy sunrise over the Hudson; foliage arrangements with some mums and some florist sunflowers for All Saints (3 pictures).

All Saints and All Souls blessings to you.