Clothing of a novice

Br. Robert Leo is in the final stretch of his sabbatical and will soon return from South Africa. Br. David Bryan is on the last week of a visit to friends in England. Br. Aidan is on a one week vacation in Delaware.

The big news is that we clothed Br Raphael Okafor as a Novice at diurnum (our midday office) last Sunday (October 12). We now have two novices; Bros. Ben and Raphael. They continue their monastic formation under the guidance of our Formator, Br. Josép.

Br. Raphael's clothing as a novice. From top left, clockwise: the examination of the postulant; Br. Raphael coming back from the sacristy with his new habit on and hood up (two pictures); Raphael being blessed by Br. Robert James, our Superior; our two novices, Bros. Raphael and Ben; Raphael with friends who came to witness his clothing as a novice; Br. Raphael between our Formator, Br. Josép and our Superior, Br. Robert James.

On Monday, our Novitiate and our Juniorate departed with Br. Josép to attend the third annual CAROA New Members Conference. CAROA is the conference of Anglican Religious Orders in the Americas. The conference was taking place at the convent of the Community of Saint John Baptist in Mendham, NJ.

CAROA New Members Conference. From top left, clockwise: Br. Josép addressing the conference; Bros. Raphael and Jacob sporting the two styles of our habit (the black habit is authorized for travelling); formators, postulants, novices and juniors at the conference: recreation with a board game.

It has been a gorgeous week of autumnal colors and weather. Br. Ephrem led a hiking retreat this week. They went twice into the Catskills and also hiked nearby Shaupeneak Ridge.

Monastery scenes. From top left, clockwise: a cruiseboat on the Hudson; morning scene on the guesthouse lawn; one of our groundhogs; Br. Josép's altar for the Dia de los Muertos (the deceased pictures will appear closer to November 1); a crocheted Franciscan givng greetings (Pax et Bonum) near Br. Francis's cell.

Our honeybees and other pollinators continue to enjoy abundant blooms across the gardens.

Autumn blooms. From top left, clockwise: orange mums and purple asters; ornamental cherries; purple gomphrena and white West Indian lantant: purple aster; purple gomphrena.

Speaking of honeybees, I found more good pictures of Bros. Francis and Jacob harvesting honey over a week ago.

Honey harvesting. From top left, clockwise: Br. Jacob uncapping honey frames (three pictures); the honey dripping out of the centrifugal honey extractor.

May your season also be filled with blessings.

Honey harvesting and new(er) Associates

Br. David Bryan is on a vacation in England visiting friends for three weeks. Our postulant Raphael Okafor was on his pre-clothing retreat at St Mary's House up the driveway. He is back this Sunday to be clothed as novice at Diurnum. Our intern Jeremy Cannon is making a one month aspirant visit as he has chosen to discern a call to enter the monastic community. He will be living with us in the enclosure during this time. Br. Robert Leo is still in South Africa as part of his sabbatical.

Please hold Raphael and Jeremy in your prayers as they continue their respective journeys of discernment in the monastic life.

This Monday, Brothers Fancis and Jacob harvested a lot of honey from two of our four hives. Not to worry, they left the bees with ample supplies for overwintering. They processed the honey frames outside under the ambulatory (the semi-circular corridor that goes round the apse of the church, connecting the middle house to the monastic enclosure). Br. Jacob uncapped the honey with a serrated knife. Br. Francis put the uncapped frames in the honey extractor. It looks like they collected several gallons of beautiful amber honey. Look out for it in the Monk's Cell Gift and Bookstore soon.

Honey harvest. From top left, clockwise: Br. Jacob waving to the camera in his protective bee suit; Br. Jacob uncapping honey frames over a tub to not loose a drop of honey and collect the discarded beeswax; Br. Francis spinning the uncapped frames in the centrifugal honey extractor; our two apiculturists hard at work.

The foliage colors continue to evolve and change. There is no red foliage to be seen but lots of russet and yellow still mixed with a lot of shades of green.

This Saturday, we received two new Associates; wife and husband Erin and Steve Moore, from Syracuse, NY.

Outside scenes and new Associates. From top left, clockwise: winterberries are gaining color as they ripen in time to provide food to birds throughout the winter; new Associates Erin and the Rev. Dr. Steve Moore; hints of russet and orange on an ornamental cherry tree; wisps of fog rising from the Hudson river in the morning sun.

Please hold our recently received Associates in your prayers: Greg, Barbara, Erin and Steve.

Peace and all good to you.

Centering Prayer and new Associates

This week, Br. Aidan was on an Intensive Centering Prayer retreat co-led by Br. Bernard, Leslee Terpay and  Mark Dannenfelser. Our postulant Raphael Okafor is on his pre-clothing retreat. He will soon be clothed as a novice. Br. Robert Leo is at St Benedict's Priory in Hermanus South Africa.

This week also, we received two new Associates: Greg Page from Arlington, VA and Barbara Dundon from Philadelphia, PA.

Cemtering Prayer and Associates. From top left, clockwise: a water color by an Intensive Centering Prayer retreat participant; Br. Bernard and Greg Page, AHC; Br. Bernard and Barbara Dundon, AHC; Br. Bernard and longtime Associate, Roy Mc Alpine; morning sun on the Little Cloister; Centering Prayer retreatants in prayer; greater silence was observed in the Guesthouse throughout the week; a blue chasuble to honor the Blessed Virgin Mother as on every Saturday.

Asters and chrysanthemums loom large in the gardens and in the church. Impatiens are also in full bloom. The turning of the leaves is slowly progressing. Leaf peeper cruises already go up and down the Hudson.

Blossoms in the gardens and in the church.

May your autumn be colorful as well (if you're in the Northern hemisphere). Blessings to all.