Two apostles and a jazz class

Br. Ephrem left for a five week visit to our Brothers in South Africa. He is the Junior Master and is visiting our three Brothers in initial vows there. He will also be there to help with the community's move from Hermanus to Plettenburg Bay where the community will have space to grow.

Br. John is leaving for a two-week family visit this Sunday. This Sunday, Br. Robert Leo is celebrating 35 years in Life Vow. He has been in the Order of the Holy Cross for 40 years. Br. Carl will be on an at-home retreat this coming week.

This week, we celebrated St Mary Magdalene on Tuesday and St James the Apostle (a.k.a. St James the Great) on Friday.

Last Sunday, we scrapped Holy Cross Cinema in favor of Holy Cross Jazz Class. Br. Randy had put up an extensive list of jazz classics that he each introduced and that were each commented on by members of the community. We all contributed refreshments. A dozen of us were in attendance. Br. Randy's playlist was extensive enough that we will do part 2 of the Jazz Class in Christmastide.

Monastery people. From top left, clockwise: Br. Randy's jazz class in the middle house's common room (two pictures); Br. Carl enjoying a quiet read on the enclosure's porch; archival photo of Br. Robert Leo having his Life Vow being received by the then Superior, Br. William Sibley.

This Saturday, we received Neil Toyota, of Glen Spey, NY, as our latest Associate. His husband who likes to visit the monastery too was there to witness his commitment.

From left, clockwise: Associate Neil Toyota and Br. Bernard; Impatiens flowers in the Sacristy lot; the back of St Augustine church before sunrise: a cottontail bunny unafraid of human approach; the great oak before sunrise.

The gardens continue to provide a profusion of flowers for the decoration of our church, refectory and enclosure.

Time for Japanese lilies. Various floral compositions by Brothers and staff.

Our Guesthouse will be closed for the month of August. You can continue to make reservations with the guesthouse office during that time (guesthouse@hcmnet.org).

The Monastery Column blog will be on a summer hiatus until September 7.

Hikes and outings

 This past week, Br. Francis has been taking a staycation at St Mary's house up our driveway. Br, Ephrem returned from his retreat in the Catskills on Friday.

On Monday, Bros. Josép and Randy took their annual walk around Ashokan Reservoir, part of the New York City water supply system in Hurley, NY.

Our men in formation went to visit Rural and Migrant Ministries in Cornwall-on-Hudson, this week. They were welcomed by the RMM Executive Director, the Rev. Richard Witt who has spearheaded this ministry for decades.

Enjoying the outdoors. From top left, clockwise: Bros. Josép and Randy on their annual Ashokan Reservoir walk (2 pictures); view of the reservoir; the men in formation visiting Rural and Migrant Ministries (2 pictures).

The weather has been milder this week, allowing pleasant walks and sitting on the porches.

Grounds. From top left, clockwise: the guesthouse and the belltower before sunrise; the old oak and the church in the rising sun; drone picture of the monastery buildings; the vegetable garden and morning fog on the other side of the Hudson.

This Saturday, we received Daniel Weick, from Manhattan, NY, into the Associates program.

As for the garden blooms that grace the church it's lilies and hydrangeas for the moment.

In the church. from top left, clockwise: blue hydrangeas gracing St Benedict's icon (2 pictures); white hydrangea and russet day lilies gracing our Lady and Child statue (two pictures); latest Associate Daniel Weick and Br. Bernard.

It's slow news these days. In my native Belgium we called it "cucumbet times" when the nightly news would comment on the cucumber harvest for lack of exciting news. I wish we would have more cucumber times lately.

Archives and hydrangeas

This coming week, Br. Ephrem is on retreat in the Catskills. This past week, Br. Bruno completed a year-long spiritual direction training program with Br. Don Bisson, FMS, teaching. Congratulations!

On Wednesday, the men in formation visited our Order's archives in the basement of our main Guesthouse. Br. Robert Leo, our Archivist, and volunteer Beth Beaudin showed them how their work is done and shared a few treasures with them. Our archives rest in a fully conditioned environment (both temperature and humidity). Br. Robert and Beth are little by little working their way through a trove of archive boxes to index their content. Sometimes, Br. Robert Leo shares a gem at daily chapter before it goes back to the archives' safety.

Visiting the Order's archives. From top left, clockwise: volunteer Beth Beaudin showing a cincture from the Order's early days (two pictures); the gang (Bros. Robert Leo, Ben, intern Jack, volunteer Beth, intern Jeremy, postulants Raphael and Will; Br. Robert Leo showing an archive item.

On Friday, we celebrated St Benedict's feast which is a first class feast for us. Our Order's life is informed by both the Rule of St Benedict and the Rule of the Order of the Holy Cross (written by our founder James Otis Sargent Huntington).

Under Br. Jacob's care, the vegetable garden is producing harvest for our kitchen. This reporter saw spring onions and garlic on the drying racks inside the enclosure. 

The gardens. From top left, clockwise: yuccas have been producing glorious stems of cream-colored blossoms (two pictures): purple hostas are everywhere (two pictures); yarrows of various colors near the vegetable garden; the vegetable garden.

As for church decorations, it's been hydangeas' time.

Hydrangeas galore. From top left, clockwise; pink hydrangeas gracing St Benedict's icon (two pictures); shasta daisies, lavender and alliums at the foot of our Mother and Child statue; off-white pompons of oakleaf hydrangeas gracing St Augustine's icon.

Our bell rope came down detached from the bell this week. Our employee Tim was able to re-attach it in a temporary fashion. Our contractor Jamie will be working to attach more durably our new bell rope which was waiting for this to happen. We ordered one from an English maker a year ago. The order took several months to fulfill as they have a long waitlist. For a few offices, we worked by the watch rather than the bell to be in choir on time.