Airport Monk

This will be a short one, and I'm getting it up early, because I will be gone much of Sunday. Some of you will know that Br Bernard has been in his native Belgium for several weeks helping his family, particularly his parents. They are both in failing health, and he has been visiting them regularly in the past few years and he had planned another trip for this August. But in April the medical people said they thought that would be too long to wait. So he went home and has been working very hard ever since.

Last week his parents moved to a nursing home. They are able to have a large room together, which is a great consolation, and there is some relief in knowing they are in a place where they will get the care that they need in these difficult times.

Now Bernard is coming home for a bit. Our annual Chapter (the yearly meeting and conference for all of the Holy Cross monks from our 4 monasteries) begins on Tuesday and he is coming to be with us for these meetings. Today we found out that he will arrive at Kennedy Airport in New York tomorrow about 1:30 pm. So after Mass I will fix a sandwich for my lunch and take off for the City. There really isn't any way of knowing how long it will be before we return - there are so many variables including possible delays, long lines at Immigration and Customs, whether we want a meal on the way home - all that kind of thing. So I don't have any idea exactly when I will be home, nor whether there will be any time for blogging, so I'm just leaving this little note.

The following two days will see me at Stewart Airport in Newburgh to pick up two of our brothers from South Africa: on Monday I get Br Timothy Jolley and on Tuesday I will meet Br John Forbis. So my days will be filled with matters of transport. Actually I like going to airports, which I know is a bit on the odd side, but I often volunteer for these journeys, since I know that many people don't like to do it.

And waiting isn't any problem. If I have time to wait, I always have my wrist beads and I can meditate and having extra time for meditation is almost always a real treat. So I'm set to go. I'll try to get something down when we have a break during Chapter later in the week.