Is it Indian Summer already?

According to Wikipedia, Indian summer is a period of unseasonably warm, dry weather that sometimes occurs in autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. The US National Weather Service defines this as weather conditions that are sunny and clear with above normal temperatures, occurring late-September to mid-November. It is usually described as occurring after a killing frost.

The only piece of that definition that we haven't met yet is that there has been no killing frost yet (28F or lower). I'm sure Br. Aidan, our Grounds Steward, is grateful for that. The other thing I associate with the Indian summer is the turning of the color of leaves. There are a few harbingers of that but not enough to tinge the landscape in warmer colors.

*****

This week, many of us were away on missions or family visits.

Br. Robert James, our Superior, was visiting his mom and one of his brothers, in Western Florida. She lives far North enough that the hurricane did not affect her community harshly.

Br. John was at Linwood Spiritual Center for a week to pursue a Spiritual Directors Training Program. This was the first of four residential modules in this program. A few of our Brothers have graduated from that program with great benefit. A few of us also go to Linwood Spiritual Center to receive spiritual direction from the Sisters of Saint Ursula. Thanks be to God for their ministry.

Br. Randy left on Tuesday for a nine-day trip to Fairbanks, Alaska to serve as one of the chaplains to the House of Bishop of The Episcopal Church meeting there. The theme of this meeting of
Bishops is "Culture, Creation and Reconciliation: Bishops in the Jesus Movement."

From left to right, The Very Rev. Miguelina Howell, dean of Christ Church Cathedral in Hartford, CT, The Rt.. Rev. Todd Ousley, Bishop for the Office of Pastoral Development, The Most Rev. Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop and our very own Br. Randy Greve, OHC

We did warn him not to make friends with moose though...

Please keep Br. Randy and our bishops in your prayers.

This week, I did my first monthly visit to General Theological Seminary to offer spiritual direction to members of the seminary community. I will make an overnight visit there each month of the academic year to meet, pray, worship, listen and consult with students and staff members.

I took this opportunity to meet over a delicious al fresco supper near Central Park with my first spiritual director of 17 years ago and his wife. Canon Jamie Callaway is the General Secretary of The Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion - CUAC and it gets him to travel extensively throughout the Anglican communion. His wife, Mary Chilton is a professor of Old Testament at Fordham University and is writing a book on the prophet Jeremiah. It was wonderful to catch up and even do a little bit of theology on the fly.

My good friends, the Callaways and I

Sixteen years ago, I went to Trinity Wall Street's midday healing service on the day my job at JPMorgan was made redundant. My parents were visiting from Belgium and I didn't know whether to even tell them. Jamie was laying hands and praying over those who requested it. I knelt before him and said in my alarm "Jamie, I have been terminated." Without missing a beat, Jamie bent over me with his hands on my head and whispered "Bernard, only God can 'terminate' you." And with that bit of theological humor, I regained perspective on what was really happening to me and recovered my trust that God was with me in this. If I had only known then what a soon-to-be ex-investment banker would become...  “All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.” (Julian of Norwich).

This week also, our spry octogenarian, Br. Roy visited his good friend Sr. Janet Ruffing, RSM, in New Haven for a belated 84th birthday celebration. Happy Birthday, Roy!

*****

This being said, offices were sung, worship offered and guests served at the monastery. Br. Bob is our Sub-Prior (and Novice Master) and keeps the house in good stead while I am away ;-) (not that I worry).

Last weekend, at Sunday dinner,  I couldn't help but notice how two of our Associates and retreat leaders were looking very happy. They had just led a retreat on the importance of inclusive theological language to the great benefit of their participants. I had noticed Lyn's t-shirt that proudly announced: "God is not a boy's name." I had thought, I'd like one of those. As it turns out, that is the title of a memoir and theological reflection that Lyn Brakeman's published under that title. Lyn wrote about her visit on her blog: Spiritual Lemons.

The Rev. Dick Simeone and The Rev. Lyn Brakeman ready to tuck into Sunday dinner

This week was a silent week at the monastery. From Tuesday to Friday mid-day, we hosted the Individually Directed Retreats. Participants sent a brief bio and statement of intent. They were paired with a Spiritual Director. They then met with their director each day but spent the rest of the day in silence.

This weekend, we had a very large men's group on retreat and several individual retreatants. I spotted a repeat visitor and thanked her for her faithfulness to our monastery. I take pictures of frequent visitors so that when any of us deal with them in-between visits we can look up their name (which often doesn't do the recognition trick) and recognize them. It's always a joyous moment when we recognize each other. When you next visit, get me to snap a portrait of you.

Regular visitor, Edie Lauderdale from Dartmouth, Massachusetts

Saturday was a bittersweet day for our community. Enrique Yepes, one of our Postulants, withdrew from the novitiate yesterday. Before entering he had been offered an opportunity to return to his native Colombia to engage his talents in a creative way in the work of peace and reconciliation there. He felt he first needed to discern his monastic call. His decision to withdraw was not made lightly or quickly. He engaged his discernment of the monastic life with energy and commitment. Ultimately, the call to his country and family prevailed. We will miss him and all that he brought to our community life in West Park. We wish him every blessing as he continues his journey. Please hold Enrique in your prayers as he moves into his new vocation.

Enrique Yepes (left) is moving to Colombia. Peter Pearson (right) is continuing his postulancy

Today, Sunday, Br. Bob preached a great sermon. And as usual, we had several of our Sunday mass visitors with us. I'll introduce you to them as the weeks go by. Bruce Stasko and his friend Chris are regular Sunday visitors. They drive from Northern New Jersey to be with us. A couple of decades ago, Bruce used to be our chef for several years.

Bruce Stasko and Chris Shields often worship with us on Sundays

There's about a dozen of regular Sunday Mass visitors. We are grateful for their worshipping presence with us. They are part of the extended Holy Cross Monastery community.