Returning Pilgrims, Visiting Seminarians and Missionaries, Departing Aspirants

Well, the Celtic Pilgrims have returned this past Saturday. Matthew Wright and Yanick Savain are back in St Mary's House at the top of our driveway. And Br. Scott is on a two week stopover in the middle of his six-month sabbatical. The Rev. Elizabeth Gillett also stayed over for a night on her way back home. She reported that it was a fantastic pilgrimage. Br. Aidan stayed behind and went on to a one week retreat in a hermitage in Glendalough, Ireland.

Today, Sunday, we got to see our favorite two missionaries; Heidi Maria Schmidt and Monica Vega. They currently work in Argentina but they got to know the Order of the Holy Cross well in Grahamstown, South Africa. Their friendship with our Superior, Br. Robert James, dates back to that time.

During the week, we were glad to see Donna Marquardt attending mass with us. Donna used to live up the road on Route 9W. She would come to mass or the office several times a week. Nowadays, she lives in Poughkeepsie and we are grateful to see her from time to time.

From top, clockwise, Br. Scott and the Rev. Elizabeth Gillett just back from Britain;
Donna Marquard, a frequent weekday visitor;
Br. Robert James and Missionaries Monica Vega and Heidi Maria Schmidt

From Tuesday to Thursday, we were observing our regular Contemplative Days. During Contemplative Days, we observe Greater Silence round the clock; we have a simplified liturgical schedule; monks are dispensed of their usual work; and we limit Guests attendance to 15 people.  Many frequent visitors actually cherish the greater quiet of those days and seek out the possibility to stay in the Guest House at those times. Check out our Retreat Programs web page to find out when these are taking place.

From top, clockwise, Tim Maguire used to come often when he lived in NYC. He now lives in Toronto and was happy to come back after a few years of absence; Princeton seminarian Rick Cummings starts a new puzzle with his wife Sandi; Anne Starke is a nurse from Nyack, NY often comes to recharge her batteries.

This coming week also sees a number of seminarians stay at the Monastery. Many seminaries have a "reading week" in the middle of their semester. As they have no lectures during that week, seminarians are free to visit during the week.

From top, clockwise, the Pear Loafers, a group of women writers who has visited us for 16 years;
Yale Divinity seminarian Landon Moore playing cards with Br. Bob Pierson and guests; Landon Moore, Aynsley Hartney and Br. Joseph . Joseph and Aysnsley go back to Joseph's days as parish priest in Memphis, TN.

This week-end, we had a group of writers who started coming to the monastery every year on the week of Nine Eleven. The Pear Loafers were continuing a tradition of writing retreats started by Madeleine L'Engle. That tradition is also carried forward by the many writers' retreats lead by Beverly Donofrio at the Guest House.

This week-end, we also hosted young interns at St Hilda's House, New Haven, CT, who live in intentional christian community while doing social justice work during the day. Thanks be to God for these young missionaries.

Meet the Hildans - from left to right, Molly Wyrsch, Morgan Flanagan-Folcarelli, KC Crewdson, Kelsey Hitchcock, Charlie Heeley, Matthew Roberts, Amy Endres. And you recognized Br. Joseph in the white habit, of course.

Today, Sunday, a couple who had just started another jigsaw puzzle flagged me down in Pilgrim Hall on my way to pray graces over our dinner. Chet and Anne-Marie remembered me as a freshly entered Postulant on their last visit thirteen years ago. It's always fun to discover the continuity over time of our hospitality ministry. I suggested Chet and Anne-Marie come back sooner next time.

Top, clockwise, "Moi", Chet and Anne Marie Erler from North Andover, MA;
Marian and Michael Carroll from Waterbury, CT.

The Rev. Michael Carroll and Marian Carroll try to come every year, with or without a parish group. It was good to see them again.

On Saturday morning, the monks crashed Kairos' rehearsal in the North End of the monastic library for a friendly "Meet and Greet" event. We all got to introduce ourselves and give a bit of background to our lives inside and outside the monastery. It was impressive to discover all the good that the Kairos folks do in the world when they are not singing at our monastery.

Monks and Kairos singers mix for a "Meet and Greet" event
in the area where Kairos rehearses every Saturday.

This past weekend, our two aspirants left the monastery to continue their respective discernment. It's always a bittersweet moment as one doesn't know what the future will be made of, and we got to know and like each other over the duration of their stay. Please pray for ongoing discernment of their vocation for Giovanni and Vance.

So when do I get to take your picture at the monastery? Come and visit us soon. We love to have you.