Connections and fun

Br. Robert James Magliula, our Superior, is wrapping up a one-month visitation to our Brothers in Grahamstown. I was privileged to accompany him on his first two weeks there. Now I will collect him at JFK upon his arrival this Wednesday. We can't wait for him to be home for a bit. As Superior, his job calls on him to visit each of our four houses each year and that involves quite a bit of traveling (Grahamstown, Santa Barbara, Toronto and West Park).

Br. Robert James' stay in South Africa enabled him to reconnect with many people he worked and prayed with during his seven years at our Grahamstown monastery (until 2013).

Some of Br. Robert's many friends: from top left, clockwise; with Josias Morobi, with the Abbot Primate of the Benedictine Confederation, Gregory Polan (at the BECOSA conference - Benedictine Communities of Southern Africa); with Buzwe;
with Masoxoli; with Buzwe; with Ntsikohlanga Kitsili; with Sunday morning eucharist visitors.

This weekend Br. Bob Pierson, our Novice Master, and Br. Peter Pearson, our Novice, came back from a weeklong visit to our Californian Brothers. While they were there, Br. Peter got to go visit our Camaldolese Brothers in Big Sur. We have a long and fruitful connection with the Camaldolese Benedictines. Our Br. Timothy Jolley, who helped found our Grahamstown monastery, is living alongside the New Camaldoli community in Big Sur to live into his vocation as a hermit.

Camaldolese and OHC Brothers at New Camaldoli, in Big Sur, CA. From left to right, Fr. Thomas Matus, our novice Br. Peter Pearson, Fr. Robert Hale, Fr. Zacchaeus, Fr. Cyprian Consiglio, Br. Charles McMulkin, OHC novice at our Toronto Priory, and Br. Timothy Jolley who resides at New Camaldoli. 

Meanwhile, we had a full house of Guests at the monastery for contemplative days during the week and various retreat programs at the weekend.

As is their monthly habit, Br. Scott also visited Yale Divinity School, and Br. Bernard visited General Theological Seminary to offer spiritual direction.

This weekend, Br. Aidan and Br. Bernard took our Assisted Living Brothers on an outing. We went to a local diner for an early lunch and got in time to the New Paltz cinema to see the "Black Panther" movie. Brs. Laurence Harms, Robert Hagler, and Richard Vaggione thoroughly enjoyed the occasion. The movie is well worth seeing if you're into super-hero action movies.

This weekend, Srs. Shane and Elizabeth, CMA were leading a retreat at the monastery. They joined Brothers after Sunday dinner for a game of Quirkle. Br. Aidan was the hands-down champion this time around but he is humble in victory. All is well.

From top to bottom and left to right, Brs. Bernard, Laurence, Richard, Aidan and, Robert Hagler a the Gateway Diner in Highland; Sr. Sharne,, CMA, Br. Aidan and Sr. Elizabeth, CMA enjoying a good Quirkle game.