Icons, flowers and cantatas

Christine Hale's "Learning form Byzantium" retreat. From top left, clockwise: Participants' completed icons: Br. Joseph blesses the icons in the hand of their makers; Participants in the retreat, Christine Hale, second from right.

Last weekend, Christine Hale conducted one of her much-loved icon-painting retreats. Christine and her husband, Michael, who was also visiting now come from Sarasota, Florida, to offer the retreat. It used to be a shorter journey when they lived in Hudson, north of us on the river.

Whenever retreatants have completed their icons, we get one of our brothers to bless them after the office of diurnum. It's always impressive to see the progress made by participants in so little time.

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In a little over three weeks, our community will host the annual Chapter of the Order of the Holy Cross. As Secretary of Chapter and Chairperson of the Finance Committee, I'm collecting lots of reports and preparing the meetings.

I will be away on retreat the week before Chapter, so I need to get ready ahead of that. Monkhood does not dispense one of administrative tasks...

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This week and next week, we have the visit of an aspirant. An aspirant is a man who has been in conversation with our Vocations Minister for a while. The two have decided that it is time to get real, and the man comes to live with the monastic community in the enclosure for two weeks. It enables both parties to discern further whether they are called to live together in the monastic vocation.

These weeks we are getting to know Josue Perea better. Josh, as he goes, is from NYC.

Our Vocations Minister until recently was Br. Aidan Owen who did a great job. Br. Joseph Wallace-Williams is following him in this responsibility and will likewise be a joyful and kind first contact for inquirers. If you know someone who'd be intrigued in considering the monastic life for himself, direct him to Br. Joseph.

A game of cribbage. Top left: Mr. Vance Greenway, Mr. Josue Perea (watching the game)
 and Br. Laurence enjoying a game of cribbage.

Last Sunday, Vance Greenway spent a couple of hours telling the story of his journey in Vedanta and how it connects with Christianity. We are humbled to host a Swami (a Vedanta monastic) amongst us and love living alongside him and getting to know him and his tradition better.

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Flowers from the garden greeting the eye throughout the monastery:
columbines, narcissi, alliums, lilac, irises and tulips.

This Sunday afternoon, Kairos is presenting their last Bach Cantata of the academic year at the monastery. They will be back for more in the fall.

Happy Pentecost!