90th birthday and summer recess

Br. Laurence Harms will celebrate his 90th birthday on August 11. Last Sunday, after an early Vespers, we congregated with his friends in Pilgrim Hall to have an early party for this auspicious occasion. Brothers and friends from around the region gave Br. Laurence good wishes. As for many festive occasions, Br. Laurence showed up in Liberian finery. Br. Laurence was a missionary to Liberia for many years.

From top left, clockwise, Br. Laurence, with Crystal, his home care aide and her son: with Br. Aidan (the youngest and oldest monks of the monastery between the two of them); with Br. Bernard; a long shot of the guests in Pilgrim Hall; with Ms. Lori Callaway, our Guesthouse Manager; with Br. Rafael.

This party also marked the beginning of our "summer recess" when the Guest House and the Bookstore are both closed for three and a half weeks. This marks a time of intense maintenance and upgrades throughout the Guest House and a time of increased leisure for the monks. The day is scheduled so that people can leave after daily Eucharist and chapter for a day of excursion or hiking.

Brothers and Guests at Br. Laurence's birthday party. From top left, clockwise: Br. Bernard and Sr. Shane Phelan, CMA; Br. Joseph, Yanick Savain and Br. John; guess assembled in the Pilgrim Hall; Br. Aidan and Br. Roy in conversation; Sr. Elizabeth Broyles, CMA, Br. Josép and Sr. Shane.

We look forward to this relaxed time, amongst ourselves. Many brothers schedule some time of vacation during this period. Brothers Robert James is away house-sitting in Stone Ridge for a couple of weeks, Brother John is visiting his family in Indiana for a couple of weeks.

Work is ongoing on electrical upgrades and on four new single occupant bathrooms in our Middle House. More projects will occur there throughout August. A new fire suppression system will be installed in the Middle House. The challenge is to get it all done and spruced up in time for our re-opening of the Guest House on August 23rd. In the Refectory all the roundtables and rectangular serving tables are being re-surfaced.

From top, clockwise: Br. Robert Hagler, Br.Laurence Harms, Br. John Forbis and Br. Aidan Owen at the movies (Br. Richard Vaggione wss sitting ahead of us); Sunday dinner (yes we still wear our habits festively when it's "just us").

On Monday, Brother Aidan, John and I took our Assisted Living Brothers to a movie in New Paltz. We watched the action-packed "Mission Impossible - Fallout."

Throughout the week, Brothers took advantage of the open days for excursions. Brothers Aidan, Bob, and Roy visited the Mills Mansion in Staatsburg and the Wilderstein estate in Rhinecliff. Brother Robert Leo and Josép went to see an Anton Rubinstein opera at Bard College's Fischer Center. Br. Bernard finally went to visit the Klyne-Esopus Museum after years of driving past it. This Sunday afternoon, Brs. Randy and Josép and Yanick Savain and Matthew Wright go to a Hudson Valley Renegades baseball game in Wappinger Falls. Go Renegades! Go Summer!

One of the pleasant features of this "summer recess" is that we can all fit in St Scholastica and have our meals all together around the same table. During the year our only community-only meals are on Tuesday mid-day.

We hope you too enjoy some rest and relaxation this summer. Blessings!