Three weeks in winter; bugs and stranded machinery

In the last three weeks, we have received a new Associate, gone to seminaries to offer spiritual direction, installed new windows in the church and fought off a bout of respiratory infection.

On Saturday, February 23, Br. Josép received Susan Keller into the Associates of Holy Cross.

Susan Keller, from Hawley, PA, being received as an Associate in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit.

In the last week of February, Br. Bernard did his monthly visit to General Theological Seminary in New York City and Br. Robert Leo did his monthly visit to Yale Divinity School in New Haven, CT. We both see students and staff members in spiritual direction throughout the academic year.

On my visit to GTS, I took the opportunity of a last-minute canceled session to go walk on the High Line park nearby. Since January, I try to daily reach an increasing goal of steps walked. For March, I am aiming to a daily goal of 9000 steps.

On my walk, I got to see the construction of the Vessel at Hudson Yards. Designed by Heatherwick Studio, founded by renowned designer Thomas Heatherwick, Vessel is comprised of 154 intricately-interconnecting flights of stairs, 2,500 individual steps and 80 landings. Vessel will rise from a base that is 50 feet in diameter and will widen to 150 feet at the top, offering the public a one-mile vertical climbing experience and some of the most unique views of the West Side. It looks like a future exercise location near GTS for me...

A walk on the High Line. From top left, clockwise, the Vessel being constructed in Hudson Yards; snow-drops making their appearance on the High Line.

In the last week of February and the first week of March, the new upper windows were installed in St Augustine Church. While the installation work was ongoing, we worshipped in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit (our Chapter Room in the monastic enclosure). Worshipping in a circle with guests around the community was an interesting change from being in choir in front of the Visitors court. But all told, guests and monks were happy to return to the St Augustine church once the main installation work was done. Some glass panels cracked during installation and will soon be replaced and the operating chords need to be installed on the windows. I like the light and the view of the sky that our new windows provide.

The installation did not go without some drama though. A cherry-picker was necessary to install the North side windows of the church. In two places, the cherry-picker dug deep muddy ruts in which it got stranded. The second time, a tracked vehicle was necessary to pull out the cherry-picker out of the mire. Now the windows installer will have to come back to repair the damage to our lawns... In the end, no doubt, all will be will that ends well.

Guests and Visitors. From top left Mary Rebb and Jean Rath, sisters from Ottawa, Ontario; Corey Krupowicz, from Holmes, NY, with his two children and Br. Robert James in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit; Br. Richard and Kim Miles from Allendale, NJ, with her two childhood friends Jean and Mary.

Thankfully, we are on the tail end of a wave of respiratory infections amongst the Brothers. Over the weeks, up to eight brothers have been affected. The sick stayed in the enclosure so it made for smaller choirs to sing the Office. But the beauty of a monastic community is that as we fall victim to temporary disability, other Brothers rise up to the urgent jobs that need to be filled. We give thanks for having one another in community.

Br. Rober James, our Superior just left for over four weeks of visitation to our South African monastery, Maryia uMama weThemba Monastery, in Grahamstown. He will be back in time for Holy Week.

Have a Blessed Lent!