Diocesan luncheon and smelling the roses

This week, Br. Robert James was completing his vacation with friends on Cape Cod.
And Br. Bob took a few days of vacation to visit the area with his friend Barbara Anne (a Presbyterian minister from Minnesota).

On Tuesday, Br. Josép and I picked up Sr. Elizabeth Broyles CMA and headed to New York City to attend our diocesan bishop's annual Luncheon with Leaders of Religious Orders in our diocese.

This year, there were representatives of 10 religious communities. Our diocese is particularly rich in Religious women and men. The luncheon in Donegan Hall was attended by all three of our diocesan bishops and some members of their staff. It is a great opportunity to catch up with one another and remember our contributions to the church's life in the diocese of New York.

The Religious Leaders Luncheon at the Diocesan office. Bishops, diocesan staff and lots of nuns, monks and friars. Bishop Andy Dietsche, seated in the center, is also the Bishop Visitor of the Order of the Holy Cross.

That afternoon, while Josép and Elizabeth drove back to West Park, I made my way from the Cathedral Close to General Theological Seminary. I visited for a couple of days to offer spiritual direction to students, staff, and faculty of the Seminary. This is the third year I do this ministry. I see between 10 and 12 directees all of Wednesday and Thursday morning. I visit the seminary 6 to 7 times over the academic year (September to April).

Since I am in the city for a couple of evenings when I do this, I try to catch up with friends (both personal and friends of the monastery). On Tuesday, I met with a generous couple of Associates, Zachary Roesemann and Clark Anderson, at the Modern, MoMA's restaurant (their treat) which continues to be open while the museum is renovated. Zachary, himself an icon painter in egg tempera, told me about an exhibition of an artist he liked a lot in a Chelsea gallery (near the seminary).

The next day, one of my directees canceled an appointment and I had time to head to the nearby gallery. As luck would have it, I ran into Zachary who had decided to visit some of his favorite etchings and egg tempera paintings again. The George Tooker exhibit at the DC Moore gallery runs until Oct 5.

That evening, I got together with my good friend Lewis who lives near Hudson Yards (just North of the Chelsea neighborhood where the seminary is). It happened to be his 71st birthday so I treated him to supper at a nearby restaurant and to cupcakes at Billy's Bakery on 9th avenue. No, you can't fit 71 candles on a cupcake. But we had a good time anyway.

This weekend, we are celebrating St Michael and All Angels. This Sunday morning we had great organ music, compliments of Br. Max, and great congregational singing thanks to a couple of parish groups who were staying at the Guest House.

From top left, clockwise: a picture captured by Janet Vincent while I was thurifer at the renewal of marriage vows of Yanick and Matthew (I love the atmosphere of this picture); a George Tooker etching; a George Tooker egg tempera painting; Br. Josép checking in on "his" roses before the Michaelmas Eucharist.

Happy Michaelmas!