Spring, yes?

Br. Will who keeps a tab on such things told me that spring officially started this Saturday, March 20. I'm old-fashioned that way; I think spring starts today, Sunday, March 21. Whatever is the case, the croci, helebores and snowdrops decided it was spring quite a few days ago. The temperatures are creeping up. Yesterday, I had to carry my coat on my arm on my walkd with Sister Elizabeth Broyles to the entrance of the Slabsides Nature Sanctuary. Now, freezing night and snow showers are not beyond possibility any more. But I'll cheer the spring onward.

On Tuesday, March 16th, our Brother Thomas Schultz died peacefully at Mission Terrace Rehabilitation Hospital in Santa Barbara. We had known for a few weeks that the end was near. Our Brother Timothy Jolley was able to visit regularly. 

Br. Tom was 87 years old and in the 57th year of his Life Profession. He was a priest for 62 years, and many will remember him as a gifted spiritual director.

A requiem for Tom will be celebrated at Trinity Church, Santa Barbara on Friday, April 9th at 11:00am. Eventually his ashes will travel to our monastery to rest in our columbarium in the St Michael Chapel under our church.

Please pray for Tom, his Holy Cross Brothers, his family and the many who mourn him. May he rest in peace and rise in Glory!

Brother Tom Schulz. From top left, clockwise: with Br. Adam McCoy and Br. Carl during one of our annual chapters of the Order in West Park; a studio portrait of Tom; on the Rip Van Winkle boat on an excursion on the Hudson River during chapter (seated with Br. Bede, Br. Richard, in the background); making notes during a deliberative session of chapter.

On the feast of St Joseph, we celebrated the great saint and our own Br. Josép on his birthday. Josép, the name our Brother chose at initial profession, is Catalan for Joseph.

Work on the Guesthouse elevator continues. The old elevator has been removed. A much-needed linen closet was built in its place on the second floor, and a second staircase to the fourth floor was reinstated where it used to reach the third floor.

The much-delayed new elevator is now scheduled to arrive on April 9 and be installed in the next six weeks. It should be ready to welcome guests when we reopen our Guesthouse to visitors in September 2021. Check our e-mail broadcast about the reopening here. The Guesthouse office will only reopen in June and will not be able to handle any reservation before that time. We are excited to restart our hospitality ministry in a few months.

From left, clockwise: Br. Josép is all smiles on his birthday; waiting for the bell to ring for dinner (with Br. Robert James); Br. Robert Hagler in conversation with alongsiders Demarius Walker and Renée Fisher (Br. John in the forefront); more Brothers waiting for dinner to be served; the reinstated second staircase to the fourth floor of the Guesthouse (where the old elevator used to be).

We give thanks for the expanding availability of Covid-19 vaccinations. Stick with protective measures still. Even vaccinated, they are still needed. They still save lives.

Lenten blessings to you all.