St Benedict and other friends

Tuesday, July 11, was St Benedict's feast day. It's one of our two patronal feasts (the other being Holy Cross Day on September 14). We celebrated it on our own since most of our guests would only check-in that afternoon. The day has its proper office and we sang it well. July 11 celebrates the transfer of St Benedict relics to the Abbey of St-Benoit-sur-Loire in France. Some Benedictine abbeys observe his feast on March 21, the anniversary of his death.

St Benedict Day. From left, clockwise: lilies and hostas from the garden arranged by Br. Robert Leo in the entrance of the church (2 pictures): a picture of St Benedict; Bros. Aidan and Josép in conversation prior to dinner; Bros. Marc and John in conversation prior to dinner; (lower center) an anonymous flower arrangement in the coffee corner near the refectory.

On Saturday, our South African Brothers received a new Postulant. Mr. Mpumelelo Khambule joined the St Benedict Priory (SBP) community in Hermanus to try his monastic vocation. Please keep our men in formation at SBP in prayer: Mpumelelo, Josias and Edwin.

Mpumelelo's reception as a Postulant at St Benedict's Priory, Hermanus, South Africa. From top left clockwise: prior, Br. Roger Stewart receives Mpumelelo Khambule flanked by his formator, Br. Scott Borden; Mpumelelo; Bros. Roger Stewart and Daniel Ludik flanking the new postulant.

Later that same day, the community at Holy Cross Monastery celebrated a requiem mass for our dear friend Sister Susan John Mangan of Tannersville, NY, who died unexpectedly the day before. Word got out about the mass quickly on Friday and many of her friends were able to attend. Several of us then sat in St Augustine room remembering why we loved her so much.

Sister Susan John Mangan (archival pictures). From top left, clockwise: on the beach, on Iona Island (one of her favorite places) in Scotland; choosing beach pebbles on Iona; in Pilgrim Hall in conversation with Hildegard Pleva; bracing for the winds on Iona; in conversation with Bros. Robert Leo and Ephrem in the guest house.

This week, we hosted a group of young priests who get together yearly for a retreat. Br. Ephrem facilitated a few sessions for them but they mostly relaxed, caught up with one another and prayed the office with us.

Associates and young priests. From top left, clockwise: Associate Devin McKay and her husband Walter, of Mineola, NY, sporting their newest Monastery T-shirts at a restaurant in Garden City, Long Isalnd; visiting young priests group: The Rev. Richard Jones, The Rev. Marcus Halley, The Rev. Zach Nyein, The Rev. Connor Gwin, Br. Ephrem, The Rev. Broderick Lee, The Rev. William Stanley, The Rev. Carlos de la Torre (in various order in three pictures)

For all those who want to have chef Bob's cooking pizzazz, you can now follow him on Instagram too at: https://www.instagram.com/everydayisfeastday/

He continue to publish two recipes every week on Substack: https://everydayisfeastday.substack.com/. This requires a subscription to access the recipes.

Chef Bob Morano. From top left, clockwise: the temporary kitchen in the sacristy lot; Bob sitting on the steps to the mobile kitchen; pictures of some of Bob's cooking.

Peace and All Good.