Visiting

Br. David came back on Tuesday from a five-day visit to friends and Brothers in Toronto. Throughout the week, Br. Carl has been on a stay-at-home silent retreat.

We had lots of individual retreatants this week and a parish group from Trinity Church, in Cranford, NJ.

Monastery people. From top left, clockwise: the Brothers in their habits discussing before Sunday dinner (two pictures); long-time Associate Harry Mazujian, from Monroe Township, NJ; Br. Bernard and Associate Nadine Revheim, from Beacon, NY, visiting the Maggazzino Italian Art Museum in Cold Spring, NY; Br. Bernard inside the Ettore Spaletti installation "Parole di Colore."

On Wednesday, our men in formation took a pilgrimage to the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum, in Hadley, MA and to the Hancock Shaker Village, in Pittsfield, MA.

A formation pilgrimage. From top left, clockwise: Hancock Shaker Village; at HSV, Br. Josép, postulant Ben, Bros. Anthony and Mpumelelo and intern Robb in front of the round stone barn; Bros. Mpumelelo and Anthony, postulant Ben and intern Robb with HSV in the background; the same with the museum's executive director, Susan Lisk, at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum; intern Robb and Br. Anthony onn the grounds of the PPH Museum. 

Br. Robert James has made several beautiful floral arrangerments with the bounty of our gardens.

Blossoms. From top left, clockwise: pink roses from the little cloiser undet the St Augustine icon (two pictures); peonies, gladiolus and roses to honor the Blessed Mother and Child; echinaceas, sages and hosta foliage near the St Benedict icon.

Despite appearances to the contrary, most of us were at home most of the time. But that is less blog-worthy. You are in our prayers.