A trinity of birthdays and an initial profession

The very cold weather with episodic small snow falls continues. When there is a thaw, the deer have an easier time of finding forage. When there is snow, it is easier to spot wildlife. It is heartwarming to see foxes or deers frolicking in the meadow despite the cold. The Coast Guard patrol the river to assess the need for icebreakers to maintain a navigable channel.

We started the week with celebrating the three birthdays of Bros. John, Ephrem and Aidan on Monday.

Br. Aidan took it upon himself to bake a cake and cook a delicious dahl which we enjoyed together in the enclosure's atrium.

Preparing a feast. From top left, clockwise: Br. Aidan tasting the dahl; his finished chocolate cake; the bubbling green lentils dahl on the stove; Br. Aidan adding an unorthodox ingredient (lemon juice).

Our Associate John Decker, a professional videographer, completed one year of shooting for the making of the "Portrait of a Monastery." He is already in the process of editing the dozens of hours of footage available. He expects the documentary will be ready in the summer to be shown at various documentary film festivals. The documentary would become available for our wider use by the end of the year (as festivals want films that haven't been distributed yet).

Monastery creatures. From top left, clockwise: Associate John Decker, from Ocean Township, NJ with the monastic community on the completion of his shooting the "Portrait of a Monastery" documentary: John surrounded by Bros. Robert James, Randy, Josép and Scott; deer foraging in the meadow; Br. Aidan in conversation with the Rev. Cari Pattison, of Woodstock, NY (two pictures).

On Saturday, at our St Benedict's Priory in Hermanus, South Africa, our Br. Mpumelelo made his initial profession of the Benedictine vow. This profession is for a period of three years. Br. Mpumelelo received his choir cowl from the hand of our Superior, Br. Robert James who is visiting the priory for a month. During his novitiate, he spent four months with us here in West Park. Please pray for the continuing blossoming of Br. Mpumelelo's monastic vocation.

Br. Mpumelelo's initial profession. From top left, clockwise: our Superior, Br. Robert James gives Br. Mpumelelo his brand new choir cowl: Bros. Robert James and Mpumelelo before the ceremony; Br. Mpumelelo with his formator, Br. Simon Thuku.

On Sunday, we celebrated the feast of Presentation (a.k.a. Purification or Candlemas). We started by the blessing of the candles in Pilgrim Hall (which used to be our first chapel over a century ago) and then processed with lit candles to the Saint Augustine church.

The feast of the Presentation. From top left clockwise: attendees waiting for the arrival the altar party in Pilgrim Hall: the Coast Guard patroling up and down the Hudson (two pictures); the blessing of the candles in Pilgrim Hall.