Abbey News
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Word From Chile
The following report was posted on the OCSO web site concerning our sisters and brothers in Chile:
After the terrible earthquake in Chile on Saturday 27 February, we have received news about our sisters of Quilvo but not yet about our brothers of Miraflores. The superiors of both communities are presently at Novo Mundo (Brazil) attending the REMILA regional meeting.
Quilvo: The earthquake struck shortly before Vigils. Thanks be to God, the monastery was constructed using anti-seismic guidelines, and for the most part withstood the earthquake well. The sisters have reported the following damage:
Church: the crucifix and stalls were overturned;
Cloister: some masonry fell into the cloister.
Marmalade factory: the most serious damage was here. All the marmalade stored there fell and shattered, so the sisters have lost all their labor of this past summer.
Our sisters and brothers, in the monastery and outside of it, are grateful for our continued prayers.
Here Tomorrow - Gone Wednesday
We expect Fr. John to be driving in from Gethsemani anytime tomorrow, weather permitting. It better permit otherwise he might be in trouble as very early Wednesday morning he'll be taking off for the Regional Meeting to be held at Holy Spirit Abbey, Conyers, Georgia. This time I'll be tagging along as delegate of our community and Regional Secretary of Formation.
The topic of this year's meeting is Formation and will include such questions as: 1) What do we consider to be going well with our formation program (initial and on-going formation)? 2) What do we consider to be our most pressing challenges and needs at the present time regarding formation? No doubt each Regional Conference of the Order will be discussing similar questions since the next General Chapter in September of 2011 to be held in Assisi, Italy, will take up the important and complex topic of Formation throughout the Order.
Although I'll be going to the meeting as Regional Secretary I shall return from it shorn of the position. After six years at it the time has come for a change. So at this meeting the Superiors will elect a new Secretary. Fr. John and I expect to return late Wednesday, March 10th. Prayers for a fruitful meeting and safe traveling will be appreciated.
Spared
With winter storms raging all about us we have been mercifully spared the worst of them once again. Or, as some would consider it, this year's winter in these parts of the Genesee Valley has been rather wimpy as winters go.
Already spring is being heralded by the acrid smell of the skunk and the plaintiff hoot of wild turkey emanating from somewhere deep in the forest after vigils the other morning. All is quiet now though after our recent little snowfall.
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