Feast of St. Benedict

Today is the Feast of St. Benedict. However, our monastery observes it as a “Feast,” but give greater solemnity to the Transitus (passing) of St. Benedict, which is celebrated on March 21. Nevertheless, we call upon St. Benedict’s intercession:  Stir up in your Church, O Lord, the spirit that animated our Father Saint Benedict, that filled with this spirit we may learn to love what he loved and practice what he taught. Through Christ our Lord.

I am currently working on the Summer issue of Tower Topics and my goal is to send it to the Printery House to print by Friday, July 18.  That is one week away!  It usually takes close to ten days to print the 22,000+ copies, and then time to collate and mail them out.  If you receive Tower Topics, expect it in your mailbox by mid/late August.  It should be another great issue, but I’m biased, I’m the Editor.

This weekend I have a bike race in Hopkins, Missouri on Saturday morning, then I travel to Macon and Bevier, Missouri to cover weekend Masses.  I enjoy visiting new places for pastoral ministry.  Not sure where Macon is?  Well, neither am I.  Google maps will help us both out (see map below).  We’ll see how my legs do in the car for 2 hours and 46 minutes after racing 18 miles a few hours earlier.

This weekend at the Abbey is our Oblate Pray and Work Weekend.  It might be called Work and Pray, but I think the prayer part should come first.  The oblates will be working in various places around the monastery and grounds.  We are grateful for our oblates, it is always good to see them.  Not sure what an “oblate” is?  Here is a quick description:  Oblates of St. Beneict are Christian individuals or families who have associated themselves with a Benedictine community in order to enrich their Christian way of life.  They seek to integrate prayer and work in their lives to manifest Christ’s presence in society.

Since I’m away this weekend, I’ll try to have Br. Etienne take a few pictures of their weekend work.  Who knows, I might put it in Tower Topics as well.

Please pray for my safe travels, both by car and bicycle!

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