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Receiving a New Postulant!

It is always a great joy to our community to receive a new postulant.  On this cold morning on the first day of March, it was with warm and grateful hearts that Joseph Fussner of Brookville, Indiana, entered our community.

The ceremony for entering the postulancy is fairly simple.  As Abbey Vocation Director, I accompanied Joseph outside in the cold temperatures and chilly wind to the front door of the monastery.  There, the candidate is to knock on the front door as a sign of requesting entrance.  Abbot Gregory opened the door and greeted Joseph and offered an exhortation, emphasizing the importance that “every time you begin a good work, you must pray to Him most earnestly to bring it to perfection” (From the Prologue of the Rule of St. Benedict).20140301-094027.jpg

The Abbot and Joseph then departed to the Basilica’s Blessed Sacrament Chapel to pray.  After a brief time praying one of the Psalms, they return to the monastery cloister where the candidate is put under the care of Br. Bernard, our novice master.  Joseph was also greeted and welcomed by the Socius, Fr. Victor, and Postulant Eric.

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