Each day the monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey help to write another page in the long history of Benedictine monks throughout the world. As in the life of any family, life in a monastery is made up of events big and small. Here Father Prior Tobias reports on some of last month's events at Saint Meinrad.

December 2008

(1) Following Compline this evening, Father Eugene gave an Advent conference to the community in the Chapter Room. Abbot Lambert is home to lead a 40 Hours devotion in the School of Theology these next days. Alumnus Father David Boettner (Knoxville) joined us for the noon meal.

(2) The 40 Hours in the School of Theology began with Vespers in the St. Thomas Aquinas Chapel. We received a letter from Mother Mary Herbert Walsh (the sister of our deceased Fathers Joachim, Frederick and Marion) informing us that Our Lady Queen Monastery in Tickfaw, Louisiana, will be closed, and that the remaining sisters there will be moving to St. Scholastica Priory in Petersham, MA.

(3) Father Eugene has been making presentations on St. Paul at Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand, IN, yesterday and today. Many of the sisters have been participating.

(4) Following the close of the 40 Hours, the School of Theology community enjoyed their annual St. Nick’s banquet in the Newman Dining Room. Brother Christian and one of the seminarians wrote a very successful skit that featured President-Rector Father Denis encountering the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future. The monks who regularly serve as chaplains for the sisters at Ferdinand—17 in all—were invited to join the sisters for Vespers and supper this evening.

(5) Father Denis, for the second year in a row, is leading the annual Barth-Hamilton retreat for more than 50 men from the South Bend, IN, area. The group has been making its annual retreat at Saint Meinrad for more than 35 years.

(6) As part of this weekend’s retreat, Father Denis celebrated the Divine Liturgy in the St. Gertrude Chapel this evening.

(7) We received an e-mail today from Brother François who, with Brother Gervais, returned to Togo in May after four years of study here. Brother François reports that Brother Gervais is now the novice master, and that he has been appointed the cellarer of the community (responsible for buying supplies for the monastery).

(8) Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Archabbot Justin was the celebrant and homilist at the Conventual Mass. Father Dan Warden (Houston-Galveston) joined us for the noon meal in the refectory.

(9) Today was the final day of class in the School of Theology for the first semester. Some of the students have exams during the coming days; others have already left for the Christmas break.

(11) Prior Tobias left early this morning to do a workshop at the Abbey of the Genesee in upstate New York. By so doing, he missed all the excitement that took place here, beginning shortly after noon. An underground electrical cable went bad, and the whole hill—with what proved to be the important exception of the Archabbey Guest House and Retreat Center—lost power. Once it became clear that the outage would last quite a while, Father Archabbot arranged that Vespers, supper and Compline would all take place at the Guest House. In addition, the monks who reside in the infirmary spent the night at the Guest House. All were grateful for the little island of power and heat that the Guest House provided.

(12) Those working on the electrical problem were estimating a return to power around 2:00 p.m. Their estimate was pretty accurate. Power was restored about 1:30.

(13) About 80 of our oblates are with us for the annual December retreat, with conferences being given by oblate director Father Meinrad, as well as by Father Brendan, Father Joseph and Brother Thomas. Oblate Tom Yost gave a vocal and guitar concert this evening in the Archabbey Church, presenting a program of liturgical music since the Second Vatican Council.

(14) This afternoon, the Southern Indiana Chapter of the American Guild of Organists presented a concert by the New Albany High School a cappella choir, joined by other area singers. They presented selections from Handel’s Messiah.

(16) Father Orlando Pérez Gómez, accompanied by Brother Sebastian Switalski of Marmion Abbey, our daughterhouse in Aurora, IL, has arrived for a visit. On January 1st, Father Orlando will become the prior of Priorato San José, Marmion’s foundation in Guatemala.

(17) Prior Tobias’ checked bag did not arrive in Louisville when he did two days ago. Luckily, the bag arrived here yesterday so that the loaves of Monks’ Bread brought back from Genesee could be served at breakfast this morning!

(18) During Advent, we have been reading a very special book during our main meal of the day. It is called Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy. We highly recommend it to our readers.

(19) Brother Christian is leading a retreat for 45 this weekend at the Guest House.

(20) Even monasteries can’t resist the time-honored movie classics. This weekend’s movie was none other than It’s a Wonderful Life.

(21) The wind chills were below zero today, but we’re very fortunate not to be buried under layers of snow and ice like so many other places in the country. Following Compline this evening, we had our annual tree-trimming party in the calefactory.

(22) Father Brendan was the homilist this evening at our Advent penance service in the Archabbey Church.

(23) Five confreres received the anointing of the sick during Vespers this evening. Following Vespers, Father Archabbot made his way to the infirmary of the monastery to anoint the residents there who are unable to attend Vespers with us. Today’s freezing rain took its toll this evening: Archabbot Justin slipped on the ice and injured his back. Though pretty sore, he’s quite sure that he will be able to preside at all the Christmas liturgies.

(24) We prayed Vigils of Christmas at 7:00 p.m. The house was then quiet until the “angels” (that is, members of the schola) made their way around the monastery at 11:20 p.m. waking the monks with the “Angels’ Song,” a longstanding custom from the Abbey of Einsiedeln, our mother abbey in Switzerland.

(25) Christmas Day. Archabbot Justin was celebrant and homilist at the Midnight Mass. Following the Mass, the monastic community made its way to the refectory for eggnog and other Christmas goodies. For the 11:00 a.m. Day Mass, Father Archabbot was the celebrant and Brother Christian the homilist. Overall, we spent a quiet day together, thanking God for His countless blessings, praying for our families, friends and benefactors, and enjoying the company of our confreres who are home from their various assignments off the hill.

(26) Feast of St. Stephen. Prior Tobias was celebrant and homilist this morning. Nine men arrived to participate in “A Monastic Observance,” our program for those who are exploring a monastic vocation.

(27) Feast of St. John. Subprior Guerric presided and preached at Mass this morning. Just a few days ago, there was ice and cold. Today temperatures soared into the 70s! Father David Arcila, OCD, (Chicago) arrived for a retreat.

(29) This evening, the monastic Chapter accepted the petitions of Candidates Gary and Joseph to begin the novitiate in January. Word came today of the death of Brother Dietrich Reinhart (St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, MN). Brother Dietrich, only recently diagnosed with cancer, served for the past 18 years as the president of St. John’s University. May he rest in peace!

(30) A water main broke in the town of St. Meinrad last evening, which required a “boil advisory” for residents of the town until further notice. For the time being, we have enough water in our water tower to hold us over without having to boil.

(31) Today we quietly marked the fourth anniversary of the election of Archabbot Justin. Ad multos annos! Yesterday evening and again this morning, alumnus Father Ron Knott (Louisville), the director of our Institute for Priests and Presbyterates, was the presenter for our community days. In our discussions, we focused on what it means to be an intentional community. Today we welcomed alumnus Brother Austin Litke, OP, who will be with us for a number of days.

In your charity, please remember in prayer our confreres who currently reside part-time or full-time in the infirmary: Father Theodore, Father Eric, Brother Stephen, Father Simeon, and Brother Charles.