JANUARY 2010

Friday 1 January - May God bless our new year.  Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God.  After Lauds the Abbot wished us a happy New Year and we exchanged greetings with eachother.

Saturday 2 - Our aspirant, Michael Perry (an Anglicization of the name Poirier), from Ontario, completed a week's stay in the guest-house.  He promised to come back for another week in the summer to maintain his contact and to come for an observership in a year.

Sunday 3 - Feast of the Epiphany or of the manifestation of the Light of Christ to the world.  Yesterday afternoon saw the start of a heavy snowstorm which is still going on this afternoon.

A happy New Year 2010 to all our friends who read this chronicle.

Monday 4 - The weekend storm left us a thick blanket of snow which looks like sticking around awhile since the temperature is going down. This is winter!This evening we were hosts to our employees and their spouses for a creative and appetizing dinner by the caterers "Chez Freda".  The whole community took part and enjoyed the evening.
Wednesday 6 - A lively community dialogue.

Friday 8 - Dom Bede's 67^th birthday.
Having discussed the matter with the community at the Wednesday meeting, the Abbot announced that he had accepted to function for a year as Father Immediate of the Abbey of Koningshoeven at Tilburg in the Netherlands.  This will mean another absence of several weeks later in the year.  A monk of Tilburg, Dom Cherubin Lenssen, was the superior of Calvary Abbey for 15 years, from 1937 to 1953.The Abbot of Tilburg, Dom Bernardus, declared himself very happy that Dom Bede had accepted.  The have always had a Father Immediate from outside the Dutch Region and prefer an English-speaker.
Sunday 10 - Feast of the Lord's Baptism.  At the concelebrated Mass the Abbot presided and Father Maurice gave the homily.

Monday 11 - This afternoon the Abbot left to go to Rome to help with the canonical visitation of the Abbey of Tre Fontane.  The Abbot will also be visiting the monastery of Aiguebelle in France and his native England.
Tuesday 12 - Feast of Saint Margaret Bourgeois.  Her sisters of the Notre-Dame Congregation did a lot for our region, especially among the Acadians.  Their Saint-Louis-de-Kent convent formed a lot of teachers.
Wednesday 13 - Since Christmas we have not had a lot of guests, but this week nearly all the rooms in the guest-house are taken and there are a lot of people at the Mass.
Thursday 14 - After several days of colder weather, the temperature went up to 0ºC and it was a very nice day.
Friday 15 - Brother Gilles drove me to the optometrist's to have my glasses adjusted now that I have got over my cataract operation.
Sunday 17 - Second Sunday in Ordinary Time.  The gospel was of the marriage feast at Cana.  This reminds us of the full time nuptial engagement we have made with Jesus.  Father Innocent presided our concelebrated Mass.
Monday 18 - Br. Leo celebrated his 83rd birthday; he is still on good form.Our retired worker, Elmer Aucoin, had to be admitted to hospital at Miramichi, then transferred to St. John, with serious heart problems.  He still came in once a week to do the cleaning in the basement.  The prior, Br. Stephan, asked me to replace him for the time being.Fr. Graham gave a first conference on the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ.The premier came to Rogersville to announce the expansion of the Assumption Secondary School.
Tuesday 19 - The entrance drive and front yard is covered in ice.  It needs a lot of care to avoid accidents.
Friday 22 - Fr. Graham gave us a second talk on the Church, Mystical Body of Christ.Brother Stephan went to a meeting about defending us against the harassment from PETA! Fr. Keith Kennific of Charlottetown is with us.
Sunday 24 - 3^rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.  A second priest from Charlottetown arrived. Monday 25 - Solemnity of our Holy Founders, Ss Robert, Alberic and Stephen Harding.  The Abbot presided the Mass at our monastery of Tre Fontane in Rome. We are seeing a very generous response worldwide to the situation of the people Haiti laid low by the earthquake.

Tuesday 26 - Last night the temperature went up and it was very windy.

Wednesday 27 - Father Graham gave his third conference.

Thursday 28 - Father Maurice went with Father Graham as driver to see two doctors in Moncton.

Friday 29 - Brother Stephan went to pick the Abbot up in Moncton on his return from Europe.  The Abbot was happy to hear that Gerry Byrne M.P. thinks that PETA could be listed as a terrorist organization vis-à-vis Canadian law.

Saturday 30 - After Lauds, the Abbot gave us news of his trip.  He spoke principally about the four former monks of Bonnecombe, the monastery that founded Our Lady of Calvary.  The Abbot was able to visit them in Aiguebelle in the south of France.  This brings back special memories to the most senior among us.  The Abbot also spoke of his visit to the monastery of Tre Fontane in Rome.

Sunday 31 - 4^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  Father Arthur Bourgeois spent the night here.

FEBRUARY 2010

Tuesday 2 - Feast of the Presentation of our Lord in the Temple and a day devoted to celebrating the consecrated life.  We had a visit from our sisters of Assomption.  We celebrated midday prayer together and had a festive dinner with a very joyful atmosphere.

Wednesday 3 - After supper, the Abbot showed us digital photos and recordings of the monasteries of Aiguebelle and Tre Fontane.

Thursday 4 - Brother Stephan went to buy 8 cows from a man in Shediac who is going out of farming.  Circumstances beyond our control have meant that we have not been able to fulfil our milk quota, for which we could be penalized, and something had to be done about it.

Friday 5 - At the new heifer barn and chicken barn number 2 there was a mysterious electrical failure.  An electrician came and traced it to a faulty neutral connection on a post.

Saturday - A pick-up truck drove onto the frozen lake, presumably to pick up waste wood for heating purposes.

Sunday 7 - 5^th Sunday of Ordinary time - on which the gospel speaks about pulling out into deep water. 

Monday 8 - Father Wesley Wade is with us for a few days.  Fr. Wade is the Vicar General of the Diocese of Bathurst.  He runs a parish and often gives retreats and triduums in other parishes and dioceses.  He has already preached the community retreat at Mistassini and here.
Tuesday 9 - Another priest from the Bathurst diocese arrived for a few days stay: Jean-Paul Chiasson of the Secular Institute called Voluntas Dei.
Wednesday 10 - Community discussion.  The main topic was: whether or not we should send a delegate to the next Regional Meeting of Abbots and Abbesses due to take place in Rougemont in April.  We reached the conclusion that our current situation did not allow us to.
Thursday 11 - We received an invitation form the external oblates of the monastery of Our Lady of Calvary, along with the Council of the Knights of Columbus, residing in Moncton, to participate in a reception and dinner as an expression of their sincere and heartfelt appreciation for their priests.  Father Clovis, Father Innocent and myself went to take part.
Sunday 14 - 6^th Sunday of Ordinary Time.  This morning we woke up to a partial power outage.  One phase of our three-phase electric supply had fused.  The power went off completely and we had to cut Vigils short.

Monday 15 - Our monthly day of prayer for the departed.Tuesday 16 - Fr. Tom Fowler, pastor of St. Mary's Church in Miramichi, is spending a few days with us.
Wednesday 17 - Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.  The Abbot made sure that the little cross of ashes on each one's forehead was clearly visible!
Thursday 18 - Everybody you talk to says what a wonderful winter we are having: very little snow (just over a foot) and mild temperatures (around zero).
Saturday 20 - The Abbot decided that each Saturday during Lent we will have a 40 minute community dialogue to work on the theme of formation, in preparation for the next General Chapter.  The last General Chapter which fixed the theme, asked that it be worked on in the communities and in the regional meetings.  Our discussion went quite well.
Sunday 21 - First Sunday of Lent.  In the morning chapter the Abbot spoke about the observance of Lent according to the Rule of our Holy Father, Saint Benedict.

Monday 22 - This week not a lot has been happening, few guests in the guest-house.  Nonetheless I received an interesting letter from a "Camaldolese Benedictine Oblate" who lives as a hermit.
I am replying to his questions here.  We were a French-speaking monastery, or, to be exact, everything was done in French, but the majority of the brothers' first language was English.  When applications for entering the monastery seemed to be coming exclusively from the English-speaking world we acknowledged our bilingual situation, alternating the two languages as circumstances dictate.  We have been doing this for about a year.  It irritates a bit, but that is life.  We have our own liturgical books based on the monastic breviary.
Friday 25 - Brother Stephan went to a meeting of farmers in Moncton.  The group is called "Soil and Crop Improvement Association."  Br. Stephan is actually the president of the Miramichi section.
A big winter storm was forecast and arrived in the afternoon.  Despite that, a group of retreatants turned up.  They call themselves a "Common Life Group" and take their inspiration from the Iona Community.
Saturday 26 - After the Mass we had a community discussion, continuing our work on the theme of "Formation as the transmission of life" for the next General Chapter.
Sunday 27 - 2^nd Sunday of Lent.
Early on Saturday morning one of the biggest earthquakes ever had struck Chile.  We had news today that both of our monasteries there, one of nuns and one of monks, had undergone considerable damage, but no harm to people.
 

MARCH 2010

Monday 1 - The storm lasted the whole weekend.  Not an immense quantity of snow, but the wet and heavy type.  Several big trees were damaged, large branches broke off.
Tuesday 2 - The Abbot left for Holy Spirit Abbey, Georgia, U.S.A.  He is going to the Regional Meeting of our Abbots and Abbesses as invited representative from the Canadian Region, of which he is currently President.  He will be away 10 days.Claude Hébert, one of our oblates is staying with us for a week.
Wednesday 3 - Claude is joined by his cousin, Angela.
Thursday 4 - Father Alfred Irving, priest of the diocese of Portland, Maine, U.S.A. arrived.  He is a hospital chaplain and a very nice priest.The weather got colder.
Friday 5 - The only news today is that I am celebrating my 76^th birthday.
Saturday 6 - The Salesian Sisters are here for a short retreat.
Sunday 7 - 3^rd Sunday of Lent.  Father Maurice introduced the Mass and gave the homily and Father Innocent presided.

Monday 8 - Rémi Martin, our farm foreman, went to Florida for several days with his family and Claude, one of his brothers.
Tuesday 9 - The weather remains fine, but the snow is not melting very fast.  The maple syrup lovers are seizing their chance.
Thursday 11 - The Abbot came back from Georgia.  The main topic of discussion in the United States Regional Meeting was formation, naturally, since this is the topic for the General Chapter next year.
Friday 12 - After Lauds, the Abbot spoke about his trip to the States.  It was a concentrated and condensed account.
Saturday 13 - After Mass we took up, once again, our own dialogues on the theme of formation. Everyone had something to say about the place of humility and the fruits of the Spirit in our life.
Sunday 14 - Fourth Sunday of Lent.  The stational Church in Rome is the Cistercian church of Santa Croce in Gerusalemme, and yesterday it was the Cistercian nuns' church of Santa Susanna.  Here the clocks went forward one hour.

Monday 15 - After Lauds, the Abbot spoke in chapter about the meeting of Superiors he had taken part in in Georgia, U.S.A.We began the pruning of the apple trees.  It was particularly Father Clovis who did the bulk of the work, but he was able to call on Father Innocent as well.  It is a lot of work.  Some of the apple trees are very big and there are a lot of suckers.
March 16 - I had an appointment with the dentist in St. Louis de Kent this morning, and this afternoon I went to pick up my glasses in Miramichi.
March 17 - The snow is melting very slowly, while the temperature is neither hot nor cold.  We have never seen a winter like this one.
Thursday 18 - Our only novice left.  But someone else is getting ready to come and enter.  Fathers Zoel Saulnier and Serge Comeau, two writers, turned up.  They are both priests of the diocese of Bathurst.
Friday 19 - Feast of Saint Joseph, foster father of Jesus and patron saint of Canada.  We marked the 25 years of profession of Brother Stephan by a special supper at which we talked.
Saturday 20 - First day of spring according to popular parlance.  Let us hope that the spring will be as nice as the outgoing winter has been.
Sunday 21 - Fifth Sunday of Lent.  The Abbot went to the sisters to talk about the meeting in Georgia.

Monday 22 - Things worth mentioning are in short supply around here.
Tuesday 23 - Rodrigue Landry, on of our Moncton oblates, is here fro a few days.  We appreciate his continuing to come despite immense health problems.
Wednesday 24 - As you get older bits and pieces cease to function as they should.  Now my feet are paining me.  I went to Footech in Monction to have special insoles manufactured.  On the way back we came upon an accident, a car with its wheels in the air.
Thursday 25 - The inhabitants of Rogersville live to a great age.  One lady has just celebrated her 109^th birthday, while a man reached his 100^th.  One of our neighbours saw his handsome garage go up in flames.
Saturday 27 - We do not have singing classes very often.  This morning we had one to prepare the music for Palm Sunday.
Sunday 28 - Palm Sunday.  We began the liturgy of the day at the back of the chapel.  During the Mass the Abbot took the part of Christ in the reading of the Passion Gospel, Father Graham was the narrator and Brother Gilles took the part of all the others who speak.  Father Abbot also preached the homily.

Monday 29 - Father Serge Comeau was here for 2 days.

Tuesday 30 - The Holy Week retreatants began to turn up.

Wednesday 31 - A Discalced Carmelite brother is with us.  He is from Miramichi but exercised most of his ministry in the United States.

APRIL 2010

Thursday 1 April - Maundy Thursday.  Nearly all the rooms in the guest-house are taken.  May the Lord pour out abundant blessings on our retreatants.  At the evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, the Abbot presided and Father Innocent preached.

Friday 2 - Good Friday.  The liturgical celebration went off very smoothly thanks to the capable supervision of Father Abbot.  Father Maurice gave the sermon.

Saturday 3 - It was a beautiful, calm, warm evening.  We were able to start our Holy Saturday new fire and light the Paschal Candle outside without any difficulty.  Father Innocent served as deacon and sang a beautiful "Exultet."

Sunday 4 - The readings, baptismal liturgy and eucharist of the Easter Vigil continued at 5 am.  We had another Solemn Mass of Easter Day at 10 am.  At this Mass the homily fell to Father Graham.  The snow is disappearing before our very eyes, and the lake is also emerging from the ice.

Monday 5 - Fr. Wade is with us for a few days of retreat or rest.

Wednesday 7 - We had a discussion about the weekly gospel sharing, how we might do it in a different way and what day, what time.

I went to Footech in Moncton to have may orthopaedic soles re-modelled.  One foot causes me a lot of pain.

Br. Stephan had two machines to sell.  He hired a flatbed Chevy truck and trailer and took them to a dealer for auction in Prince Edward Island.  The Abbot took the opportunity to go with him and take a look at Canada's smallest province.

Saturday 10 - Today they were supposed to be burning the little mission church at Marcelville on Pleasant Ridge.  It has not been in use for a number of years.

Sunday 11 - The Abbot presided the Mass while Fr. Maurice preached.

Monday 12 - Another Reverend Lady turned up for a few days retreat or rest.  She also assisted at our community prayer very assiduously.

Wednesday 14 - Wednesday morning, the Abbot held a joint meeting of his two Councils: the monastic one and the economic one.  He has a problem to solve.  It must be something important.
Thursday 15 - The weather is beautiful.  There is new activity on the farm and in the garden.Bishop Harris, of Saint John, who was in the Miramichi area for confirmations, joined us for dinner.  We enjoyed his visit.  He enjoys contact with monasteries and is very well acquainted with the Benedictines of Saint Benoît du Lac, in Quebec.
Friday 16 - As a result of the community discussion we had on the 7^th of April, we now have our gospel sharing on Friday mornings.  This makes it a more immediate preparation for the Sunday liturgy, since it is the gospel of the following Sunday that we share on.  In addition the Abbot decided that the Brothers would take it in turns to start of the discussion on the gospel, then everybody else can make their contribution.
Saturday 17 - It is confirmation day in Rogersville, celebrated by the Archbishop, André Richard.
Sunday 18 - 3^rd Sunday of Easter.  Fr. Graham enjoyed a good visit with his parents, who are leaving tomorrow morning.  The Abbot left, by train, for the monastery of Rougemont, in Quebec, for the Regional Meeting of the Abbots and Abbesses of Canada.
Monday 19 - Br. Stephan, who often has brilliant ideas, bought 150 tonnes of wood ash.  He is going to spread in on one of the big fields to improve the soil quality.
Tuesday 20 - The reading in the refectory at lunch is in the language of the reader.  We are currently reading the History of Canada edited by Craig Brown, in English, and, in French, Dieu Seul, a biography of Saint Rafael, by Dom Gonzalo Fernandez, O.C.S.O.
Friday 23 - I had an appointment with my doctor in Moncton.  Rhéal DesRoches drove me.
Saturday 24 - The Abbot, Dom Bede, came back this morning.  Father Melvin Doucet, WF, came to lead a retreat for the local people.  There was not as big a crowd as usually.
Sunday 25 - Abbot André Laberge O.S.B, of Saint Benoît du Lac, gave an organ

recital to mark the 25^th anniversary of the Rougemont organ.  The Abbot recorded it and we were able to listen to it in the refectory during lunch.

Monday 26 - The Abbot spoke in chapter about the Canadian regional meeting of Abbots and Abbesses.  There was some interesting news, the most important being the appointment of Fr. Clement of Val Notre-Dame as superior of Mistassini.  He, therefore, becomes our Father Immediate.  We hope he will come and visit us soon.  Another piece of news with serious repercussions: the people who bought the former monastery of Oka are having financial difficulties and the place is up for sale again.  There are some sisters interested.  We also learned of the death of Dom Odule Sylvain, the first Abbot of the Benedictine monastery of Saint Benoît-du-lac in Quebec.

Tuesday 27 - Feast of Saint Raphael Arnaiz Baron, a Spanish Trappist oblate.  He was canonised on the 11^th of October 2009.  This was the first time we had celebrated his feast as a saint.

Wednesday 28 - Fr. Clovis, with the help of volunteers, has cleared the top of the slope that drops down to the lake.  This has given us an open view on the beauty of our lake.

Thursday 29 - The Canada geese seem to be enjoying the natural beauty of our land!

Friday 30 - Br. Gilles has set up an exhibition of his beehives, whilst hoping that a neighbour will share his bees with him as he did last year.

MAY 2010

Monday 3 - There are not many guests in the guest-house, nor people attending the Mass, these days.  These things come in waves, like news for the chronicle!

Tuesday 4 - In chapter the Abbot read us the Oriens, mainly Japonese, Region of our Order's statement on formation and commented on it.

Thursday 6 - We planted the tomatoes in the greenhouse, 80 plants.

Friday 7 - There was a mighty wind all day, as though there was a hurricane on the way.  We had our gospel sharing.  The new way of doing things seems to please most of us.  There is more life to it.

Saturday 8 - We are expecting the priests of the diocese of Moncton for their annual retreat, starting Monday.

Sunday 9 - 6^th Sunday of Easter.  I was principal celebrant at the Mass, something I have not done for a while, on account of the problems I had with my eyes.

Monday 10 - The Abbot continued his conferences on the Rule of Saint Benedict : « On the Reception of New Brethren. »

The Archbishop and priests of the diocese of Moncton arrived at the end of the afternoon.  The retreat was being preached by a Religious of St. Vincent de Paul from Quebec, Fr. John Roch Hardy  The theme was: "The Good Shepherd."

Tuesday 11 - Bishop Harris of Saint John invited the Abbot for the second year running to be available for confession for the priests of the diocese during their retreat at Villa Madonna in Rothesay.  So the Abbot was out for the day.

Wednesday 12 - Fr. Maurice is devoting himself to improving our Divine Office books.  We are already seeing some progress.

Thursday 13 - Work is going ahead well on the farm.  The corn is nearly all sown: 60 acres.  This is the cows' staple diet.

Friday 14 - Archbishop Richard invited the members of the community to join the priests for dinner.  In the event, because it was more practical and more aesthetic we invited them to join us in our refectory.  Everybody seemed to really have enjoyed this excellent meal prepared by our able cooks.

Saturday 15 - Br. Gilles is glad to feel the community is behind him in his project to plant hardwood trees around the property.

Sunday 16 - Feast of the Ascension.  The Abbot presided the Mass and Fr. Maurice preached.  The Abbot went out on his bike and found a bear in one of the fields nearest the monastery.  It stood up on its hind legs to get a good look at him, and then slunk off in disgust.

Monday 17 - Father Jos Daly, a priest from Miramichi and missionary among the First Nations in the North came back to the Diocese of Saint John for the priests' retreat and his holiday.  He stayed here during that time.

Tuesday 18 - This morning the Abbot held a meeting of both of his councils.  It was about replacing the windows in stages.

Wednesday 19 - Rodrigue and Claude, two of our lay oblates arrived on the same day, as well as Roger Neck, our friend and former confrere.

Thursday 20 - We began to cut the lawns.  There is terrible quantity of dandelions.

Friday 21 - The evening we received a hive of bees who are going to look after pollinating the orchard.

Saturday 22 - Our first vegetable, the asparagus has started.  These are the ones that Fr. Rodrigue showed me how to grow.

Sunday 23 - Feast of Pentecost.  A wonderful feast.

Monday 24 - The Abbot presented some of the statistics of our Order, recently published on the Order's website.

Tuesday 25 - Feast of the Saint Bede the Venerable, the Abbot's patron said, and English like him.

A serious applicant is staying in the guest house for a few days.  He comes originally from Kentucky, but is currently living in Newfoundland.  He looks very promising.  There is another guest, staying a bit longer than usual, an ex confrere.

Wednesday 26 - We were expecting 10 retreatants from Néguac, directed by their pastor, Fr. Serge Comeau.

Thursday 27 - Feast of Saint Augustine of Canterbury, another Englishman, or, at any rate, a Roman Benedictine who evangelized England.

Friday 28 - The retreatants are very happy with their stay here, and with the way Fr. Serge directed them.

Saturday 29 - The three chicken barns are empty.  The chickens were shipped out these last few days.

Sunday 30 - Feast of the Most Holy Trinity.  Dom Bede presided at the Mass, while Father Graham preached.
Monday 31 - Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  I had an appointment with Dr. Riveros for my eyes.

JUNE 2010 

Tuesday - June 1 - Father Maurice's birthday.  Two of his brothers and their wives came to visit.

Wednesday 2 - The Abbot left for Europe for just over three weeks.  He is going to take part in the Central Commission of our Order, which is meeting to prepare the agenda for the General Chapter next year.  He is also delegated to carry out the canonical visitation of the monastery of Koeningshoeven at Tilburg in the Netherlands.

Three sisters of the Daughters of Mary of the Assumption, from Campbellton, are here for a few days retreat.

Thursday 3 - We have had a lot of rain this week.

Friday 4 - Br. Leo observes that there have been a lot more guests this week.

Sunday 6 - Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ.

Monday 7 - Br. Gilles' birthday.  He keeps himself busy, despite a few health limitations.
Wednesday 9 - We had the Mass for vocations, as we do every month.  The farm team has been overwhelmed by the work on the grass silage.  The yield has been excellent.
Thursday 10 - Father Graham's parents came on a visit, because his father was having a significant birthday.  We received a nice letter from Stephen Wiseman, a serious aspirant who lives in Newfoundland.  He is going to come back for another visit pretty soon.
Friday 11 - Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Saturday 12 - Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
Sunday 13 - 11^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Monday 14 - The Central Commission which prepares the agenda for the General Chapter is finishing its work.  Dom Bede will be beginning the Canonical Visitation of the Abbey of Koningshoeven in Tilburg.  This monastery is of particular interest to us because a monk from that monastery was Superior of Our Lady of Calvary for about 16 years until 1953.
Tuesday 15 - Monthly day of prayer for the dead; celebrated at Lauds, Mass and Vespers.
Wednesday 16 - Feast of Saint Lutgarde, a Cistercian nun of the 12^th century from the monastery of Awirs near Brussels.
Thursday 17 - Feast of Blessed Marie-Joseph Cassant, another Cistercian, a monk of our monastery of Saint-Marie-du-Désert, near Toulouse in France, who was beatified by Pope John Paul II.
Saturday 19 - I went to say Mass for our sisters at Assomption, because their chaplain, Fr. Clovis Chiasson, was away for the day.
Sunday 20 - 12^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Monday 21 - Feast of Saint Aloysius Gonzaga, of the Society of Jesus, who died very young.  He is the patron saint of youth.
Thursday 24 - Feast of Saint John the Baptist, patron saint of Quebec.  Br. Gilles had the great pleasure of driving me to Saint-Louis-de-Kent, for a dental appointment.  On this occasion I was able to meet several of my relatives.
Saturday 26 - The Abbot came back from his trip to Holland.  I went with Fr. Graham to present a bursary to a student, a young lady, from Rogersville, at the graduation ceremony of the Assomption Secondary School.
Sunday 27 - 13^th Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Monday 28 - Feast of Saint Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons, martyr and one of the early Church Fathers.

Tuesday 29 - Feast of the two pillars of the Church: Saints Peter and Paul.  The Abbot presided the solemn Mass and preached.

Wednesday 30 - I replaced the chaplain, saying Mass for our sisters for four days.

JULY 2010

Saturday 3 - Feast of the apostle Saint Thomas, who had serious doubts about Jesus' Resurrection, but came round afterwards quite remarkably.  Mike Perry, a serious applicant, is here for a second visit.

Sunday 4 - 15^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  Independence Day in the United States, which we observed with something to drink at dinner, including a very special beer that the Abbot brought back from Koningshoeven.  But some were toasting rather the Queen's presence in Canada.  In the evening, our annual retreat began, preached by a Benedictine monk, John Fortin, from Saint Anselm's Abbey in New Hampshire, U.S.A.

Tuesday 6 - Day of prayer for vocations.

Wednesday 7 - We are in the annual heat wave season.  The problem is the intense humidity.

Thursday 8 - Feast of Blessed Eugene III, Pope and Cistercian monk.  Before being Pope, Blessed Eugene was Abbot of the monastery of Tre Fontane in Rome, at the place of the martyrdom of St. Paul.  This monstery still belongs to our Order.  In his introduction to the Mass the Abbot pointed out the link this feast gives us with our brothers at Tre Fontane.  The Abbot, out riding his bike, nearly ran over a bear that was lying in the grass licking its paws.  But on realizing the Abbot's presence, it took to flight, like some monks.

Friday 9 - Everybody is happy with the retreat, preached by Fr. John Fortin, a Benedictine monk of St. Anselm's Abbey in New Hampshire, U.S.A.  His conferences were lively and had a lot of practical content.

Saturday 10 - Our retreat guide left us.  Br. Henry is still in the City Hospital in Moncton awaiting the results of his biopsy.  He has been in hospital since June 25.  By June 29 tests had revealed a mass in his abdomen.  He had a biopsy on this last Wednesday.  The biopsy will show whether the growth is malignant or not, and help the medical personnel to decide what treatment to offer.

The Abbot spent the morning at the Farmers' Market in Rogersville, trying to sell our pottery.  Our garden is doing marvellously well this year, everything is growing abundantly.

Sunday 11 - Solemnity of Our Holy Father Saint Benedict of Norcia. He is the author of the Rule that all the monks of the Western Church follow, as the Abbot reminded us at the Solemn Mass that he presided.

Tuesday 13 - Br. Henry is still in Moncton City Hospital.  He has been diagnosed this week as having the systemic form of cancer called lymphoma.  The medical personnel are continuing to do tests to determine what type of lymphoma and, therefore, what type of treatment.  More precisely, they are already working out the details of a programme of chemotherapy.  In this context Br. Henry will be taken to the hospital at Saint John, N.B., for a day for a more sophisticated CAT scan than is available elsewhere in the Province.

Wednesday 14 - Monthly community discussion, out which emerged the need to have a further series of singing classes with a special emphasis on rhythm and movement in our singing, and a series of workshops on our public reading.

Thursday 15 - Feast of St. Bonaventure, disciple of Saint Francis and a powerful theologian.  He became Minister General of the Friars Minor and Cardinal.

Friday 16 - Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.  We have such a bumper crop of raspberries this year that we have had to invite people to come and pick them on a "u-pick" basis.

Saturday 17 - Mike Perry, one of our aspirants, went home, happy with his stay and determined to return.  We will be happy to see him again.Sunday 18 - 16^th Sunday in Ordinary Time.  The gospel tells the happy story of Jesus' visit to Martha and Mary.  Mary had chosen the better part, in this some see the model of the contemplative life.  The Abbot went, at their request, to talk to the sisters at Assomption about the Central Commission meeting and his visit to Tilburg in Holland.  He found the sisters were impressed with the way our corn was shooting up on their hill.

Monday 19 - Br. Gilles got the car back from the garage where it had been having a few parts replaced over the weekend.
Tuesday 20 - Fr. Graham and the Abbot went to Moncton to see Br. Henry in hospital.  His sister and brother-in-law from Florida were there.  The Abbot and Father Graham were obliged to take the N11 to get back because the 126 was closed for repairs.  But there was work going on on the N11 as well, so it took them 2 hours and 20 minutes to get to Rogersville from Moncton.
Wednesday 21 - The farm team was busy getting in lots of alfalfa silage.  The current flock of chickens went off to market and that made a lot of noise during the rather hot night.
Thursday 22 - It rained a lot.  The Abbot held a meeting of the business council to review the accounts.  Fr. Adrien went to St. Louis-de-Kent to get the opinion of a second optometrist on the problem of his glasses.
Friday 23 - Fr. Adrien is very happy with the way the raspberries U-pick is working.

Saturday 24 - The Abbot spent the morning at the Farmers' Market in Rogersville trying to sell pottery and sold some honey.  Fr. Graham went to pick up Dom Colmán O Clábaigh, a monk of Glenstal, who is going to give us a week-long workshop on monastic history.  Fr. Graham also visited Br. Henry in hospital, where he is still waiting for an appointment at the hospital in Saint John for a P.E.T. scan which will enable to doctors to determine what type of chemotherapy to give him.  Fr. Augustin of Mistassini also arrived to spend a week with us and take part in the workshop on monastic history.
Sunday 25 - Father Innocent presided the Mass and gave a practical homily on prayer in both languages.  It rained heavily all day.  This made the weather cool off considerably - a welcome relief.  We had a talking festive supper to welcome our visiting monks.

Monday 26 - A couple of the sisters from Assumption came over to take part in the workshop on monastic history.  This got off to a good start with a treatment of historical background to the writing and diffusion of the Rule of Benedict.  Father Clovis, the chaplain to the nuns has gone to Miriam-Bethlehem to help with a retreat for the week.  So Father Adrien is saying Mass for our sisters at Assomption.

Wednesday 28 - The Abbot took Dom Colmán to see Br. Henry's hermitage and to examine the beaver dams and Br. Urbain's lake.

Thursday 29 - The Abbot heard from Br. Henry in the hospital that a date has been fixed for the P.E.T. scan in St. John, August 4^th.  Chemotherapy should begin straight afterwards.  But the doctor has said that the cancer is far more extensive than anybody was thinking.

Friday 30 - Br. Stephan and the Abbot took Sister Kathleen to see Br. Henry's hermitage and the beaver dam just upstream from it.  Br. Colmán finished off his history course with conferences on the decline of monasticism just before the Reformation and the suppression of the monasteries in England.

Saturday 31 - The Abbot went to say Mass for the sisters because there was no vehicle available, the car was out and the truck would not start, and the Abbot could go on his bike.  Fr. Innocent went to the Rogersville Farmers' Market to deliver pots for the Abbot to try and sell, and the truck broke down again.  They were rescued by Laurie Alain, one of our workmen.  The Abbot spent the afternoon sand-bagging the leaks onto the road from the Lac de Frère Urbain, caused by damage done by heavy machinery a couple of years ago.

AUGUST 2010

Sunday 1 August - The Abbot and Br. Stephan went to Moncton to see Br. Henry, his sister and brother and their spouses were already there.  Br. Henry said he is feeling better and walking with greater ease.  On Wednesday he goes for the day to St. John to undergo a P.E.T. scan, which will permit the medical personnel to focus the chemotherapy treatment which will follow.

Monday 2 - New Brunswick Day.  Everything closed.  The truck could not be repaired today.  Nor could Fr. Adrien make arrangements with the Coop and Mr. Tomate about selling his beans.  The farm guys were bringing in hay, with Fr. Innocent and Fr. Graham helping them.

Tuesday 3 - Fr. Graham's brother Jason, an Oratorian priest, home from Rome for the first time in several years, came to visit for 24 hours with his parents.  The brothers were happily able to concelebrate Mass together.

Wednesday 4 - A young man of 19, from Saint John, came as a vocational enquirer.  The Abbot has been spending time in the woods with a chain saw clearing the roads that were still blocked by trees that fell during the winter ice storms.

Thursday 5 - Nicholas Guitard, from Fredericton, came and gave us a slide presentation of the waterfalls of New Brunswick and entertained us with tales of his adventures as he did the research for his book, The Waterfalls of New Brunswick.  There are over 1000 waterfalls in the Province but none very near to here!  The Abbot, who is also Master of Ceremonies, made a change to the start of the Mass so that the concelebrants are in their stalls and able to sing the entrance song.

Friday 6 - The Abbot, who is also Novice Master, was showing round the really young guy from St. John who is interested in our life.  Jesuit Father Laporte is on retreat here for a full week.  He runs a spirituality centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Saturday 7 - The Abbot went to see Br. Henry.  He had had his first chemotherapy session yesterday.  He looked well and has so far experienced no side effects from the chemo.  The cancer specialist, Dr. Rubens is talking about him being able to leave hospital during the coming week.  The results of the P.E.T. scan he had in St. John on Wednesday are not yet available.  A Rwandan priest arrived for his retreat.  He is a pastor in Montreal and has been there 21 years since the genocide began in his country.

Sunday 8 - The Abbot presided the Mass and gave an excellent practical homily with a strong monastic slant.  Well done, but it was too long!

Monday 9 - Rogersville is buzzing with visitors on account of the novena in preparation for the Feast of the Assumption.  This has pushed up our pottery sales and the u-pick beans have been going like wildfire.  There is a Mass each evening at the Acadian Monument in Rogersville and the novena is being preached by Father Serge Comeau, pastor of Néguac, just at the other side of Miramichi.

Tuesday 10 - Father Innocent had to undergo a minor operation on his hand, minor but serious enough to require a full anaesthetic.  Then he had to keep his hand up for several days.

Wednesday 11 - The farm and garden produce is overwhelming this year.  The farm team has brought in a good quantity of hay, with relative ease.

Friday 13 - The Abbot went to bless the Sisters' new chapel at Assomption.  This chapel is a little gem.

Sunday 15 - Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.  It is the patronal feast of our Trappistine Sisters at Rogersville, the patronal feast of our Cistercian Order, and the patronal feast of the Acadians.  In honour of this our Trappistine Sisters invited us to share with them the midday office in their new chapel and an open air, BBQ, dinner.  We had a very pleasant time.

Claude Hébert, on of our oblates from Moncton, brought Br. Henry to the monastery for the Mass and to collect a few personal belongings because he has now been discharged from hospital and is in the care of the sisters at the Résidence Notre-Dame du Sacré-Coeur in Dieppe.  For the moment he will have a weekly appointment at the hospital for chemotherapy.  The Résidence is within easy reach of the hospital for this and other medical appointments.

We discovered this morning that the racoons have destroyed the sweet corn we had growing in our garden.

Monday 16 - This morning we had our monthly Mass for vocations.  Vocations are scarce everywhere.  Here we have a few aspirants knocking around, so there is still hope.

Tuesday 17 - Br. Henry, 70 years of age, is back in the Moncton Hospital where he is bravely fighting a lymphoma which has caused a large cancerous growth in his abdomen.  the cancer specialist has told him that he has a 70% chance of pulling through.

Thursday 19 - Memoria of Blessed Guerric, a saintly Abbot of the early years of our Order, who has left some wonderful spiritual writings.

Friday 20 - We celebrated the solemn feast of our Father Saint Bernard, the first Abbot of Clairvaux, which was one of the early foundations of Cîteaux, where our Order began in 1098.  Bernard had a unique influence on the spirituality of the Cistercian Order and a big impact on the world of his time.  His writings are still appreciated and he is a Doctor of the Church.  The Abbot had business in Rogersville, where he goes on his bicycle.  He had a few spare moments so he called in on Flora Thibodeau who is half way through the 110^th year of her life and the Abbot says she is the happiest person he has ever met.

Saturday 21 - Memoria of Saint Pius X, Pope at the beginning of the 20^th century, who was greatly loved.

We have to keep up the fight against the racoons which are doing considerable damage to the farm and garden.

Sunday 22 - 21^st Sunday of Ordinary Time.

Monday 23 - Our aspirants are taking advantage of their holiday time to come and take a closer look at our life.  There were two here this week.

Tuesday 24 - Meeting of the Business Council.  It was about studying a project for replacing the windows of the monastery, and, first of all, those of the monks' rooms.  They are falling apart.

Father Robert Allain, priest of the diocese of Moncton, came for a few days of personal renewal.

Wednesday 25 - Now let's talk about our garden.  The beans have been so abundant this year that we had to set up a U-pick to get rid of them.

Thursday 26 - Father Edmond Gallant, a retired priest of the diocese of Charlottetown in Prince Edward Island is here on retreat.

Friday 27 - Memoria of Saint Monica, mother of Saint Augustine, whose feast day is tomorrow.  She prayed fifteen years for his conversion.

Saturday 28 - In the Business Council we voted on replacing the windows and chose the type of new window we wanted.
Fr. Adrien was incapacitated during the last days of August by a dental abscess and so was unable to finish the August chronicle.

Brother Gilles began bush-cutting work on the land by the stream below the farm where he intends to plant some hardwood trees. 

September 1. Father Adrien went to see his eye-specialist who discovered that his glaucoma was well under control.  On Thursday he went to see a dentist because he had an acute toothache.  The dentist discovered nothing wrong.  After two more agonizing days he went to the hospital at Miramichi where they confirmed an abscess and put him on penicillin with strong Tylenol for the pain.

On Wednesday, September 1, the Abbot and Br. Stephan went to see Br. Henry in the Résidence Notre-Dame du Sacré Coeur, after delivering one of our aspirants to the airport.  Br. Henry is on fairly good form, but nobody knows exactly what the cancer is doing.

 Wednesday, and Thursday C&R Builders put in an appearance measuring the windows that they are going to replace.  The farm got some more straw midweek from a neighbour.  The beans got too old to be picked any more.  Hurricane Earl touched us on Saturday, but not very much.  The farmers market, where we try to sell our pottery, in Rogersville had hardly any customers because of the way the storm had been hyped up by the media.  Three of our oblates were staying in the guest house at the weekend.
Br. Gilles is continuing the war on terrorism against the racoons that ate all our sweet corn.

Monday 6 - We have had a lot of wet weather this week.  More or less every day.  Very welcome.

Tuesday 7 - The farm team are involved in replacing the cladding on the garage.

Wednesday 8 - The monthly community dialogue made some adjustments to the new arrangements for the beginning of the Mass.  The Abbot presided the Mass for the feast of Our Lady's birthday.  The Abbot spoke in chapter about Saint Adrian the martyr, whose feast it was today and about that other Saint Adrian of Canterbury.

Thursday 9 - Fr. Graham, as infirmarian, accompanied Fr. Adrien to the dentist and to get his new glasses.  The infection under Fr. Adrien's teeth seems to be succumbing to the antibiotics.  He will have to go again, next week, nonetheless, to have the tooth extracted.  His glasses are still not giving him satisfaction.

The Abbot went to visit the Abbess across the street.  He also got the public address system in the chapel in working order again.

Friday 10 - Another wet day.  Very dark.  But a photographer from the New Brunswick Ministry of tourism insisted on making a tour of the place in order to have something on us to include in their next tourist brochure.  Day of Prayer for vocations.

Saturday 11 - We had the first in a series of workshops on public reading, one of our community meetings having heard several of the brothers had difficulty in hearing what was read.  The Abbot went with Br. Gilles to visit Br. Henry at the Residence Notre-Dame du Sacré Coeur in Moncton.  He found that Br. Henry was still in good spirits, and that nothing had changed.  The attempt to remove his catheter had not been successful and the third session of chemotherapy was scheduled for next week.  It is only after this third chemo that we can expect some assessment of his condition and the progress or recession of the cancer.

Monday 13 - Dom Clément, Superior of the monastery of Mistassini, near Chicoutimi, in the Lac St. Jean area of North Quebec, and our Father Immediate, arrived in the evening, in time for vespers and supper with us in the refectory.  So we had conversation at the meal.
Tuesday 14 - Dom Clément spoke in Chapter about his personal history, his former monastery of Val Notre Dame and the move from Oka, and the situation of the community in Mistassini.
Wednesday 15 - In chapter Dom Clément answered question from the community arising from what he had talked about the day before.This was the patronal feast of our monastery, the Feast of Our Lady of Sorrows.  Our sisters from Assomption came and joined us for the solemn Mass at the end of the morning presided over by Dom Clément as Father Immediate and, at which, the Abbot preached.  The sisters stayed for the festive lunch we had with great joy in the refectory after the Mass.Father Serge Comeau, popular preacher and dynamic priest of the diocese of Bathurst was here for a short retreat and joined us at the festive lunch.  Also we had a rapid visit from a priest from Haiti, Father Deus Ketnet, who comes to Tracadie for his holidays.
Friday 17 - Our day of prayer for the departed.  Dom Clément returned to Mistassini.  We enjoyed his visit.
Saturday 18 - The vegetable garden has been very productive this year.  The tomatoes are particularly good, big and regular.  The farm has also had an excellent harvest so far.  The corn for the cows has yet to be brought in.  There are also lots of apples, but they look pretty good.  God be praised!
Sunday 19 - 25^th Ordinary Sunday.  The Abbot presided the Mass and Father Maurice gave a beautiful and practical homily on preferring God to all the other things we can get attached to.

Monday 20 - Brother Henry was celebrating his 71st birthday, still in Moncton, in the Residence Notre-Dame du Sacré Coeur.  The Abbot went to see him, with Father Graham, and found him not too well at all.
Tuesday 21 - Brother Gilles has committed himself to improving the beauty of our surroundings.  That is to say, he has been cleaning up the undergrowth around the Lac de Frère Urbain, back in the woods.  The beavers are also busy in that area.
Wednesday 22 - The Abbot spoke in chapter about Saint Maurice whose feast day it was.  He is also the patron saint of our Fr. Maurice.  Talking about the saints, the Abbot also drew our attention to the reference the Pope had made when speaking in Westminster Abbey to Saint Bede the Venerable as one of the greatest Englishmen of all time.
Thursday 23 - We began picking the apples.
Friday 24 - Br. Henry has phoned a couple of times and is feeling a lot better.  Something in his medication has been sorted out.
Saturday 25 - We got the news of the death of Sister Bernadette, a member of the Trappistine community of Assomption, across the street.  She had been in nursing and care homes for years.  The evening before Dom Bede had been to visit her with Abbess Alfreda and given her the Sacrament of the Sick.  She died in the Villa Maria at Saint-Louis de Kent.Today we had our second Reading Workshop conducted by the Abbot.  In the evening the Progressive Conservative electoral candidate, Jimmy Bourque, from Rogersville came to meet with us.
Sunday 26 - Two White Father missionaries were here overnight.  They were in the area preaching to raise funds.

Monday 27 - Father Jean Bernard Mallais arrived for his retreat.  He is a priest of the diocese of Moncton and is pastor of six parishes.  Priests are few and far between in the diocese.  Today was election day in New Brunswick.

Tuesday 28 - Several of the brethren were out today.  The Abbot went to Bathurst to a meeting of Bishops and Major Superiors of New Brunswick.  Father Maurice had an appointment with his urologist in Miramichi and took the opportunity to do some shopping; Brother Gilles drove him.  Father Innocent took me to the dentist in Saint-Louis de Kent.  The election results brought the Neo-conservatists into power in New Brunswick.

Thursday 30 - Sr. Kathleen from Assumption had occasion to go to Moncton and offered a ride to anybody who wanted to go see Br. Henry.  The Abbot took the opportunity.  He thought that Br. Henry did not look at all well, frail and feeble though in good spirits.  Br. Stephan was very happy to have a visit from his brother John, who currently lives in Shawinigan.  He was a monk of the community for a number of years.  We were very happy to see him again, the first time in 18 years.

OCTOBER 2010

Friday 1 October - Very early in the morning, before the sun was risen, Br. Gilles had to set to work to pack up the bees for their return journey to Charlo, where the beekeeper who lent us them to pollinate our orchard, lives.

Sunday 3 - The Abbot left by train this evening for Rougemont, the Cistercian Monastery south of Montreal, where there was to be a meeting of the Abbots and Abbesses of Canada.

Monday 4 - Four of us finished the apple-picking.  The apples are bigger than usual, but have suffered a lot of damage from worms and birds and rot.  We cannot have everything.  Likewise, on the farm, the maize has been abundant.  Br. Stephan is looking for buyers.
Tuesday 5 - Today is Br. Stephan's 52^nd birthday.  His brother John who spent a few days here was able to wish him a happy birthday before he left.
Wednesday 6 - I had an appointment with the denture technician in Richibucto and with the dentist in St. Louis-de-Kent.  The one repaired my dentures and the other a tooth.
Thursday 7 - Father Graham visited Brother Henry in hospital and was able to met Dr. Rubens.  The doctor was quite happy with Br. Henry's progress.  The cancerous growth has reduced a lot and the doctor has stopped the chemo for the moment while tests are done to see whether what remains is still actively cancerous or just scar tissue.
Friday 8 - Father Graham was celebrating his 45^th birthday, with his parents here.  Our cooks never stop making birthday cakes.
Saturday 9 - Father Joseph Devereaux arrived for a seven day retreat.  He is from Mills Brook, Ontario.  He is one of our associate oblates.
Sunday 10 - There were a lot of people at Mass this morning to hear my homily.

Monday 11 - The Abbot came back from the meeting of superiors.

Tuesday 12 - The Abbot gave us news of our Canadian houses.  The problem everywhere is recruitment and aging.

Friday 15 - Our big bell has not been working right for a while.  Brother Gilles and I tried to fix it, but with no great success.  Br. Stephan thinks he knows what is wrong with it.

Saturday 16 - After Mass, a reading workshop.  The Abbot gave us a few principles and exercises for helping with diction.  He had asked us to bring along a passage that we could read with savour and expression.  Everybody participated enthousiastically.

Sunday 17 - There was a big crowd of local people at the Mass.  A large family had asked for a Mass to mark the anniversary of the death of their father.

This morning Brother André Bessette founder of the Oratory of Saint Joseph in Montreal, was canonized.  This was an event that filled us with joy.  Saint André was a member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross, which has made a big impact in New Brunswick, especially in the field of education.  Archbishop André Richard of Moncton, our local Ordinary, is also a Holy Cross Father.

Monday 18 - Brother Stephan, who can turn his hand to anything, succeeded in repairing our big bell.  It is working like a charm.
The Abbot called in Brett Gallant, a computer technician, to fix up various behavioural problems on our computers.  I started cleaning up the greenhouse for winter.  It's a proper tip.
Tuesday 19 - On the farm, over the last year or so, we have been introducing new blood into the herd.  We had purebred Holsteins, now we have some Jersey crosses.  This adds butterfat quality to the milk and produces a more disease resistant animal.  Now we are seeing red, brown and even black heifers.
Wednesday 20 - From this morning we started integrating Tierce in the Mass, an option according to the liturgical norms.  This is an experiment until the end of November.
The Abbot and Br. Stephan went to see Br. Henry.  His health is gradually improving as the cancer gets smaller.

Friday 22 - We are still having our gospel sharing on Fridays, on the gospel of the following Sunday.  We started some months ago having it on Friday instead of Tuesday and with a less formal procedure.
The teachers from the infant school in Rogersville brought their charges to look around the monastery, under the guidance of Father Graham.
Technicians from Goudreau et Fils of Montreal turned up by chance to overhaul our bells.  The put everything into perfect working order.
Saturday 23 - Br. Stephan gave us another singing class and announced a chant workshop for mid-November, conducted by Br. Paul Richards of St. Johns Abbey, Collegeville, Minnisota.
Sunday 24 - During the Mass one of the congregation fainted and was duly brought round and helped out by a former paramedic who is a regular Mass attendant here.  So it all worked out well!

Tuesday 26 - It is time for the flu vaccines.  So I took the opportunity of an appointment at the clinic to have myself vaccinated.
Wednesday 27 - Father Innocent drove me to the Miramichi hospital to have my glaucoma checked out by Dr. Riveros.
Thursday 28 - Father Graham went to transport Br. Henry from the Résidence Notre-Dame du Sacré Coeur in Moncton to Saint John for a PET scan.  This will establish whether his cancer is still active.  His condition is much improved and he looks to be pulling through it all.  The doctors' assessment is positive.  Br. Henry was back in Moncton the same day.Today I went to say Mass for the sisters at Assomption, because the chaplain was absent.A big group was here for a retreat from the parish of Néguac, accompanied by their pastor, Fr. Serge Comeau.
Saturday 30 - We had another reading workshop.  These seem to be bearing fruit.
Sunday 31 - People generally seem happy with the integration of Tierce with the Mass.  Celebrating Mass in the sisters' new chapel has been a very pleasant experience for me.  This chapel is a big success.  Everybody is happy with it and the acoustics are excellent.

NOVEMBER 2010

Monday 1 - Feast of All Saints and the 108^th birthday of our community.  We are getting old!
Tuesday 2 - We remembered all the dead.
Wednesday 3 - There are only 9 members of our community, but we are always running to the doctors', at the rate of several appointments a week, for eyes, ears, teeth, cataracts, glaucoma, heart, spots, etc., and, latterly, cancer.
Thursday 4 - Brother Henry is getting better all the time.
Friday 5 - In the guest house there was a group of married people studying Natural Family Planning, under the guidance of Fr. Jo Hattie, O.M.I, who is a specialist in family matters.
Saturday 6 - It has been raining without stopping for several days, and does not look like ever giving up.  Hunters in the area are annoying us with their rifle shots.
Sunday 7 - Father Jacques Landry concelebrated at the Mass.  He is a member of Voluntas Dei, and was, for many years, a military chaplain.  He is now retired but helping with the pastoral ministry in the Miramichi area.

Monday 8 - Reginald Gaudet and his team began changing the windows of the rooms on the second floor of the monastery.  The old windows were falling apart.
Friday 12 - Father Graham went to see Brother Henry and his doctor in Moncton to have better idea of Br. Henry's medical situation.  The specialist thinks that the cancer has been eliminated, but he needs to do further tests to be sure.  Brother Henry is feeling much better.
Father Maurice went to the Miramichi hospital for a scan of his arteries, and everything was found to be in order.
The guest house is almost full this weekend.  The fine weather has come back and the rain has stopped at last.
Saturday 13 - Feast of All the Saints who have lived under the Rule of Saint Benedict, Benedictines, Cistercians, Camaldolese, etc.  This morning we had another reading workshop.
Sunday 14 - 33^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time.  I presided the Mass and preached.  Brother Paul Richards, of Saint John's Abbey, Collegeville Minnesota arrived.  He has come to give us singing lessons.  This evening we had a first meeting with him in chapter, to get to know each other.

Monday 15 - Start of the singing workshop lead by Brother Paul Richards of St. John's Abbey, Collegeville.  The classes took place in the mornings from 10 to 11 and individual tuition was given in the afternoons from 2.30 to 5 pm.  Sister Anne-Marie and Ann from Assomption joined us for this workshop.
Tuesday 16 - Feast of Saint Gertrude, a nun connected with our Order, who lived in the the 13^th century and was remarkable for her spirituality and mysticism centred on the Heart of Jesus.
Friday 19 -  Brother Paul's classes came to an end this afternoon.  It was a hard-working session.  Brother Stephan, our choirmaster, cantor and organist, gave a lot of time to it.  Let us hope that the whole thing will bear good fruit in a big improvement in our singing in choir.Sister Ida of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart brought a group of retreatants, as she does from time to time.
Saturday 20 - The work on renewing the windows is making good progress.  It is a job that needs a lot of attention to detail.  The team is clearly composed of real craftsmen.  We had a special feast-day meal, with talking, to celebrate the Feast of the Sacred Heart and to say good-bye to Br. Paul Richards, who left us this afternoon.
Sunday 21 - Feast of Christ the King.  The Abbot left for Prince Edward Island to lead a day of recollection for the Clergy of the Charlottetown Diocese, focused on the Liturgy of the Hours.  They sent somebody to pick him up and will bring him back. 

Monday 22 - Feast of Saint Cecilia, patron saint of musicians.
Tuesday 23 - The Abbot came back from Charlottetown, happy with the outcome of his mission.
Wednesday 24 - In chapter we took stock of how we found the experiment of Tierce integrated into the Mass.  The community seemed happy with the new way of doing things, so we will make the arrangement permanent.
Friday 26 - People from all over the area came for a retreat led by Fr. Melvin Doucet.
Saturday 27 - After the Mass, at 8.50 am to be precise, we had a reading workshop.  This time it was in the refectory to deal with the particular requirements of reading at meals.  This was the last in the current series of workshops.  The Abbot went to the Farmer's Market in Rogersville to sell honey and advertize our pottery.  I went to Miramichi in search of medication I needed and had forgotten to get from the pharmacy in Rogersville during the week and since they are closed on Saturday I was in a mess.
Sunday 27 - This morning Fr. Innocent presided the Mass and gave a well-prepared and enlivening homily.  This afternoon, in his role as Father Immediate, opened the canonical visitation at our Trappistine Daughter House down the road.  At Benediction we used our new monstrance for the first time.  It was bought with money presented to Fr. Graham at the time of his ordination and so is in remembrance of that.  The nice weather adds to our joy in celebrating the gladness of Advent.

DECEMBER 2010

Wednesday 1 - Fra Francesco Pirisi, a Franciscan deacon, is with us for his retreat leading up to his priestly ordination.  He belongs to a new Congregation called "The Franciscans of Halifax".  But he comes from Rome.
The Abbot went to Moncton to visit Sister Emmanuel of the Trappistines, in the context of the Regular Visitation that the Abbot is currently carrying out at the Trappistine monastery down the road.  The Abbot also went to visit Brother Henry whom he found on good form, but still awaiting the completion of his treatment.  Fr. Innocent drove the Abbot.
Thursday 2 - After a few days' interruption work took up again on replacing the windows.  The workmen expect to work through to completion without further breaks.
Friday 3 - The guys replacing my window unplugged my alarm to use the socket and forgot to plug it back in again.  This caused me to miss Vigils and have an extra hour's sleep.
Saturday 4 - For two weeks everything had been covered in snow, but, this morning, it has all gone.
Sunday 5 - Second Sunday of Advent.  The Abbot presided the Mass so that Father Graham, whose turn it was, could take part in the schola.  Nonetheless, Fr. Graham preached the homily.  This shows how hard pushed we are to have an adequate number of singers in choir.

Monday 6 - A lot of rain.  Not the Flood, but it makes you think, especially about those who are not as lucky as us.
Tuesday 7 - Father Jean-Paul Chiasson arrived for a retreat.  He is a member of the Voluntas Dei Institute.  The last few years he has been ministering in Shippagan.  Our three oblates from Moncton were here for the day.
Wednesday 8 - Feast of the Immaculate Conception.  For us it is a special feast of thanksgiving when we remember our jubilarians.  No new jubilees this year, but we celebrated nonetheless.  Father Maurice's brother, Georges, and his wife were here.
The work on the windows was completed.  The workmen gathered up their tools and did a bit of cleaning up.
Thursday 9 - The snow came back with a vengeance.  "Mon pays, c'est l'hiver," sang Gilles Vigneault, « Winter is my homeland. ».

Sunday 12 - Third Sunday of Advent, the Sunday with a note of joy : Gaudete.  The Abbot presided the Mass and preached wearing the rose-coloured stole that we only see twice a year.  It is called "Rejoicing Sunday" because of the entrance antiphon of the Mass which takes up the words of Saint Paul: "Rejoice in the Lord, always.  Again I say: rejoice!"  It was Brother Leo's turn to have relatives visit him.

Tuesday 14 - Father John Gratten, a long-time friend of the community, died recently.  Father Graham represented the community at his funeral.
Wednesday 15 - Acadie Nouvelle carried headlines today: "Record high temperatures and rainfall for 10 days before Christmas."  There are floods all over New Brunswick.  It does not affect us because we are high above the river, which drains the whole area.A Jesuit from Nova Scotia arrived for an eight day retreat.  Father Peter Larisey, originally from this Province, has worked especially in Toronto.
Thursday 16 - Brother Gilles found a beautiful Christmas tree for us this year.  It has a well filled out form and looks good in the refectory even before the baubles go on it.
Friday 17 - My brother-in-law, Ernest Hachey, died peacefully a couple of days ago.  He lived in Basking Ridge, in New Jersey.
Saturday 18 - John Bourque, a friend of the community arrived for a stay.  On the way from Albert, where he works in construction management in the oilfields, he went to see Brother Henry.
Sunday 19 - It was my turn to preside the Eucharist.  I think I surprised some people by say in my homily that Joseph and Mary were married about the age of 14 or 15!  I heard that it was the normal age in Israel at that period in history.

Monday 20 - We learned that Mother Jean-Marie of the Trappistines at Assomption had had some sort of health problem that had meant her being rushed to hospital.  Happily she was back home the next day and everything seems to have come right.  Brother Leo had a joyful visit from some of his family.
Tuesday 21 - At three o'clock in the afternoon we had a conference from Professor Michèle Rebidoux on Thomas Merton and his understanding of the contemplation.  Several of our Trappistine sisters came over for it.  Thomas Merton was born in the same year as our Father Adélard Robichaud.
Thursday 23 -Father Graham's parents arrived to spend their fourteenth or fifteenth Christmas with their son.John Bourque brought Brother Henry back from Moncton to celebrate Christmas with us.  He is due to go back on Monday; his cancer has receded but he still has to have some more sessions of radiology.  When he has got over that and seen the specialist again he might be ready to come back to us.  But he remains considerable hampered by his Parkinson's disease.

Friday 24 - We had a festive fraternal meal with talking this evening between Vespers and the Night Mass of Christmas at 7 pm.  Father Maurice's brother and his wife came to celebrate Christmas with us.
Saturday 25 - We had the Christmas Day Mass at 9 o'clock.  There was quite a crowd in the guest-house and a number of people from round about came for the Liturgy.  Ultimately, despite a weather forecast to the contrary, we had a white Christmas.
Sunday 26 - Feast of the Holy Family.  This feast takes on a special meaning in these times when family life is experiencing something of a setback.

Monday 27 - Brother Henry was taken back to Moncton where he is due to have some more radiology treatment.  He hopes soon to be able to come back to the monastery for good.
Tuesday 28 - We had the annual dinner for our employees.  Everybody seemed to have enjoyed the time together.
Wednesday 29 - We learned that one of our monasteries in Belgium, Saint-Rémy de Rochefort had been damaged by a serious fire.  The have a brewery well-known for its product.  Both brewery and monastery escaped without any damage.  My family came for dinner.
Thursday 30 - Fr. Maurice's brother-in-law passed away this afternoon in Vancouver.  He had be diagnosed back in May with Lou Gehrig's disease.
Friday 31 - Another death: this time Father Graham's uncle, the husband of his mother's sister.