Monday, September 8th. Crews are in the process of improving
the rail line in front of the monastery. At night we sometimes hear shunting on the rails for hours at a time as they try
things out. 61 years ago yesterday, Brother Léo arrived in Rogersville on the train, stepping into the community 61
years ago today. Back then, the train consisted of just one car. Tuesday, September 9th. Father Innocent has created
a tasty tomato sauce with chili. Père Adrien débuted a brand new pair of glasses. We continue to
experience cool nights, and a good deal of sunshine. Mowing the lawns less rigorously this year has produced a not-unpleasant
carpet of green with yellow dandelions. Wednesday, September 10th. Dom Bede made his way from Rome to Assisi, as did
the many participants at the Order's General Chapter. Our old clothes dryer in the old novitiate was decommissioned
after a distinguished career, a new General Electric has taken its place. Thursday, September 11th. Brother Henry had
an MRI in Moncton: first in line, at 6:30 AM, home to his residence before 8:00. Here in the monastery, Father Roger presided
a Mass of the Holy Spirit for the opening of the General Chapter. Later in the day, Father Adrien had his new glasses adjusted
in Newcastle. Merriment seemed to reign at the optical. Friday, September 12th. Father Brian MacMillan, a priest retreatant
from Halifax, took leave of us after a few days' retreat. We enjoyed his presence. He had the whole guesthouse to himself.
Saturday, September 13th. As one of Father Adrien's sister is in the area from St. Stephen, New Brunswick, he asked
Father Innocent to drive him to Saint Louis to visit his whole family in the afternoon. A happy time, and Adrien's new
beard is certainly drawing compliments. The train station's paint job is about finished. It is a dark amber color,
to match the VIA logo. Father Graham showed a group of visitors from the North Shore around the monastery. Sunday,
September 14th. Our Brothers Maurice and Henry were here from Moncton for Mass and lunch with talking, very nice. Brother
Henry receive an advance-75th Birthday cake which we dug into. Father Clovis was also at lunch with us. He was just in Cacouna
Québec for a session of Agape therapy at a popular new center that is even drawing participants from France. Father
Graham's parents made an appearance at Mass, returning to the Hub City for lunch.
Monday, September 15th.
A nice message from Dom Bede in Assisi marked our patronal feast day, Our Lady of Sorrows i.e. Our Lady of Calvary. Father
Doris, the local curé was at Mass, where we also saw some faces from the former Association of the Friends of the Trappists.
We have good friends. For our evening meal we had a lasagna which incorporated Father Innocent's tomato sauce. Two thumbs
up. Tuesday, September 16th. On Prince Edward Island, Brother Stephan succeeded in finding a transmission to replace
the one in our 1976 dump truck, after a long search for a replacement truck. He had to wait and wait at the point of purchase
as they verified that the transmission he wanted was up and running. Wednesday, September 17th. The annual apple-juice
production has begun. Because this is done in a shed adjoining the dairy barn, it can make for an unusual scene. Today for
example, one of the juice team drove into a calf hutch with their car! Thursday, September 18th. Babin Paving were by
in the morning, removing strips of paving from our driveway and cloister entrance. Evening arrived, they had finished a series
of paving patches which should make driving in a bit less of an adventure. Friday, September 19th. Plenty of frost on
the ground this morning: it is the ‘killing frost' which is a turning-point for the corn. Now we wait until the
corn is quite dry-looking before harvesting it, chopping it, storing it as feed for the cows. Saturday, September 20th.
In Fredericton, the new Anglican Bishop was consecrated at Saint Dunstan's Catholic Church. Then, a procession of attendees
escorted by pipes and police made its way to Christ Church Cathedral for the installation and an outdoor reception. Bishop
Edwards is originally from Shropshire, England. Ad multos annos! Sunday, September 21st. This week, Brother Léo
managed to solve the problems he was having with the phone at the front desk. He has a new gift there: a big picture of him
among the 1949 champions of the Memramcook Valley Hockey League, "Memramcook Transport", posing in front of the
depot (and the buses) with their trophy. From the looks of them, not a group many would want to tangle with, which might have
helped them win! This morning we received another nice message from Dom Bede. Participants say: a) the general chapter
is going well, but b) sorting through the problems of so many fragile communities is intense.
Monday September 22nd. Father Maurice and Brother Henry enjoy
sitting outside for a spell at the residence in Moncton, weather permitting. Their neighbourhood is central (Champlain Place
is on the next block) but cozy and quiet, with nice trees. Today it is above 70 again: mild weather for late September. Brother
Henry had just come in when I called. Henry says he's doing great. Tuesday, September 23rd. Our guesthouse welcomes
more retreatants from outside the Maritimes than it did years back. Next week, drilling begins for the geo-thermal heating
wells close to the monastery. Today, divining rods were used in order to find the right spots for these wells. A Leblanc was
charge of this operation. Wednesday, September 24th. Father Innocent brought in a new pumpkin hybrid from his garden:
"Moonshine", considered to be the finest of the new, white pumpkin varieties! Our cook was taken aback at the sight,
+ unwilling to actually cook anything with it. New Brunswick entered day two of moose season. However, it warmed up
today beyond the cool temperatures hunters favor. N.B. has lengthened moose season from three days to five this year. 66,
626 New Brunswickers applied to win by draw one of the 4,612 moose licenses. One of our neighbours advises caution about going
near the woods because some draw winners have been over the moon with excitement for months at the thought they are finally
being allowed to hunt moose. Bang! Bang! Thursday, September 25th. Outside, on scaffolding, Maurice Gallant was putting
some finishing touches to the first floor windows facing the lake. An excellent paint job. Father Adrian took advantage of
the pleasing sunshine to take a walk around our farm. Echoes from Dom Bede and from others at the Chapter in Assisi suggest
that matters are being dealt with speedily this week to the pleasure of all, and the relief of some. There's a lot for
them to look at in a few weeks. The Chapter closes Sunday morning with a solemn Mass. Friday, September 26th. A little
warmer than Assisi here today, and a little cooler than Rome. Brother Michael has completed building the new monastery road
sign. Next step: painting it. Black and white should look striking against the endless trees. It is designed to fit in the
posts holding the present sign, the which is about thirty years old. Saturday, September 27th. Brother Michael's
brother Rob was preparing the metal posts of the sign for the new sign Brother Stephan will be attaching there. The local
pastor asked someone to take the 4 PM Mass in Acadieville for him, followed by a baptism. Arriving in Acadieville, Father
Graham waited, but no one was showing up. Signs indicated Mass at 4 some weeks, at 7 others. Figuring the Mass might be at
7 instead, he drove back to the monastery where he could replan. One of our more robust neighbours sped in behind him: a small
crowd in Collette were wondering where he was. The new pastor had taken Acadieville for Collette. Off to Collette, where Mass
and Baptism went off well, though late. The baby kept his cool throughout. Sunday, September 28th. Prayers for the family
at Mass, as requested by the Pope and the Vatican, in preparation for the upcoming Synod. One gets the impression that Pope
Francis sees the theme and the issues of the family as key to moving forward as a Church. The synod begins October 5th. Surveyed
our back acres this afternoon-it was over 80-corn drying happily; the dragonflies seem to enjoy the heat more than anyone!
Monday, September 29. Our friend John Bourque has seen the sign
Brother Michael is making, and given it two thumbs up. Liquid-manure spreading on the fields is underway. At Father Adrien's
request, Father Innocent took him to see his sister in hospital in Saint Anne de Kent. She is more or less O.K. and was happy
to see him, as were the rest of his family. The small hospital was originally run by the same congregation presently welcoming
our brothers in Moncton, Notre Dame du Sacre Coeur. Adrien says Innocent is an ace driver. Tuesday, September 30. A mason
had a look at the cloister gate. He will soon be reconstructing one side of this electronic, sliding gate's housing, which
was K.O.'ed by a farm vehicle. The well-diggers for the geo-thermal were around with their equipment, but didn't start
digging. Father Graham drove Father Adrien to Moncton for an appointment. After lunch and the appointment, they visited Father
Maurice and Brother Henry. Brother Henry predicts we will get another warm spell. Adrien's beard continues to draw praise,
and now his hat does, too.
Our Lady of Calvary Abbey 11505 Route 126, Rogersville NB, E4Y 2N9 Tel : 506 775 2331 E-mail : CalvaryAbbey@aol.com
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