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1962 August 20, an intimate celebration marks the 60th anniversary of the foundation. 1963 • By decision of the General Chapter, the paternity of Our Lady of the Assumption abbey is transferred from
Oka to Our Lady of Calvary. • The community begins the large scale rearing of poultry and erects the first commercial size henhouse. • May 7, lay brothers abandon their black habit for the white habit of the choir monks. Ten years earlier, the
obligation for lay brothers to wear a beard had been abolished. Nowadays, the distinction between choir monks and lay brothers
has been abolished. 1964 June 18, Dom Pacôme Gaboury, abbot of Our Lady of the Lake, at Oka, and an exceptional benefactor of both abbeys,
in Rogersville, dies after more than 50 years as abbot of Oka. 1965 • The Cistercians leave Bonnecombe. • The production of the Monacad products ceases at the monastery. The enterprise is sold to a former employee. 1966 • February 1, the paternity of the abbey is definitively transferred to Mistassini. Dom Damase Ladouceur, Abbot
of Our Lady of Mistassini becomes Father Immediate. • July 28, the building of a guesthouse for retreatants, attached to the monastery, begins. Its cost is entirely
borne by Oka. The plans are drawn by architect René N. LeBlanc, of Moncton, and the contract is let to Abbey Landry, of Memramcook. 1967 March 5, the new guesthouse is blessed and inaugurated by Dom Fidèle Sauvageau, abbot of Oka. 1968 September 8, blessing of the Our Lady of Lourdes' grotto by Ardibishop Norbert Robichaud. It stands precisely where
the first quarry and road bridge originally stood. 1969 April 18, the monastery is reincorporated by an Act of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. Dunng the night of May 1‑2, the former piggery, transformed into a henhouse, is destroyed by fire. 10,000 chicks
perish. 1970 The monks' dormitories are transformed into individual rooms. 1971 • February 14, Dom Chérubin Lenssen dies at Tilburg. • After six months as a hermit on the grounds of the abbey, Dom Alphonse Arsenault takes up the reins of government
again, at the request of the community. 1972 In September, the community stops the manufacture of cement blocks; the gravel pits having run out. Commercial competition
had also become a threat. 1977 August 21, two thousand people gathered for the 75th anniversary celebrations. 1990 June 3, Mr. Léandre Goguen founds the Association of Friends of the Trappists. The Association takes special
care of the grotto and surrounding grounds. 1991 • April 11, Dom Alphonse Arsenault resigns as abbot. • October 22, Dom Adrien Bordage is elected abbot. The Most Reverend Donat Chiasson, archbishop of Moncton,
gives him the abbatial blessing in Rogersville's parish church on 8 December 1991. 1992 Modernization of the community refectory. 1993 February 20, because of poor health, Dom Adrien Bordage resigns his charge. 1994 October 30, Dom Alphonse Arsenault dies. 1995 April 24, Dom Maurice Guimond is elected abbot and receives the abbatial. blessing from Archbishop Chiasson in the
monastery's chapel, on May 8. 1999 There are major renovations made to the chapel. 2001 Reorganization of the sacristy, the chapter room and the scriptorium. 2002 Dom Maurice Guimond resigns on November 21 for health reasons. On December
16 Dom Bede Stockill is elected fourth abbot. The new abbot was the prior at
Mount Saint Bernard Abbey in England and arrived on 19 December to be installed by Dom Jacques Pineault, Abbot of Mistassini
and Father Immediate, on December 20th. 2003 |
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