Sunday 1 April – Palm Sunday.  We did not have Tierce but at 9 o’clock began the blessing of palms at the back of the chapel.  The procession was a bit short, but goes by the name of Solemn Entrance.

The entire guest-house is booked out for the days of the Sacred Triduum.

Monday 2 – Yesterday evening, the Abbot announced that Br. Roger had begun his retreat in preparation for receiving the novice’s habit.  This signifies the start of the official period of formation of two years, leading up to a candidate’s pronouncing his vows.

Tuesday 3 – We have finished pruning the apple trees in our little orchard, thanks to the efficient help of Fr. Clovis.

Wednesday 4 – Br. Henry again caused a stir by passing out at the beginning of Lauds.  He had just sung the hymn.  Happily he did not fall off his raised seat, but remained in a sitting position.  It took quite a bit of time for him to come back to himself and the ambulance to come and take him to the hospital.  So we simply rounded off what would have been Lauds with the Our Father and the concluding prayer.  Br. Henry came back from hospital that afternoon.  The hospital could find nothing wrong.

Maundy Thursday 5 – After Lauds, Br. Roger received the habit.  We have not had many receptions of the habit these last few years.  So it is a great joy for the whole community.

I started getting the greenhouse ready for the tomatoes and other vegetables.

The Maundy Thursday Mass began at 16.45.  The washing of the feet took place after homily preached by Father Graham.  The altar of repose was in the guests’ chapel.

Good Friday 6 – Among the people on retreat here there is a catechumen.  He is only at the beginning, but very engaged.  Father Donald Arsenault is also staying with us.  We know him well because he lived for quite some time in one of the hermitages we had on the property.

Holy Saturday 7 – As we have done for the last few years, we had the Paschal Vigil on Sunday morning at 4 am, but we had the Liturgy of Paschal Light on Saturday evening at 7.30 pm.

Easter Sunday 8 – All of our guests were present for the Paschal Vigil at 4 am.  There were also about ten people from the neighbourhood.

There are only a few of us, but we have our talents.  At the day Mass at which the Abbot presided with his customary calm and Fr. Marice gave a very nice homily, Br. Stephen and Fr. Graham played a beautiful piece of music together on organ and recorder.

Happy Easter.  Let us remain in Christ’s joy!

Monday 9 – In chapter, the Abbot talked about the program for the forthcoming meeting of the Canadian Abbots and Abbesses which will take place at the Benedictine monastery of Saint Benoît-du-Lac, April 24-26.  Father Graham will also be there as our community delegate.

Tuesday 10 – Fr. Wesley Wade joined us for three days.  He is preparing a retreat for a French-speaking group at the Madonna House retreat centre in Saint John.

Wednesday 11 – Br. Stephan got yet another new machine, a big corn cultivator.  He hopes that this will enable him to avoid using weed-killers which are expensive and not good for the environment.

Thursday 12 – Father Keith Kennific of Kanara, Prince Edward Island is with us for a few days.

Friday 13 – There were six of us priests concelebrating this morning: something that does not happen often.

A major snowstorm was announced for this morning and duly arrived.  In fact it snowed for about 36 hours and left a good layer.  Fr. Maurice had an appointment in Moncton and had a friend drive him, but was sorry afterwards that he went because conditions were worse in Moncton.

The guest-house is full this evening.  A retreat for men has been organized guided by Fr. Kenneth LeBlanc, originally from Rogersville, who is a Legionary of Christ.

In chapter, the Abbot took up again his commentary on the Rule: the ninth degree of humility, on silence or the moderate use of speech.

Saturday 14 – Father Graham’s family is mourning the loss of his uncle, Bud.  The funeral is due to take place on Monday.

Sunday 15 – Sunday of the Divine Mercy!

About 13.45 a large group of catechism class children arrived with parents and instructors.  They were from Dieppe.  The Abbot spoke to them and they were present for None.

Monday – 16 – Father Graham went to the funeral of his uncle, Bud.  Since there are not many Catholics on his father’s side of the family the funeral was at the Baptist church.

In chapter we looked a bit more at the programme for the Regional Meeting.  On Wednesday we will discuss the precise point of the Abbot as spiritual father of his community and of his monks.

Tuesday – 17 – Br. Stephan had an appointment in Moncton to do with his varicose veins.

Wednesday – 18 – Early this morning Fr. Graham drove Br. Henry to see his doctor in Moncton for an assessment of the situation concerning his hip.  The outcome was that he should be all right for the operation to insert a new prosthesis next week.

In the meantime Br. Gilles took the car to Miramichi to have it checked out as a preparation for the trip to Saint Benoît-du-Lac next week.  There will be four people going: Ils seront quatre pour ce voyage :Mother Danièle, Mother Alfreda, Dom Bede and Father Graham.

Thursday - 19 – I have been heating the greenhouse since Wednesday last week.  So today I was able to put in my tomato plants.

Dom Bede is trying his hand at pottery.  He watched it being done for 40 years at Mount Saint Bernard, but never actually did it.  It is coming on.

At 7 pm, we saw the rest of the splendid DVD on Gethsemani Abbey.  It is really well done.

Friday – 20 – In the late evening a young man called Richard Donevan arrived for a week’s retreat.  He had come by bike from Moncton.  It took him six hours.

Saturday – 21 – Mother Danièle came to Vespers and supper with us.  We were happy to hear her news of the Generalate and of the Order in general.

Sunday – 22 – After the concelbrated Mass the Abbot and his three companions set off for Saint Benoît – du – Lac.  Father. Graham is going to drive all the way (540 miles).

Monday 23 – Father Robert Bouchard, originally from Gorhan, Maine, turned up for a week’s retreat.  He is a prison chaplain.  He also knows Br. Roger.

Tuesday 24 – The weather is excellent this week.  The snow has nearly all disappeared from our yards and fields, without causing floods everywhere.

Wednesday 25 – Br. Henry had his awaited operation at the Moncton City Hospital.  This is the fourth operation on the left hip.  The news so far is good.

Our friend Reno is with us and applying manure to the roots of our apple trees.  He is a farmer.

Thursday 26 – Br. Stephan has taken on a new seasonal worker on the farm, for the summer.  He is a Doiron from Collette.  Reno and I finished the manure job on the apple trees.

Friday 27 – The Abbot and Fr. Graham were back from Quebec for Compline.  Except that the Abbot went straight to bed with a raging flu-like cold.

Saturday 28 – There are two couples in the guest-house and several individual guests.  In addition there have been others in the course of the week, including two of Br. Leo’s sisters and a friend of his.

Unusually, for Saturday, we had chapter, given by the Abbot and Father Graham.  Among other things the Abbot gave us the list of decisions taken by the Regional Meeting.  He also announced that Fr. Graham had been chosen as regional delegate to the next General Chapter.  Father Graham, for his part, gave his impressions of the journey, of Saint Benoît-du-Lac, the Benedictine monastery where the meeting took place, and of the meeting itself.

Sunday 29 – We shared the great joy of our Brother Gilles.  He had found online a CD he had been looking for for 53 years.  Erna Sack was a great singer with unparalleled vocal abilities.  We were able to listen to this chef d’oeuvre at the midday meal and it was highly appreciated by all.

Monday 30 - We have an interesting set of guests: a sister of the Congregation of our Our Lady of the Sacred Heart; two priests from Moncton; two priests from Halifax; a priest from Charlottetown; a layman.