Wednesday 2 – The Abbot went to visit Br. Henry at the Residence Notre Dame du Sacré Coeur in Moncton.  He was happy to see how well Br. Henry was doing, even if he was in bed with a mild migraine when the Abbot first arrived.  Fr. Graham combined driving the Abbot with picking up an aspirant from Toronto, Alexander Milasin, who was coming for a few days.  The novice-master is in touch with 9 aspirants.

In chapter the Abbot spoke about the situation in our Canadian monasteries based on the sharing between the superiors at the recent Regional Meeting.

Thursday 3 – We began to watch a video about events in the time of Hitler in Germany.  It is supposed to be historical.

Friday 4 – In chapter the Abbot continued giving us news of the other monasteries.  This evening a group of 7 retreatants arrived, organized by Sr. Ida Nowlan of Moncton.

Saturday 5 – Fr. Graham took Alexander Milasin back to the airport and went to see Br. Henry again.

Sunday 6 – 5^th Sunday of Easter.  This evening our annual retreat began, preached by Fr. Edmour Babineau of the diocese of Moncton, and a former Brother of Christian Instruction.

ANNUAL RETREAT May 7 - 13 2007

We had a very peaceful and pleasant retreat.  The preacher, Fr. Edmour Babineau, was already well-known to us.  He likes to teach with visual aids.  He brought with him a huge icon of the Credo (the “I believe in God”) and referred to the elements of this throughout his retreat.  He also made use of a slideshow.  These are the means he uses when instructing the parents in his parish.  The last conference should have been on Saturday morning, May 12, but Fr. Babineau was needed in his parish and had to cancel the conference.  Nonetheless we stayed in retreat until after Mass on Saturday.  Overall, it was an excellent retreat.

THE FARM

The week saw a lot of activity on the farm.  The weather was ideal for preparing the land for planting maize.  We had rather a lot of manure to spread.

In addition, 40,000 chickens were sent off to become meat and the cleaning team moved in straight away to prepare for the next flock.  That meant a lot more manure to be carried out to the fields.  All this activity did not affect the retreat, but it did involve Br. Stephan.

To increase the butterfat content in the milk, Br. Stephan bought 6 Jersey cows.

An e-mail from Dom Jacques, Abbot of Mistassini, announced the death of their Fr. Jean-Baptiste, at 98 years of age.  We pray for him along with our brothers of Mistassini.

We also learned, by means of a fax from Dom Yvon, the Abbot of Oka, that the sale of their monastery had been concluded and, henceforth, they can devote all their energies to the building of their new monastery.  We share their joy.

Tuesday 15 – Fr. Maurice had an appointment early this morning in Moncton.  He was missing from the Mass.  Rhéal Desroches, who is always happy to serve as driver, took him.  Fr. Maurice took the opportunity to visit Br. Henry and found him on good form.

Wednesday 16 – The police again.  The Mounties were at our door several times today.  They were looking for information on a guy who had been here Tuesday of last week, May 8, and who had got into trouble.  We do not always know who the people are that art turning up at our door.

Thursday 17 – The farm work is making good progress.  They have sown about 85 acres of maize etc.  One of the jersey cows is sick.

Meantime I have been rolling the lawns.

Friday 18 – I realized that today was the 55^th anniversary of my religious profession.  Deo Gratias.

In chapter, the Abbot continued his commentary on the 12^th degree of humility in the Rule of Saint Benedict.

Saturday 19 – Fr. Clovis went yesterday to help his Eudist confreres direct a retreat in Nova Scotia.  Fr. Graham stood in for him for the Mass for our sisters.

Sunday 20 – The Abbot went to celebrate Mass for the sisters.

This week the weather has been rather miserable: cold, windy, cloudy and rainy.  It is raining again today.  People consider the season is really behind.

Monday 21 – Several priests turned up for a retreat: two from Nova Scotia, one from Prince Edward Island, one from Portland, Maine, U.S.A.  We had some impressive concelebrations.

In Chapter the Abbot in his commentary on the Rule managed to complete chapter 7 on humility, which he has been commenting on for 13 months!

Wednesday 23 – I had an appointment in Moncton.  A Heaven-sent opportunity to visit Br. Henry.  He was on good form.  I had a long talk with him.

Friday 25 - Liturgical memoria of Saint Bede the Venerable.  Our Abbot’s patronal feast.  He had a whole collection of emails and faxes from various parts of the Order.  In his commentary on the Rule he started talking about the Divine Office, chapter 7 on humility in the text of the Rule being followed directly by chapter 8 on the Divine Office at Night.

The hot weather has arrived.  I began cutting the lawns.  Unfortunately the lawn mower broke down.  A problem for Rhéal DesRoches to sort out.

Saturday 26 – The Abbot went to see Br. Henry, with Br. Gilles as driver.  Br. Henry will be coming back to the monastery in the middle of next week.

Sunday 27 – The great feast of Pentecost.  The Abbot presided the Mass, as he does on solemnities, with all the pomp and circumstance: mitre,. crozier, etc.

Tuesday 29 – Two priests from Montreal did a stopover and concelebrated with us.

Wednesday -30 – Br. Henry returned to the monastery.  He seems on good form.  He came right back to his place in choir and his duties as cantor.  We are happy to have him back among us.

Thursday 31 – Martin Cormier finished his job today as manager of the chicken operation.  He has been replaced by Jacques Martin, who comes back on the job.