Wednesday 1 – This morning at 3 am, Annette Chiasson, Fr. Clovis’ sister, passed away.

Br. Stephan has been nominated for the New Brunswick Farmer of the Year award.  What has drawn the attention of those who make this award is mechanical week control without recourse to chemical sprays.  The award will not be made until February, and there is not guarantee that we will win it.  Meantime, the organizers want to have a field day here.

The Abbot announced a three-day festival: Farmers’ Field Day 18 August, Blessed Sacrament Procession to the Grotto 19 August, Barbecue on the evening of Saint Bernard’s day, 20 August.

We have with us, as a guest, Fr. Jean-Marie Dumont, a Eudist from Charlesbourg, but originally from Campbellton.

Thursday 2 – Our greenhouse has produced an awesome quantity of tomatoes.  To conclude the hottest day of the year, we had a thunderstorm with hurricane-like winds that uprooted trees.

Saturday 4 – We bought ourselves a machine for picking up cut grass and, later, dead leaves.  It is not perfect but it more or less does the job.

Sunday 5 – Father Clovis returned to his post as chaplain.

Monday 13 – Hay.  The community dialogue scheduled for this evening had to be postponed.

Tuesday 14 – Sr. Lucie Hébert stopped off here fro a short visit.  She had made her retreat here during the summer.  She is a native of Rogersville and has a sister with the Daughters of Jesus.

Br. Henry was pleased to have his Brother Roger and his wife here fro a visit.  Roger is the brother that got over a very serious cancer.  They come from Newton, Massachusetts.

The priest preaching the novena in Rogersville is very appreciative of the prayers of contemplatives.

Wednesday 15 – Feast of the Assumption.  Patronal Feast of the Acadians and of the Cistercians.  We are discovering lots about the Acadians from the book by Robert Pichette which is still being read in the refectory.

We readily accepted the invitation of Mother Alfreda and here sisters of the monastery of the Assumption in Rogersville to help them celebrate their patronal feast – with the office of Sext and a tasty barbecue.

Friday 17 – A lawyer and his wife are on retreat here.

Saturday 18 – Today the Miramichi Soil and Crop Improvement Association, a group of local farmers, held a field day here.  Any monks who wanted to were free to take part.  The group toured the barn, fishway, fields, wetlands and, finally, the monastery.

Saturday 19 – This afternoon, we had an early first Vespers of Saint Bernard, followed by an hour’s adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and a procession to the Grotto, where we had Benediction.  There was a feeling of solidarity with the run-up to the International Eucharistic Congress due to take place in Quebec next year.

Monday 27 – An e-mail from Dom Yvon, abbot of Oka, informed us of the name the community has chosen for its new monastery to be constructed at St Jean-de-Matha near Joliette: Val Notre-Dame.  We rejoice with our brothers over this happy inspiration.

Wednesday 29 – Bishop Valery Vienneau of Bathurst stopped by for a short visit.

Thursday 30 – This week the Mistassini chronicle was rightly concerned about the situation with the blueberries.  For several years now Mistassini has been marketing its awesome “Chocolate-coated Blueberries”.  To meet the market potential they need a vast quantity of blueberries.  The same chronicle also discusses the forestry crisis.  The two problems affect our province as well  The wood trade is critical, especially in the Miramichi area, where the paper mills have been closed.  On the other hand, the blueberry production is on the increase and 60% of it comes from the Acadian Peninsula, the north east of the province.

Friday 31 – Fr. Maurice had his two brothers with their wives, his sister from Vancouver, and a nephew and niece here for a pleasant family reunion.  The heads the catechetics departments in the different pastoral units of the diocese of Moncton were here for the day for a meeting presided over by the Archbishop, André Richard.

Monday 6 – Fr. Leo Richard stopped off here.  He is a Eudist.  He is 84 years old and has been 7 years a priest.

Tuesday 7 – Today was the start of the novena in preparation for the feast of Our Lady’s Assumption, the patronal feast of the Acadians, which focuses on the national monument in Rogersville.  The novena is being preached by Fr. Bernard Gauthier, C.SS.R.  We hear that he is a really excellent preacher.  Normally he exercises his ministry with the Micmacs, the first nation people, in the diocese of Moncton.

Wednesday 8 – Fr. Maurice spent a few hours at the hospital in Miramichi for some sophisticated tests on his urinary tract.  Nothing ominous was discovered.

Thursday 9 – This evening we watched the beautiful video, The Great Silence.  As monks we can get a lot out of this film.

Friday 10 – The Abbot continued his commentary on the Rule, on the Divine Office and the psalms as Christian prayer.

Saturday 11 – The guest-house is full again this weekend.  People say that holidaymakers have a tendency to migrate towards the monasteries as cheaper places to stay.

Sunday 12 – There were a lot of new people at the Mass.  A Nigerian monk has asked to come here for a certain period of time.  He is a former superior.