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OCTOBER 2007 |
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Monday 1 – Fr. Graham has been back with us since Saturday evening, 29 September. This evening he spoke to us about his journey to England and especially London. An interesting talk. Wednesday 3 – The Abbot left for Tre Fontane. Br. Stephan took him to the airport at Moncton. Fr. Maurice and I had yet another appointment together with an orthopedic specialist. We began to make the apple juice, Fr. Clovis took charge of the operation. Thursday 4 – Dr. Paul Doucet, a regular visitor to our guest house for many years now, is currently staying with us. Friday 5 – In chapter, Fr. Graham gave us another talk about his visit to London. He is very interesting. He found London more interesting than he had been given to understand. Brother Stephan was celebrating his 49th birthday. He is Prior and director of our dairy farm, as well as organist, cantor and choirmaster; he also runs the machine repair-shop. Saturday 6 – Br. Albert, our visiting monk from Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky, left this morning to look up his relatives in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He will return Sunday evening. Il learned of the death of my brother-in-law, Delphis Babineau, at the age of 82. He had been suffering from cancer of the lungs. According to Dr. Doucet there has been an increase in the number of cancer cases in Moncton in the 35 – 45 age bracket. This would be due to the effects of the use of pesticides in the area in the past beginning to show. Sunday 7 – With both the Abbot and Br. Albert being absent we feel our smallness in numbers in choir. But we get on with it!
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Tuesday 9 – I went to my brother-in-law Delphis’ funeral in Richibouctou. This little village has a lot of narrow lanes and it is easy to get lost.
I had a friend with me. We arrived in time, thanks be to God. Wednesday 10 – We celebrated our monthly Mass for vocations. Father Josh Daly,
a priest of the diocese of Saint John, but who is a missionary in the far north of the country, is staying here while visiting
his family and friends in Miramichi. The Abbot sends us
e-mails from time to time from Rome. His work at Tre Fontane is going well. Thursday 11 – The Canada geese visited our lake but they were somewhat jumpy. The hunters had an eye on them. Friday 12 – Br. Albert is getting better all the while, his knees are nearly normal. Saturday 13 – Part of the corn is still standing. I cannot
understand whey they don’t just get on and cut it. Sunday 14 – What is there to say? Thanks be to God for
all his good gifts and to our readers and friends. Monday 15 – Fr. Clovis went off to a meeting of his Eudist community. He had to be replaced for the Mass at our sisters of Assomption. With the Abbot being away that meant two monks less at our community Mass. At
last the farm people got to continue the maize harvest. In
the evening Fr. Graham gave a conference in chapter. Tuesday 16 – Dr. Hendrick J. Buttes, a psychiatrist from Gatineau, Quebec,
is staying with us. He flew himself to Miramichi in his own small plane. Wednesday 17 – This evening Fr. Graham gave a second conference. The subject is the hymns of the nativity of Ephrem of Nisbe. Born
around 306 AD, he is the great poet among the fathers of the Church. He is also
through his writings the principal representative of the not-yet-Hellenised Christianity of ancient Syria. Thursday 18 – Dom Bede came back in the small hours of the morning. Friday 19 – The Abbot spoke in chapter about Tre Fontane, particularly about
the buildings that had been very well restored. Saturday 20 – The Abbot went on his bike in the rain to say Mass for our sisters,
due to another absence of Fr. Clovis. Sunday 21 – In his homily the Abbot spoke of the importance of prayer, as the
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Monday 22 – Father Peter Osborne, of the Diocese of Saint John, New Brunswick,
is staying with us. He lives and works in the city of Saint John itself. A
nephew of our late Br. Gerard turned up with his huge well drilling equipment. He
had come to drill a new well for the chicken barns. He did it at a safe distance
from the barns to avoid contamination, which has been a long-standing problem with the two wells that, up to now, have served
the chicken barns. The new one is 210 feet deep, so it should be safe enough. This
afternoon et was exceptionally hot, over 20 degrees Celsius. Tuesday 23 – We learned of the death of Sr. Albertine Allain, at 91 years of
age, sister of our late Father Georges. The
well digging was completed. Wednesday 24 – We learned of the death of Fr. Alphonse Sormony, MA, of the
White Fathers. He was the last White Father in Moncton. He was born in Shediac and his father was a doctor. His grandfather,
Albert, was an immigrant from Jersey, who had a key role in Acadian history. This
evening, in chapter, we had a discussion about the balance of the languages in the Divine Office. We decided to adopt the principle that the reader at the Office will read, and lead the intercessions,
in his mother tongue, English or French. The applicants to join the community
are nearly all English speakers, we have a monk of Gethsemani currently staying with us, we are expecting a Nigerian, so the
moment seemed indicated to take a tiny step away from a monolithic French Office. Friday 26 – We are reading a new book in the refectory, in English: Travels with Herodotus. The author, Ryszard Kapuscinski, was a renowned
Polish journalist. A practitioner came to trim the cows’ hoofs: 60 cows,
240 hoofs. They were all done in one day. The man was equipped with all that
was needed to immobilise and turn the cows on their side. Sunday 28 – Due to his problems of balance, Fr. Maurice was unable to preside
at the concelebrated Mass, but he gave the homily nonetheless. Monday 29 – We are having difficulties with
one of our telephone lines and with our fax line. A technician will be coming
to look at them. Tuesday 30 – The Abbot had an e-mail from
Father Innocent, of the new monastery of Illah in Nigeria, who is wanting to come and spend some time with us. He has completed the procedures for obtaining a visa and it looks as though this will be granted, but it
is expected to take some time. We are looking forward to his coming with joy
and anticipation. Wednesday 31 – Father Graham gave us a third
conference on Ephrem of Nisbe. Giving these conferences does not seem to be any
trouble to Fr. Graham.
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