Tuesday 1 January.  New Year’s Day.  Our Trappistine sisters invited us to dinner with them; and a splendid meal it was, too, and a very happy occasion.

Wednesday 2 – The Heaven’s opened and graced us with a lot of snow to mark the start of the year.  We woke up to the worst snowstorm we have had in a long time.  It took a long time before the roads were open.

Friday 4 – A Curcillo group booked the guest-house for this weekend and the two following.  These are people from Prince Edward Island, accompanied by Fr. Blair Bernard.  We get more and more people from Prince Edward Island coming to our guest house.

Sunday 6 – The Abbot presided the Mass on this Feast of the Epiphany.

Monday 7 – Dr. John Wortley, an expert in the Desert Fathers, arrived to give us a series of conferences, beginning this morning, until Friday, at the rate of 2 talks a day.  He hails originally from Yorkshire, like Dom Bede, and is a long-standing friend of Dom Marcel, Abbot of Our Lady of the Prairies.  Dr. Wortley has in fact been teaching for many years at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg.

Tuesday 8 – Br. Henry is recovering well from him operation.  He should be coming back on February 4^th.

Wednesday 9 – Fr. Maurice’s Aunt Thérèse has been admitted to hospital.  She is expected to be their for some time.  Fr. Maurice went to see her.

Thursday 10 – Elmer Aucoin is painting inside the monastery.  A large portion has already been completed.

Friday 11 – The course on the Desert Fathers finished today.  Dr. Wortley is a very lively and interesting speaker.  Three or our Trappistine sisters from Assomption joined us for these talks.

Sunday 13 – My family came to visit me.  There were nine of us altogether.  A wonderful afternoon!

Monday 14 – Father Marcel of Oka has come to stay with us for a three week rest.  We are very happy to have him.  Straightaway this evening he spoke to us about his monastery where they are in the process of transferring to a new location.

Tuesday 15 – This evening, as usual, we had our gospel-sharing.  Fr. Marcel took an active part.

Wednesday 16 – The snow never stops falling.  This evening we had a discussion in chapter.  We talked about various things, but particularly about the Lenten reading.

Thursday 17 – The engine of one of our tractors died some time ago.  The Trappistines lent us their tractor, because the one that failed was the only one small enough to drive into the barn for the feeding.  We lent them our biggest tractor and snow-blower in return.

Friday 18 – This evening we continued Wednesday’s discussion on the Lenten reading.  Br. Leo was recognized with a cake for his 81^st birthday.  He is in good health and always full of wit.

Saturday 19 – We have a serious applicant: Marc Côté is young and strong.  He will move into the community on Wednesday for a six month monastic experience.  He is 47 years old.

Sunday 20 – Since Father Maurice no longer wants to risk presiding the Mass, because of his problems with his balance, he lets the Abbot preside and preaches the homily himself.

Monday 21 – Brother Henry is getting better and better at the Sisters of N-D du Sacrécoeur in Moncton.  He is also getting plenty of visitors.

Wednesday 2 – Marc Coté moved into the community for a six month monastic experience.  Another applicant, Eric Towne, from Ohio, is also staying in the guest house for a couple of weeks.  He will not be entering for a while.

Friday 25 – Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul.

Saturday 26 – Thérèse Guimond, Fr. Maurice’s aunt, celebrated her 86^th birthday in hospital.  Fr. Maurice went to visit her and found her slightly improved since his previous visit a week before.

Feast of our Holy Founders, Robert, Alberic, and Stephen Harding.  In addition to the splendid High Mass presided by the Abbot we celebrated our founders by rejoicing in the products of our monasteries from different parts of the world: chocolate from Mistassini, shortbread from Caldey and bourbon fudge from Gethsemani.  And, of course, we celebrated the Mass with hosts made by our sisters from Assomption, in Rogersville!

Monday 28 – As each General Chapter comes round, every three years, the communities of the Order have to send in a report on their situation.  This report is drawn up during community dialogues.  We began working on it this evening.  The process seems to be going well.

Tuesday 29 – Father Wesley Wade, Vicar General of Bathurst, is here on retreat.  There are also two ladies.

Wednesday 30 – This evening we had the second discussion on the stat of the community.

Thursday 31 – Four permanent deacons are here on retreat.  They are from Halifax.  P. Maurice had his family visiting, in particular his only sister from Vancouver.