Saturday 1 March – Our Korean Benedictines went to meet our trappistine sisters at Assomption.  Our pre-postulant, Marc Coté, from Prince Edward Island is settling in quite well.  He is fervent and cheerful.

Sunday 2 – We had a celebratory dinner in honour of our charming Asian visitors, also to mark Br. Stephan’s triumph as Farmer of the Year, not forgetting that it was Laetare Sunday and we needed to respond to the invitation of the liturgy: Laetare Jerusalem et conventum facite.

Monday 3 – Rhéal and Irène DesRoches, our closest neighbours, and former workers, took the two Korean Benedictines to Halifax, whence they would take a flight to New York, to continue via Washington and Dallas to Albuquerque in New Mexico, the near to the monastery of Christ in the Desert, their destination.

Fr. John Molina, chancellor of the diocese of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, came for a few days.

Tuesday 4 – There are several young men in the guest house.  There is also Fr. Jack Dolan of Fredericton, professor at Saint Thomas University.

Thursday 6 – Another priest was staying in the guest house: Fr. Ken Robertson of Halifax, with a permanent deacon.

Saturday 8 – The news from Rome is that Fr. Graham is getting settled into his temporary abode and study corner.

Sunday 9 – In Canada we put our clocks an hour ahead.  Some people call it “summer time”, but the weather just got worse with hours of freezing rain through the night and a heavy fall of snow on top of it.  People are talking about the never ending winter.

Marc, our pre-postulant, is working in the cow barn, in fact, doing the milking.  He has already had occasion to welcome a calf into the world in give it the name of “Cheryl”!

The Rogersville pastor, Fr. Savio Mazzarolle has had to take a long break on account of overwork.

Monday 10 – On account of my birthday, the Abbot allowed me to go and see my family.  They are all in the same area and not very far from here.  I also had the opportunity to visit Ozélie Daigle, the only surviving daughter of Brother Hubert and a cousin of my father’s.  She will be a hundred in June.  She is still very bright.

Fr. Maurice went to Moncton for a scan.  No news.

Thursday 13 – We are still getting snow nearly every day.  There is a lot lying.

Friday 14 – Br. Henry is making a good recovery from the trouble with his hips.  He is walking really well now.

A modification was made to the wall that contains the stained glass cross behind the altar in the chapel.  It is a kind of restoration to the original design and incorporates an icon of the crucifixion to complement the luminous cross and provide the chapel with a crucifix.

This evening in chapter the Abbot shared several items of news.  Firstly Father Graham had been in touch and is well satisfied with his course so far.  Br. Stephan has had several messages of congratulation for his achievements on the farm.  Then the Abbot continued his commentary on the Rule.

Saturday 15 – This evening, Brother Stephan gave us a singing class in preparation for the Palm Sunday liturgy tomorrow.

Sunday 16 – Palm Sunday.  The Abbot presided the ceremony with his usual flare.  The whole lasted an hour and 22 minutes.  For the time being the Abbot has to preside at all the liturgical celebrations, since Fr. Maurice and myself are not really very well.

Wednesday 19 – Several anniversaries of habit and profession to recall on what would normally be the feast of St. Joseph: Br. Stephan, Fr. Maurice and others.

The retreatants began arriving for the Holy Days.  The guest house was going to be full again this year.

Thursday 20 – Maundy Thursday.  We had the washing of the feet during the Mass of the Last Supper and processed the Blessed Sacrament to the altar of repose in the guest house chapel.

Friday 21 – Good Friday.  The afternoon service of the Lord’s Passion went very smoothly.  Our pre-postulant, Marc Côté, is learning to milk the cows.  He has reached the point where he can do it on his own.  This is a great help in the barn.

Saturday 22 – Holy Saturday.  At one point we were thinking that there would be few people in the guest house for the Sacred Triduum, because the snow just kept on falling.  Ultimately the guest house got full.  An old acquaintance, Fr. Donald Arsenault, was among the guests.

Fr. Maurice learned of the death of his aunt Thérèse.  His brother Jacques and his sister-in-law came to see him.

Sunday 23 – Easter Sunday of the Lord’s Resurrection.  The night vigil began in the evening with the liturgy of Paschal Light, then we had the major part at 5 am.  We had another solemn Mass at 10 am.  The Abbot presided all this with great ease.

Tuesday 25 – A cousin of Br. Henry’s died, a Sister of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart, at their Moncton Generalate.  She was 97 years old and leaves a sister aged 93 also a religious of the same Congregation.

This morning, Br. Stephan was surprised to find half of the cows out in the open disporting themselves.  Br. Stephan, never to be defeated, got them all back again and was able to start milking at 3.30 as usual.  We actually have 70 cows in milk.

Wednesday 26 – Fr. Wesley Wade is with us for a few days.  Fr. Clovis Chiasson, chaplain to the nuns, seized the opportunity to go home to his relatives and friends.  Fr. Wade presided our community Mass for three days while the Abbot went over to the sisters.

Saturday 29 – Some of his followers had organized a retreat in our guest house led by Fr. Melvin Doucet of Prince Edward Island.  It is a charismatic movement type of thing, plus, he has the reputation of having visions.  These retreats take place here periodically.  Most of the participants are from the Rogersville area.  The community does not get itself involved.

In the monastery chapel this morning, because the guest house chapel was in use by Fr. Doucette’s group, there was a Mass for Thérèse Gallant, Fr. Maurice’s aunt who died on March 22^nd.  A large number of friends and relatives were present; they are all descended from Alexandre Bourque and there are a lot of them.

Sunday 30 – The sun has been shining for the last few days.  This brightened us up a bit.  Divine Providence is generous with its gifts.