February 2024

Winter quiet reigned, as we made our way through February; a month with a fair bit of sunshine. The loop in front of the guesthouse continues to be popular for walkers, including those with dogs. Brother Charbel from the OC monastery of Rougemont in Quebec was by, for the first time in a while, and…

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January 2024

Early in the month, we tried out a new doorkeeper schedule. The ol’ front door is fairly quiet, with nice surprises, now and then. Father Bede turned 81, and the occasion was marked with a lovely black forest cake. Brother Léo turned 97 and escaped the flu which closed the doors of his care home…

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FEBRUARY 2019

Friday 1st. Brother Stephan found a pick-up, thanks to a used car place run from someone’s home, a few houses down the road. Saturday 2nd. The feast of the Presentation. At the Offertory, everyone left their little candle on the front of the altar, one by one. It is perhaps unfortunate the reality so signified…

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May 2016

Sunday 1st. At lunch, we listened to Offenbach, a composer who put Oomph into Oom-Pah-Pah. As soon as lunch was finished, John took Father Innocent to the Moncton airport to begin a long journey to visit his family in Nigeria. His journey will include a twelve-hour layover at London Heathrow. Monday 2nd. With Father Innocent…

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April 2016

Friday 1st. In Chapter this morning, Dom Bede commented on the Rule of Saint Benedict’s teaching on humility. Bede coined a new phrase to describe asceticism that has lost its way: ‘self-imperialism.’ Saturday 2nd. Father Innocent is planning for travel, home to Nigeria for a brief visit. He has been there once since arriving at…

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March 2016

Tuesday 1st. Our newly-acquired John Deere tractor was delivered today. It is taller and stronger than the Case tractor it is replacing. A retreatant swept and washed the corridor floor in the old novitiate/annex this morning. This had gotten more than dusty and it took a while to get used to seeing it clean again.…

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February 2016

Monday 1st. This morning, we heard of something that happened last evening: Holstein break-out. The cows managed to get out of the barn, and Brother Stephan had to convince them to go back into the barn. One of them had gone around to the other side of the barn, into the hay loft. Steve says…

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January 2016

Friday 1st. Some guests were up and about for Vigils this morning. In Chapter, we wished each other a Happy New Year, and Dom Bede presented us with our choice of calendars. One was ‘home-made’ by Mount Saint Bernard Abbey in England, with nice photos by their Brother Martin. Alec Guinness from ‘Star Wars’ used…

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