Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Good News and Sad News

Two new postulants arrive: on the left Manuel Santarriaga,
from the El Paso, Texas area, and on the right Daniel
Friedel from East Alton, Illinois


The above two candidates are now here to begin a period of postulancy. Oblates are encouraged to pray for vocations everyday, both for the dioceses and the monastic life.

Visiting here at Conception for a couple days is Abbot Richard Yeo, O.S.B., the Abbot-President of the English Congregation of Benedictines. He has just completed a visitation at St. Louis Abbey and is now spending a few days here at Conception. He is a monk of Downside Abbey in England.

A cousin of mine died rather suddenly last week in Omaha, Nebraska. One of my Dad's sisters, Aunt Rose and her husband lived in Omaha. They had five children, all of whom are now deceased. The grandson of my aunt and uncle, died rather suddenly at the age of 50 toward the end of last week. As a young boy I always remember how we looked forward to my aunt and uncle and their family coming to the farm to visit all the Reicherts. They would spend a week or so and usually we had a big family reunion while they were there.

Just outside the sun room in the renovated St. Stephen Health Care Center I have put some bird feeders. It is interesting to watch them as they come everyday for food. We have a number of different kind of finches, two or three different kind of woodpeckers, cardinals, blue jays and I'm not sure what else. The most beautiful I think are the male cardinals in their bright red feathers.

Last weekend and again this weekend I will be in Plattsburg and Easton, Missouri for the weekend Masses. On Saturday there is a Mass at Easton at 4:00 PM, then drive on to Plattsburg for a Mass at 6:00 PM. Sunday morning there is a Mass at Easton at 8:00 AM and then the final Mass at Plattsburg at 10:00 AM. By that time I am usually pretty well worn out.

More snow is predicted for us on Wednesday. So far we have gotten through this winter in good shape.

To go to the Conception Abbey web site, click on the link at the top of this blog and then to read the oblate blog, click on "oblates" on the left of your screen.

God bless you.