Out with the new, in with the old

Just a few odds and ends to share. We have finished moving out of the monastery (with no small effort by our fabulous co-workers, novices, and juniors), and the renovation work there has begun full-force. For a while, things were a little hairy: as we moved out lock, stock, and barrel, we had our community retreat, celebrated three jubilees of monastic profession, and buried two confreres. Things have begun to settle down a bit, although we are still getting adjusted to our "new" temporary surroundings--which we will occupy for the next 14 months.

The picture above is of Anselm Hall, where we have temporarily moved the monastic cloister (my room is on the other side of the building, with a view into one of the inner courtyards). The current monastery, now empty, is on the other side of the church in the picture. Anselm Hall, ironically, had been the monastery until the early 1980s, when the current one was constructed. So, some of our older monks have returned to where they started (though Anselm Hall looks much different now inside then it did then).

While we were moving, the Evansville Courier-Press came to take some pictures, and a story/photo package appeared on the front page of the newspaper a couple days ago. You can see the online version by clicking here.

In other news, today we are celebrating the priestly ordination of one of our monks, Fr. Luke Waugh, O.S.B. I just came from the ceremony in the Archabbey Church where Indianapolis Archbishop Joseph Tobin ordained him. Please keep Fr. Luke in your prayers as he begins a new phase of his life as a monk and priest of Saint Meinrad Archabbey.

Also, we recently welcomed another candidate to the monastery--Tony Wolniakowski, who came to us from Michigan. We are expecting another candidate in the fall. Please pray for our candidate, seven novices, and four junior monks, and that God will continue to add to our number.

As for the state of my Cincinnati Reds, it would probably be best not to speak of them at all. Too painful. Much too painful. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes it rains, and sometimes you wish it would have rained.