Abbot Mark Scott to Visit the Phillipines

 

 

From October 15 to 21, our abbot, Fr. Mark Scott, will make the official Visitation with the Trappist monks of Our Lady of the Phillipines.  In our order, a formal “Visitation” is conducted by the “Father Immediate” of a monastery with the purpose of strengthening and supplementing the pastoral action of the local abbot, to correct where necessary, and to motivate the brothers to lead the Cistercian life with a renewed spiritual fervor.  Such visitations are conducted every two years and involve the visiting abbot meeting individually with each member of the community to discuss the spiritual and temporal welfare of the monastery.  Common topics of concern are fraternal relations, formation of newcomers, the performance of the liturgy, the community work program and finances, the observance of the monastic enclosure, and relations with the local church.  Following these interviews, the Father Immediate writes a “Visitation Card” in which is expressed his observations and possible recommendations to the abbot and community.