Commission of the Future – Meets Jan 29
Since the formal Visitation of 2018, Abbot Mark and ten monks have been meeting about every 8 weeks to discuss and plan for New Melleray’s future. Among the topics discussed are the upcoming abbatial election in July of 2020, modification of certain structures of our large monastery to better meet the needs of a community smaller in size, and our progress in implementing the formal Strategic Plan formulated in 2017. These meetings are generally preceded by a detailed summary of our last meeting and proposals for two or three questions to be addressed. Discussions of the Commission of the Future are facilitated by Dr. Patricia Kelly who has worked with a number of our Trappist Communities who wish to engage discussion on important topics in an organized and disciplined manner. Dr. Kelly, generally schedules an afternoon session with the monks, followed by a full day session, and concluded with a morning session the next day. On the evening of her full day session with the Commission, Dr. Kelly speaks to the community as a whole, summarizing the proceedings of the Commission and inviting monks to ask questions or offer comments. The work of the Commission of the Future is a concrete application of an important principle articulated a number of years ago by the monks: that what ever we do that is of importance, we must do together. We appreciate your prayers for the monks of New Melleray as we engage the challenge of planning for the future in accord with God’s will and in keeping with our own energy and talents.