Adventures of August
August proved to be a challenging month, calling on all reserves of energy to meet its demands. The most joyful event was the simple profession of monastic vows for one year by our Brother Philip Ross. He professed his vows on August 15th, Solemnity of our Lady’s Assumption into heaven. Fr Jerome received his vows during the celebration of the mass. This made it a more public event than the former practice of professing vows in the Chapter Room at the end of Lauds. Some of his family and friends were thus able to witness the ceremony. On the 29th, Br. Philip went down to Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky for a month’s experience of observership. This will give him and the community the opportunity to become acquainted with one another. Since we are no longer able to provide a permanent environment for his continuing formation into monastic living, it is likely that Gethsemani Abbey will be the community to welcome him and accompany him in living out his monastic commitment. We pray for the happy development of this hope.
On the 20th of the month, the Feast of St. Bernard, our abbey church was the scene of the ordination of Fr. Mary-Francis Ikejiuba, a monk of Holy Cross Monastery in Illah, Nigeria. Father Mary-Francis has been studying at St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, and was recently ordained to the diaconate. On a visit to New Melleray, he began moving the wheels to have his priestly ordination here in a Cistercian monastery. This occurred on the 20th, with our local Archbishop Thomas Zinkula presiding. The church was quite full with many guests Father had invited. Several of the sisters from Missisippi Abbey joined us. The abbot of St. John’s and several monks came down to participate. There are large contingents of Nigerians in surrounding areas of the Midwest, and a good number of them also came and added some distinctive African percussion and music to the ceremony. The weather cooperated with a glorious day as a fitting environmental setting. May his ministry be a source of blessing to his community, and to himself.
The powers of heaven were on ample display, but the earthly powers that provide our electricity demanded due attention as well. Our new generator had been proudly sitting in idleness until it was integrated into our electrical system. This meant that all power in the house would be shut off for three periods during Monday, the 17th. An auxiliary generator temporarily supplied power while work was done on installing the new generator. Nonetheless, three times (for periods a little less than an hour) a darkness covered the land. Again, the blessing of the new generator is that it will automatically leap into action in case of a power failure. The next day, the water was shut off in the morning so that repair work could be performed in our pump house. New appreciation for blessings we can take for granted. Problems with land line phones continue, but we hope a new system will bring more dependability.
On the 22nd of the month, we began a new seating arrangement in choir. We had been occupying the east end of the church for offices of prayer, and then moving to the west end for mass. Now, we will use the west end for both choir offices and for mass. The choir will alternate with the cantor in singing the psalms for all the offices. We had already been doing this for the little hours.
Br. Nicholas is now replacing Br. Paul Andrew as prior, and Br. Joseph is replacing Fr. Ephrem as sub-prior. He casts the mighty from their thrones?