Easter Card by Helen Siegl    Mount Saviour Monastery

                                   April 1999
 

Easter:
Guests are never lacking for this important solemnity.  The whole mystery of salvation is represented in this Easter card by our neighbor, Helen Siegl.  The Holy Week is marked by the solemn mass of the last supper in the evening.  Good Friday makes us pray for different categories of people after the singing of the Passion from St. John.  Our Paschal celebration began at 5:00 a.m. with the blessing of the new fire and the paschal candle in the crypt.  We processed upstairs for the 'Exultet' and the readings that bring to mind the history of salvation.  The mass ends while the sun is rising for a "new day".  We serve a brunch in the monastic dining room for all the participants.

Lambs 1999Lambing Season:
On April 8th, our first lamb was born.  Thanks to a mild winter and excellent hay harvested by Br. Bruno, last summer, 135 healthy ewes gave birth to 245 lambs.  From sunrise to sunset, Br. Pierre was on hand to provide necessary care: helping some ewes, coaching some lambs and feeding the orphan lambs.  This year, the problem with coyotes did not accur; we had an unknown predator who who cut the head of 4 lambs, leaving the rest of the body intact.  Some experts think that it is done by a coyote who is not hungry; others blame an owl or a raccoon.  It is the mystery of the year. The picture by Br. Pierre appeared  on the cover of  THE SHEHERD (May issue1999).

The Sick:
On April 13th, Fr. Alexis Foyo, returned after spending time with his sick relatives in Florida.  Fr. Martin had a day surgery for varicose and the following day, Br. William was at the hospital for a double hernia.  The following week, Fr. Timothy Brennen had his gall bladder removed.  At home, Br. Sebastian developed an infection in the leg that required more visits by nurses from the health department; Br. Stephen is his private nurse.  Since the face-lift of the Chapel is complete, we resumed the regular schedule with the daily mass at 9:00 a.m. (except on Monday at 7:00 a.m.).

Guests:
Many guests volunteer their services during the year.  Barbara Reiter and Claire Johnson had a 'sewing day' when the monks bring their clothes in need of repair.  The month ended with a group of men preparing to become deacons of the New York Archdiocese.

Dedication Day Letter 1999
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