Mount Saviour Chronicle

Decemeber 2010

Mount Saviour Sheep


Blessed Advent and Holy Christmas to all our oblates and friends!     A new Liturgical year begins and our thoughts turn to the Great Final Coming of our Risen Lord who will gather us into the heavenly Kingdom. As Advent moves on we also prepare to celebrate his First Coming in the hidden splendor of his Incarnation.   The super abundant richness of this wonderful time always makes me mistakenly assume that it will last much longer than it does and so this message will probably be late in reaching you, again.  But let us not cease to ponder the Mystery and savor its content.

Looking back over the preceding months since our last chronicle makes thankfulness and appreciation rise up for all the blessings we have received through your prayer and generous help.  The major project of replacing our worn out water line took place during the summer months and is now in place and continuing its role of quenching our thirst and cleaning us and our clothing etc.  Also, a large section of fencing around the sheep pastures was rebuilt  in order to contain and protect our large flock especially during the lambing season. You also help us to support our Brother William’s well-being at St. Joseph’s Skilled Nursing Unit which keeps him comfortable and sustained with the most professional and current medical assistance available. 

We had the most beautiful spring, summer and fall seasons this year that I can ever remember:
Verdant  pastures, pleasant to our eyes and nourishing for the sheep.  Especially this year the orchard and garden flourished with fruits and vegetables through the season; and a prolonged  Fall with its spectacular display of brilliant color for a protracted period just ended.

We celebrated the feast of St. Francis Xavier today.  The readings of the Mass speak of light being given to the blind; and, in the gospel, Jesus, the Light of the world, giving sight to blind men. The theme of “light” is fitting for the day; because St. Francis brought the Light of Christ to the Far East, the Land of the Rising Sun. This was the period when a great movement  began, the missionary movement, of bringing Christ the Light, to the lands of the East: India, China, Japan, Korea, then, America, South Africa, all around the world.  Our present situation shows almost the reverse of this happening now.  We are now receiving missionaries to America from the East, India, Africa and Vietnam because of our great drought in vocations. This is very real for us here at Mount Saviour. As you know we are suffering from the lack of new members. The Church in Vietnam suffered greatly during the war there which left the country under the control of a Communist government and is restricted in its freedom. It so happens that there are many religious vocations there.  The monasteries are full and cannot accommodate all who wish to join.  They are looking for monasteries in the USA to accommodate monks, at least temporarily.  Our Abbot President, Hugh Anderson, informed us of this; with his approval we are looking into the possibility of receiving two monks after the New Year.  Fr. Benedict of St. Mary’s Abbey, NJ is facilitating the arrangements and already brought Abbot Matthew and his prior, Fr. Peter, from Vietnam, here to visit us and get acquainted.  Besides, just before this happened, Abbot Philip of Christ in the Desert Abbey very generously replied to my inquiry by promising two monks from there to help us. He also stopped in for a brief visit and shared his concern for us, the “Motherhouse”, and also his experience with monks from the East, Vietnam and also some from the Philippines as well and nearby Mexico. They will arrive after the New Year. So, this good news I am happy to relay to you.  The Lord is being good to us this Christmas!!    

Mount Saviour Monastery
 
For Thanksgiving Day we were happy to have Br. Thomas back together with three fellow students from St. Vincent’s.  All three were from Vietnam: Br. Paulavang and Br. Peter are monks and Seminarian Cong a student for the Atlanta Diocese. Their English is excellent and they were delightful company and helpful with the preparations. They had to hurry back for classes on the following Monday morning.  We hope they will visit again.    
 
The annual work shop meetings of the Emmaus Group were very successful. They are held on the Columbus week end in October each year. The theme this time was “Community and Discipleship in the New Creation” the speakers were Tony Bartlett, Anne & John Hisle “focusing on Biblical texts that point to radically transformative meanings of: discipleship, church and creation.”

Also the Friends of Mount Saviour Group arranged another series of Sunday meetings for the Fall Season on St. John’s Gospel with reference to the book “Things Hidden: Scripture as Spirituality” by Richard Rohr.
In January the SHEEP MAY SAFELY GRAZE Eighth Annual Weekend Retreat for Knitters
will take place on January 14-17   Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend Retreat, “Recharge, Renew,
Reflect and KNIT.”

Our Damasus Winzen Lecture will occur on Sunday, May 1st, 2010 which is the Octave Day of the Paschal Feast.  We look forward to it; the speaker this year will be Fr. John Colacino CPPS
Who has taught at St. Bernard’s School of Theology and is now teaching at St. John Fisher College in Rochester.  He is familiar with Mount Saviour from earlier years and visits.
 
And, yes, “D” Day will occur again this year!   The Sunday nearest August 15th which
is August 14th 2010.

“May the Lord bless you and keep you! May he let his face shine on you!
 May the Lord look kindly upon you and give you peace!”

Fr. James and  Brothers.


Please remember us in prayer and, if possible,
 also in your estate planning and will. Our legal title is -
The Benedictine Foundation of New York State.
Our web site has fresh news and information every month
E-mail: info@msaviour.org
Guest Brother: guest@msaviour.org
Mount Saviour Monastery
231 Monastery Rd.            
Pine City NY 14871-9787
Phone: (607) 734-1688
Fax: (607) 734-1689