Mount Saviour Monastery

February 2021   News:
February began with a three day slow moving Nor'easter that dumped about 15 inches of snow on our region. It was only the first of several storms experienced during the month. Our winter this year has been more reminiscent of winters of old when it would remain cold and snow-white instead of the frequent warm spells of recent winters.

On the 4th we received word that two more of our Oblates had died, Dr. Margaret 'Peg' Snyder and Jean Valentine both of New York City. Both women received substantial write-ups in the New York Times. Please remember them and their families in prayer.

Brother Bruno made a day trip to the Philadelphia area on the 5th to pick up yet another shipment of wax. Our candle business has been keeping Brothers Antonio and Francis busy on the production end and Brother Bruno on the shipping and purchasing end.

Brother Luke went to the hospital for a scheduled hernia surgery on the 8th but did not return until the 12th due to complications resulting from a previous operation. There are lingering issues but progress is slowly being made.

On the 13th, Mary Ellen Stewart, a long-time friend of the monastery died at age 92. Please remember her also in prayer.

Shrove Tuesday, this year on the 16th, is ordinarily a 'free' day for the brothers. Because of another snow and ice storm the brothers and Father Don celebrated our Mardi Gras with a movie and meals from Wegmans bought before the anticipated storm started.

On the afternoon of the 18th three of our Livestock Guardian Dogs were barking furiously and were strategically stationed in full guard mode around the hay pile where the sheep normally feed. Brother Pierre investigated and discovered a baby lamb that had just been born. Our lambing ordinarily does not take place until mid-April. We had however in a sense been forewarned when a ram was discovered among the ewes before the usual mating season began. We were hoping there would be no births quite this early, in the midst of winter weather and with no spring grass likely on the near horizon. All the ewes were brought in and examined. Eleven candidates for giving birth in the near term were kept in the yard and began giving birth before the month ended as our lambing gets off to an extra early start with more to come'.