We rejoiced in the solemnities of Mary, Mother of God, on the 1st, and then the Feast of the Epiphany on the 6th, to begin the new year. On the 7th, we received word that Auxiliary Bishop John Bonnici of the Archdiocese of New York will become the next bishop of Rochester—our diocese—on March 19. We extend to him a warm welcome.
The Christmas season ended for us on the 11th with the Baptism of the Lord. The decorations around the monastery were packed away, which made the spaces they occupied look pretty bare all of a sudden. From the 16th to the 19th, the knitters had their yearly retreat; some of their work was kindly donated to the shop for sale.
A snowstorm on the 25th, well-advertised in advance, resulted in only two people from outside our property attending Sunday Mass. Guests canceled or postponed their reservations. We received only seven inches of snow and were spared the 14 inches that had been predicted; we missed the heavier totals by only a few miles.
A late-month cold snap brought -12 degree nights at our airport and daytime highs in the teens into February. On the 28th, Brother Luke transitioned from home rehab to outpatient care. Just five weeks after his knee replacement, he is already back to driving.
One of our guard dogs enjoying the snow.